This is the Second Collaboration between me and Photo Manipulator Abi. Abi Comments on her work: For at least 3 weeks i stared at the image sent to me by Koteiba we had agreed that i would work on it as a collaboration . The image was already intense and perfect. i was mesmerized by it , by the woman that lay sleeping so peacefully , she herself lost in her dream seemed like a dream , Koteiba's perception was passionate and calm , though he wasn't part of the image his presence was strong and very evident. I just felt there's no space for me in it , i couldn't possibly add anything. Usually with my attempts its just me creating my image from scratch without any limitations it was hard trying to find myself in something that already had a strong identity a clash i felt was inevitable , the collaboration would fail , i thought there's no way in hell for the image to encompass both our very strong visions. i worked and worked on it , but nothing worked , nothing was right the composition , the theme , nothing worked. what was it that was blocking me ? I wasn't surprised when i figured out that it was my ego ... i had to tame it , the only way it seemed to me to do something with this image was to take over it completely but that wouldn't be a collaboration will it. this whole thing got me thinking of myself my life and my real challenges as a woman and as an artist. In order to do it i had to learn to work within a limited space and still be able to create something i feel for. which is something god knows i had to learn anyways , i as a person had hated boundaries and limitations all my life until i could no longer find myself because i simply couldn't accept that there are things i just not able to do. i have discovered ofcourse the hard way that in order to cross boundaries and limitations first i had to know them accept them. thats really where i would find my real voice my identity , then cross over. i suffered and koteiba was nagging me to deliver i was challenged ultimately and as if this one image was the key some how for my real liberation. i thought a lot about the woman. until i couldn't see her anymore but could see myself i had to let go of wanting to do something perfect. something thats not dark and twisted. There was no why in hell i could turn this image around into something morbid. i was forced to search for some inner light. yet first i had to let go of my ghosts. i spent at least 4 hours on a small detail that probably no one will notice , behind the window to the right of the image in the castle if u look closely you'll find two ghosts of a woman and a little girl two of my constant companions , who have always been in the foreground of my psyche , i had to lock them away so that i can work on the rest of the image and it wasn't easy. it was a catharsis of its own right. i hated koteiba at that moment for no reason really but that now i know of him pushing me to confront something in me , that has been long over due. After i finished with my dark side , my beautiful sad ghosts it just flowed i worked non stop. i searched and searched for the woman's soul i had to find the right one. on the way i stumbled upon wet collidion photography techniques and read about it. i have always been mesmerized by it , on the way i found Sally Mann a great photographer one of the best ever. Inspired by her and overwhelmed with the technique it self i set out to develop an image that resembled it. that resembled a different the time when we where just discovering what photography was. Which to me has always been a great significance to mankind that urge to look at oneself in an attempt of an understanding of existence. It all fell in place then. She wasn't dreaming of a lover , she wasn't dreaming of a better life , she wasn't sleeping to rest , she had gone out and rested on a bench in the middle of a park she wanted to connect. to something bigger something beautiful. And she did. i worked hard on the light ,and even harder on the shadows. i had to put an icon of faith one thats understood by all. What better than the cross the symbol of Jesus the one who spoke of love and just that. beyond religion beyond the domineering concrete something else was there. it was there all the time before i had touched that image , i had always been in it. long before kotieba and i met he had taken a photo of me , that was it. i saw myself in him i was able to exists within another's image. Thank u K for the inspiration.
I would not say it is more impressive than the original,but yes,it is very nice,and got a fine idea,and conducted finely too. I liked both versions. Saad.
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