Holocaust Memorial (near Quincy Market), a photo from Massachusetts, Northeast

Photographer's Note

For anyone not familiar with Boston/Quincy market, there is a Holocaust Memorial nearby which consists of 6 Square Glass Pillars that have 6 million numbers etched into it for the Jews which died during the Holocaust. You walk through them and can view the numbers, etc. When I was there, I was relaxing nearby the memorial when I saw this woman stop...I quickly grabbed my camera, focused on the Glass plate with the numbers (thus why she is out of focus) and shot away. Took 2 photos but I like this one best.

Cropped slightly in PS and adjusted color. Was thinking about making it B/W but decided to go with color instead. Hope you all like it! :o)

Ok...I just checked the web and found some more information on the memorial:

At night, its six 50-ft-high glass-and-steel towers glow like ghosts who vow never to forget. During the day, the monument seems at odds with the 18th-century streetscape of Blackstone Square behind it. Shoehorned into the north end of Union Park, the Holocaust Memorial is the work of Stanley Saitowitz, whose design was selected through an international competition; the finished memorial was dedicated in 1995. Recollections by Holocaust survivors are set into the glass-and-granite walls; the upper levels of the towers are etched with 6 million numbers in random sequence, symbolizing the Jewish victims of the Nazi horror. Manufactured steam from grates in the granite base makes for a particularly haunting scene after dark.

Zanni, omritoppol, Eagle78, christiane, Tim, RGatward, vascao, ydavid, Isabelle, gadinga, elena, Liora, pascalbene, kajenn, jrj, dt2chow, Caffeine, dgcoene, sohrab, manu_itu, Chaga, Alan_Kolnik, tigliu, Damberio, daverey, itamaratiya, andante, djsoil, kajspice trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

Zanni (6108) 2004-05-10 16:06

It is a dramatic picture. Her face says: how all this was possible? She winces with pain, incredolous for those numbers. Your photo will become a great message.

omritoppol (826) 2004-05-10 16:34

A dramatic image. I was not aware of such memorial; i'm used to names rather than numbers. Your composition is very good, focusing on the glass with the woman in blur. Thanks for sharing George

Eagle78 (1933) 2004-05-10 16:45

Wow..what a dramatic mood here George..incredible the amount of numbers but what really gives me more strong feelings here is this particular detail: 1 life = 1 number...terrific image! Great document

Cat (0) 2004-05-10 17:12

Hi George,
Been awhile since I have been involved. I lost all of my postings due to a personal sabotage... Anyway, this image brought me out of the quiet.

You have contributed an absolutely wonderful image here. Haunting, yet completely touching in the multitude of emotions that have just rushed over me. So powerful the story you are telling!

We can never forget. Thank you for the reminder!

christiane (668) 2004-05-10 17:18

Great image! Very strong. But the sad is that some people in the word insist on increasing these numbers:-(

Tim (469) 2004-05-10 18:47

George, I do like it very much. The woman in the photo is looking intently at the wording on the monument. Nicely captured! Thanks and God's best to you, Tim

RGatward (20108) 2004-05-10 19:09

Clever idea, especially with so little time to think. Very well done here.

Isabelle (9046) 2004-05-10 20:24

great image, strong, clean, exact.
notes are excellent.
thanks for showing us, George.

gadinga (626) 2004-05-10 21:51

I love the face of the woman. Her expression looks pained. I also like that you focused more on the numbers which represent the more prominent subject, people who died, then the woman unfocused which represents the effect on humanity of this injustice. Well done.

elena (1054) 2004-05-10 21:54

Stunning photo, her expression summarizes what many of us would think/feel in front of such Memorial... This is great journalism material...
as someone just said, it is SO sad many people don´t mind increasing those numbers daily... the same people who built that Memorial then approve of attrocities done somewhere else to others... SAD

Liora (1857) 2004-05-11 8:59

I've been there... there's something about the place that give you the shivers... I guess the design works.. excellent angle, and the expression on the woman's face says it all...
Well captured George!

nwoehnl (122) 2004-05-11 9:16

A genuinely meaningful and poignant posting, George. You captured this haunting scene in an excellent way, with the woman's look of disbelief reflected off the wall of numbers. To me, the fact that you focused on the numbers, and that you decided to keep the color, are two decisions you got totally right. A powerful statement to never forget. An outstanding contribution to TE.

waskahegan (0) 2004-05-11 10:25

It is a good timing of a sad memory. But you did well the woman seen through the number gives it depth.

pascalbene (1717) 2004-05-11 14:11

A lot of things in this pics. Estheticaly and metaphysicaly (life/number... what is a human being in totalitarism? nothing). Thank you georges. A strong pic.

Ebbe (9625) 2004-05-11 16:40

A good way of showing all those small number and it was good to have a short DOF too. The woman is just sharp enough to let us see her searching expression.

jrzufferey (7305) 2004-05-16 14:48

Véritablement superbe, critique impossible. Bravo/jr

jrj (34843) 2004-05-23 5:43

Well seen detail and an interesting story behind this pix. Very good capture George

Caffeine (194) 2004-06-08 13:13

I've been there last year. I like this work. nice shot

wata4no (0) 2004-06-13 22:45

Extremely poignant shot George. This is one of the best photos I have seen on TE thus far...it definitely defines what I think TE is all about...to teach us about the world, whether past, present or future. The lady's image is haunting. I think this shot shows us that the world should never forget and hopefully learn from the past atrocities for a better future.

Garry01 (0) 2004-06-15 11:38

bien sûr, la photo a un caractère tragique de part son contexte, mais la prise de vue par elle même et superbe, le reflet de ce regard qui se porte sur les noms gravés... vraiment excellent

dgcoene (305) 2004-08-18 19:39

this is fine photojournalism. thank you!!!

zilinskyi (493) 2004-08-28 0:49 [Comment]

Show Comment

sohrab (7439) 2004-09-18 17:15

this is a great photograph. i seem to be at a loss for words for this one
its beautiful
take care

deeman (175) 2004-10-29 11:48

a truly beautiful photo, epic.

jude (78) 2005-01-16 6:36

Goerge this is the an interesting composition, and will to shot the Dramatism here, the woman of course brings so much and of course the note is complemantory .

Thanx for sharing,
Good work
Jude

manu_itu (307) 2005-01-20 3:25

Incredible picture George. Story, your note and focus has done wonders here. Couldn't be better than this. And it's good that you spent some time on net to add little more information. Very much worth.

Alan_Kolnik (620) 2005-01-22 22:52

A really good representation of that memorial, which I think always takes people by surprise, since its situated right next to a bustling restaurant and tourist area.

SoupDragon (652) 2005-02-28 22:38

Great capture, and it really does seem like she is in pain - perhaps remembering a relative, or just being moved by the monument itself. Technically, I can't understand why the numbers are correct, but the text is reversed. Was it shot thru' a window?

I tried something similar at the 'Nam memorial in Washington (here), but yours is SO much more effective!

erguvan (773) 2005-03-21 23:51

Realy interesting creative portre work. cong.

tigliu (111) 2005-05-13 16:26

excellent composition, informative note. i would have preferred it b&w myself but nonetheless it is a great shot. congrats, well done.
-ugur

karatas1999 (20) 2005-07-12 9:21

very good picture...... very good kontrast between woman(today)and the numbers (past)....

imshany (6) 2005-07-12 9:27 [Comment]

Show Comment

Prisley (1485) 2005-07-12 9:37

Hi George,
This is what I call a perfect shot: a great idea, a strong message and a perfect choice of composition and focus. I Think you were right to chose colors instead of B&W. It gives the image a sens of continuity. It's not only past. The pain still remains. Therefore, color was the right choice (according to me of course).
Thanks for sharing,
Prisley

Albrecht (11283) 2007-02-05 3:36

Hi George
I like the thumbnail and in the larg format the face is even more blurred by the numbers. Well seen compo.
greetings Albrecht

eshirey (325) 2007-03-11 2:18

Very unique shot...nice work! Wish it were straighter, however.

camabs (68) 2008-04-04 1:11

That's an amazing shot. Good choice to focus on the numbers, but leaving enough dof to capture the emotion.

colibriav (2208) 2008-06-21 16:31

Hola:
Supongo que esta fotografia tiene un recuerdo especial para ti.

Un saludo desde españa:
pablo