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Shadow Footprints of My Past

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I would bring some your attention to one of my work:

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I post this work in the thread "Lets talk Photography" among the Fine Art Discussions: http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=652579&targetid=652579#652579
With this work actually I wanted to get some attention regarding the rules in photography.

Here is the original post:

Jenny Rainbow:
I love this thread, always great to know something new! I count myself as a beginner with photography, although Im graduated as fine art artist. I love to use the different techniques to get the essence of subject and show the message of what I mean by the image. I would present you the work which is pretty unusual for me, but usually when Im creating Im basing only on my intuition forgetting about all the rules, and sometimes also wondering what it will be in the end. So here is the work, pretty weird for me but I could not explain, why I drawn to it. Any opinions from your side, would be great to hear! I didnt follow any photograph's rules there, actually seems I broke all the rules... but personally I love it..

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So here is the question - how important to use the rules of the third, to fill the image with harmony or much more important to follow the intuition and then we can speak of the personal view of this world?

Maria Disley:
I like it, there is a kind of freedom about it.

Gregory Scott:
My initial reaction was that I wanted to see her footprints all the way up to her.
This should be easy to achieve with some photoshop modifications. I am sure you have the skills to paint in suitable footprints if they're not actually there, and to remove those you don't like.

On the other hand, as is, it suggests other things that could be good: perhaps she's walking on hard wet sand, and no longer leaving tracks.
In that case, I would like to see the waterline.

On yet another hand, as is, it may suggest that she's walking on the water, or in the air.
In those cases, it might make sense if she weren't visually joined to the land, like a girl on a spit.

On yet another foot, I like the ultra high contrast treatment, and wonder why you didn't choose to take it all the way to pure black and white.


Lara Ellis:
I like it even if it does break rules. I like the way you see two different parts of her journey, the beginning and the end. I like the high contrast too because it's like you are seeing her spirit.

Jenny Rainbow:
Gregory, Maria and Lara, thank you very much for your precious attention and opinions, I appreciate it a lot!

Gregory - the purpose of this image is to make everything unclear and uncertain, like you said at least 3 versions how it would be... to give to the viewer a huge space for imagination, just focusing on the main points: footprints direction, the cue for the beach and the sea ahead this woman and her mood - all of those things and her back story are in the imagination of the viewer. Her story has a birth in your mind and your fantasy. Im giving to you the starting points and then your imagination starting to work. The gray shade on the foreground is underlining and emphasizing the main theme - shadow - shadow of the past..
Actually Im not a big amateur to explain the pictures Im creating, as I realize that the picture and story and theme speaking for themselves. All what I wanted to say is already incorporated in the image: the certain colors, forms, and in the whole mood. And it supposed that viewer will make his part of work, together with me, its a joint creation....:-)

Thank you one more time, Lara, that what I meant previously, you created your own version of the image... and its precious. Thank you! :-)

Actually I wanted to bring the attention to the question of main photography rules - yes, the rules for the composition and execution definitely exist and helping but they can be broken - all of them - to emphasize the idea and arise the emotions.. Here I totally was basing on my intuition. Sure its up to the particular viewer if the certain work can affect and touch him or not... and one more time thank you Gregory and thank you Lara as you made a perfect illustration of 2 different opinions on one work..

We have to be free in our creative process, trust our feelings and intuition and not afraid to break the rules. I just would repeat one more time that any work will find its viewer, admirer and perhaps its own buyer..:-)
Happy weekend to all!