Growing Catholic in the province of Quebec, the scene of a Jesus on the cross was and still is part of our daily landscape. So much so that we do not notice them anymore. But this one, that day, stopped me in my tracks. The moss, the broken arm, the colorful background, the cold white, the austere black iron, the sadness, the resignation, and yet people were all around rightfully enjoying a wonderful day. The contrasts were off the charts. I was just drawn do it.
The scene is located in the village of Compton in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, at “l’Érablière du Village” during the very popular festival “Les Comptonales” in 2025. I started to take pictures of the statue, and people started to notice. It is as if I made them realize there was something to see in the direction my camera was pointing. Some people followed suit and took some shots, and of course, a sign of our times, some teens started to take selfies in all sorts of funny postures with this Jesus statue as a background!
I did notice people stopping to the scene and I could perceive they were not indifferent. I do not know what their thoughts were. I myself cannot figure out exactly yet the meaning of what I felt. I could go on and try to figure out the significance of all the contrasted emotions it raised. I could talk about the historical and philosophical meaning of the powerful symbol of Jesus dying on the cross. I could dissert about what it says on the passing of time, the changing societies, or what we collectively keep and forget over time. All this could be interesting, and also very long to write and read :). I will let the viewers make their own introspections and reflections, hoping that at the end it leads to enriching discoveries.
On the technical side:
Photographically, it makes for a perfect scene, where the subject is clearly defined even though the backdrop is indeed very busy with fall colors at their peak. Adjusting the depth of field to gat a nice bokeh in the background helped isolate the subject.
I am not very experimenced with B&W but I thought this subject deserved a try. So I made B&W versions of each photo and I really like them, as they bring up the darker side of the scene. In the end I think I prefer the B&W versions !
Gears used for this series:
Camera:
Sony A7rIII
Lenses:
Olympus F.Zuicko 50mm, F1.8
Spiratone 135mm, F2.8
