engraved names

I tend to get myopic in my goal towards conceptual photography. And while I do believe the way an artist thinks is the unique expression of his or her soul, the here and now can also be expressive. Such is the case with this image, shot at the Vietnam Veteran’s War Memorial in D.C. The image is an emotionally charged and tactile connection between the hand and the engraved names of the deceased. The memorial is surely the closest thing that many living relatives will ever get to touching their loved one’s again. I like the way the hand emerges out of the dark reflection below, mirroring the subterranean nature of the memorial itself. Reflected into the polished stone surface is the shadow side of the hand overlaid with ghosted names, a visual duality. This metaphorical imposition reminded me of the shadow side of war and how it’s effects are indelibly imprinted onto our lives. In honor of one of these fallen soldiers, I chose to use one of the names from the wall as the title of my image, “Clarence Rivers”. The emotions I felt at the memorial moved me to create this photograph, the memorial’s power is palpable, and its subterranean experience is remarkable to behold. Maya Lin, Designer. Feel free to like, comment and share below. Thanks.