45.5

This image was started with no idea in mind and evolved over the course of 10 hours into what you see here. It started with the model shot, and I had him covered in leaves and vines. Then I had him standing on a chess board, having just made one for my last image. Eventually I removed his head, and that gave me a floating hat - something I've done twice now and was not keen to do again right away. Evenutally, I added the light, and while this reminded me of Magritte's "Pleasure Principle," I thought the book and the ominous storm clouds gave it a bit of menace, so why not increase the menace factor by...three.

I do love connections, and symmetry, and symbolism. An earlier image of mine, indeed shot minutes after this one, called "the Collective" featured the very same model three times as well. This kind of connection and challenge excites me. What is the connectivity from this one to that one? What does three mean? I added many items and elements to this shot, only to delete them later. Eventually I added the crucifixes, desiring to continue my meditations on all things religion, a growing series of mine. So...three crosses, three men with blinding lights, three birds...what does it all mean?

Well, I think I will not explain all of it, because it was created in the spirit of stream of consciousness, and it should remain that way. There are three of them though, and that led me to a number of places for titles...

The Bible is rife with the number three: the Three Wise Men, Jesus denied Three times, Jesus falls for the third time...the Three Major Prophets...in Greek mythology there are the Three Graces and the Three Fates...In Judaism, there are Three Messianic Miracles that herald the coming of the Messiah...and finally, well not finally, but getting to the point, Stephen King's "The Drawing of the Three" novel, the second in the Dark Tower series. I read this as a kid, and the mysterious title drew me in. My image has little or nothing to do with that book, but it's vague and full of portent and mystery. And as I was ruminating on all things triadic today, I think the title works for this image.

model: Ed Barron (most of him anyway!)