The Shackled Mind

The shackles used for criminals hundreds of years ago in China inspired me to create this shot. The lock was made in such a way that three holes were cut into a board, allowing only the head and hands to pass through. Chains were later used to secure the board. It was strong and effective, but cumbersome. Rather inhumane, I must say.

This was how I set up the shot.

1 - I bought a soft board measuring 2' x 10'. Then I cut two holes about 3 inches in diameter on the left and right.

2 - I sprayed the board with paint.

3 - I painted the background. The uneven texture created a very nice and dramatic background.

4 - Then I talked to my two little models. When I explained to the boy and girl how I wanted to photograph their hands, they could not help laughing out loud. These two enthusiastic kids, who had been watching me prepare the sets, were rather curious about what crazy idea I was trying to pull this time. Needless to say, they asked countless questions.

5 - It seemed to me that they were more than delighted to participate. I asked if it was okay to paint their hands white. They agreed without a second thought. You can probably guess how restless they were during the painting process.

6 - While waiting for the paint to dry, I set up the board. I made sure it was high enough for the two kids to stay beneath it.

7 - I poked a pin-sized hole in the ping-pong ball and hung it with a black string.

“Rather inhumane, I must say.”

Shooting

1 - Then I tied the string to a crossbar.

2 - I asked the kids to stick their hands out and act as though they were trying to catch the ball.

3 - It was difficult to ask the boy and girl to hold still while waiting for the ball to settle.

After numerous attempts, I finally got this shot.