You're right, Jerry... that's a very interesting photo. What's in his hand. A pack of cigarettes and a note pad? What more did a writer back then need ? And the beads... I wonder if they're 'just' beads or beads with 'significance.' Interesting the "T" shape of his body, made with the enclosing of his arms.
I feel we tend to post so many photos of Leonard for various reasons that it probably would be better if they remained in context of the particular discussions, rather than all together in their own section.
It emphasises his skinniness, doesn't it? His legs are tightly crossed, his arms are drawn in close to the body, his head drawn forward and down, making him very 'narrow' in shape, as though he is trying to make himself as small as he can. It's almost - no, it is exactly - a defensive pose.
He doesn't look happy, does he? A bad period in his life, maybe.
That's funny, Fljotsdale... I didn't see that it was more of a full-body pose. I thought he was leaning on a table that reflected his arms. I didn't realize that part of the photo was his legs. Yes ~ a very closed-in photo, with a questioning look in his eyes. My eyes always go straight to his face and eyes ... and sometimes just never go further... unless he's barefoot .
This photo looks as if it has been taken with a wide angled lens, rather than the long lens that is nearly always used for portrait photography. A wide angle 'gets more in' when the photographer is standing close to the subject, but it does distort perspective, with whatever is closest to the lens appearing over-sized. In this case, Leonard's picture was taken from eye level or above, which makes his head seem large in relation to his body, and makes his body look small. His hands and notebook are also closer to the lens than his body, and therefore 'enlarged', further making his body seem small in relation. Close-up, wide angled shots of people are rarely flattering, but they are often interesting!
It is not true that the camera never lies! It always lies...
Diane
Last edited by Diane on Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
Croatian newspapers publish this photo beside DH review with comment: "Leonard Cohen and his newly found image of old fisherman". ("old fisherman" = we call them "barba" in Croatia, using the Italian word).
It's showing now, Starshaped. I really like it, too. Not for the same 'reasons' as Kush, of course. [The least you could've done was mention Bee in your posting, Kush .] I like the old fisherman take on it, but most of all, I like "Dad Sabbath."