This is very reminiscent of a classic painting. Nice job! - James

98 % of your text.

I am moved by this photograph. Something tells me this woman is at peace with herself, even though she has a sad life. So far, this is best picture I have seen on PN. Thank you for sharing.

I'm a daily lurker here and this photo has inspired me to critique for the first time.

Reminds me of Bill Brandt's work. Love the tones and contrast. Congratulations!

Cheers, Owen

Michael, an amazing photograph! just timeless and simply composed and so well executed !! congratulations! Regards

For me , it doesnt get any better than this - all the qualities I like are present - great lighting, composition, emotion. Congratulations! Peter

Excellent!! Very well seen and done!

Excellent!!

One of the best photographs I have EVER seen (including professional photographers).

Excellent B&W photo!Very good story + great composition.

Stunningly beautiful...

Congrats,one of the best!

Excellent! In any sense. Congrats!

Compelling image and as Loft pointed out -- the written context.

Extremely well done.

You did things right alright, you have captured the mood of the moment you were given the chance to shoot.Some people would not have even observed the simple beauty and power of this shot, sad indeed.Who knows how this picture will impact others along with your narrative. This is a powerful image and a good thing.

But dare I be critical and suggest that it would be better if the furthest away doorway wasn't cut off. A very minor point, of course, but in a photo this good minor irritations can grow bigger.

Marvelous image and caption, congratulations! I love the fact that you went about everything courteously, humbly, and were rewarded 10 folds. Wow!!!

Congratulations, this is a stunning image in several ways. Composition, light, angle, everythings great, I absolutely love this image !

Congratulations & Regards

Thanks for sharing Michael. This is a wonderful photo...your timing couldn't have been better. It really tells a story!

7/7. Nothing could be done to make it better. Geo

It's filled with so much texture, I can almost reach out and stroke the walls and feel the bricks below my feet. Beautiful work.

This is the type of image that deserves POW and to be at the top of the front page instead of some of the very mediocre pics that have been appearing there recently.

"Into the Light" Connotations of journeys end at the end of a long struggle.

You were indeed blessed for your tact, but there are all the other aspects that you put in place yourself. Having the right film, the right camera, the right lens, being in the right place at the RIGHT time, and then to get the perfect compositon and exposure. God only provided the right light and the opportunity for you to capture this evocative image. Top class.

I checked .[.Zs top rated folder and a 6+6 from him on this image says it all)

Very Powerful photo. One of the best

Absolutely perfect. No more words needed.

...any of Kieslowki's films to see wonderful cameos by an old woman moving slowly through the remaining time of her life. This photo reminded me instantly of it. Very good!!

This is a perfect picture, there's not much you can do to improve this one. Bravo.

A beautiful picture and a moving story to go with it.

Excellent, one of the best photos I`ve ever seen. You have sense and sensibility like a great photographer, Congrats, Carsten

it touched my heart... Thanks for sharing !

Impressive! Lovely composed, great mood and ligh here. To sum up an awesome picture!

I was fairly sure this was a setup. I'm pleasantly surprised to see that it isn't. Everything just came into place in an amazing way. Quite nice.

This is one of those images that a person can just stare at indefinately, and wonder what it must be like to be this person. It evokes so many scenarios: who is she, where is she, what has her life been like, does she have childern, was she a beautiful child..... so much to think about.

This surely is a gift from GOD.

Excellent image and story: 7/7

Great pic. The blank walls reflect her loneliness whilst protecting the uncharitable.

Sometimes God DOES want you to take the picture - perfection is his - through your hands and you just experienced it - congratulations ! Dave

The best of best!

Amazing. Too bad you never got to see her face.

I can't say enough. It's stunning.

Marvellous - truely inspirational. What would have been even more amazing, is if you managed to capture her image head on as well.

I see pain in this photo...perhaps a lifetime of pain. But I also see hope in the path of light. Beautifully done!

This is truly a work of artistic genius.

DEFINETLY THE BEST PICTURE I'VE EVER SEEN, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Like some others have suggested, this photo really deserves to be a POW. It?s great to see this kind of images from time to time in PN. The exposure is amazing, perfect.And your explanation helps us to understand the image.

A picture with multiple dimensions!! the light plays such a resplendent role

From darkness to light- beautifully shot. This is a masterpiece. Would like to see more great pictures from you. Heartiest congratulations.

Amazingly simple, painfully beautiful.

This is just awesome, no other words to describe it, and after reading your experience on shooting this photo, i agree that you were given another (better) chance to shoot her, it just cant get better than this. i am moved and mesmerized by this photograph. cheers!

Beautiful. Poignant.

This is one of the best ever on this site. The subject is not only worthy, but the entire photo is very well done.

Michael, your moment in time was truly heaven sent. A beautiful and rare photograph! And with film, no less. Regards.

I was in Rome in 2002. amazing place to photograph. this is an amazing photograph.would have loved to have seen this woman in person.

Beautiful. This is a rare photo.

Very wonderfully done.

I'd have to agree with you that everything did go perfect with this one. The way her head and shoulders fall just along the line of the sidewalk is magnificent. What a sublime photo.

Your story and the story telling light then the woman...makes this one of the best I ever seen in this website.This is heart warming and in the same time just very artistic. I can sit here and write a lot about this but I think let me stop here with all the emotions this created after seeing and reading your note. 7/7!!

For me, the best on photo.net!

A beautifully framed, perfectly lit shot. I can see why you said it might have been 'divine intervention'. I'm glad you gave something to the shopkeeper for this woman, it's only fair and right for such an image.

7/7 overall.

Thank you for being in the right place at the right time, and then taking us along.

I like that it's B/W too, perfect medium.

This is realy great. Thanks for sharing the image and story behind it!

Congratulations.

P.S- im also for this going as P O W

I revisited this photo because the memory of it still haunts me. It is such an awesomely magnificent image! The light, the shadows, the texture of the cobblestones, her pose, her posture... How ANYBODY could rate it a 3/4 is beyond my comprehension.

Stunning. This is very powerful. The light the shadow and the subjects are perfectly aligned.

I was lurking around this site when I came across this pic. Michael.. you are truly gifted it is the first time that I have had a picture move me so profoundly. I have been involved in photography for thirty plus years. i was quite litterly moved to tears,the lighting the subject matter are superb. all I can add is safe journey...grandmother. Thanks michael

Great picture!

This image has moved me beyond words. The most impactful photo I have ever seen in every aspect, along with the story. I want to cry.

You could of course knock back the doorways at the top of the frame and make the path to righteousness even stronger. The doorways can also be seen as escape paths from the treadmill of life. I believe that you have here a wonderfully exposed image of a person on a mission which most of us would find impossible to contemplate far less complete. Congratulations on a very fine piece of photography, and a caring thoughtful view of the world.

All the best Dougie

Honestly, I do not know was this photo painful of hopeful for me; anyhow, it is mesmerazing!

Michael, throughout the years I've seen probably hundreds of thousands of pictures, good and bad. Your picture brought tears to my eyes for the first time. No criticism, just a humble thank you for sharing. 7/7

The light is exquisite on this photo. The little lady in the stream of bright light while the top and bottom of the photo make her the feature of the shot. I am so glad you had the opportunity and took the time to see, shoot it, and share it with us.

I am glad it was not choosen as POW. It seems to me that would be exploiting the unfortunate lady. I was in a similiar situation in Budapest. It was mid morning light reflecting off the cobble stones of the street. The lady was taller and colorfully dressed. I did not take the shot, though. Like you, at first, did not feel comfortable recording the lady's unfortunate circumstances.

I have come to your portfolio to see more of the Grand Canyon and cannot seem to find much on it. I wonder if you could direct me to more of your Canyon photos, aside from your POW?

Very well done photo! In EVERY way!

Thanks for posting the image, I do believe you have a gift!!!

I cannot say any more than what others have already said, Michael, but this picture is beyond words. Thank you so much for sharing.

Another truly inspiring photograph. Sometimes I struggle to understand photography, especially after thousands of images of bugs, flowers and sunsets, PSed or not.

This is it. This is why people do it, and this is why I love it.

Thank you. JH

Michael,

Your b&w work is simply outstanding. As a novice in this format I'll take you up on your offer to improve my work. Email you soon. Thanks...........Guy

congratulations!!excellent!

Hi Michael, Everytime I visit your site I am reminded of what a amazing photographer you are. I absolutely love the way you capture the very essence of your subjects. Thank you for the gift you have shared with us.

Michael, this is an outstanding shot, a true life scene, a bit sad when I see the difficulty that this woman has to move... And more with such a superb light, it's a great work ! Regards, Fernand

Very perfect!!!

EXCELLENT!!!Best regards.

..........

This is a stunning composition!

You said in your description that God wanted you to take this photo.
I think that your virtues of patience, photographic excellence and the eye aligned with the heart, were the God in this photo.

My sincere congratulations for a photo which has become a classic for me!

Yannis (http://www.larios.gr)

This photo reminds me of those in "The Family of Man," the 1950s book by Life Magazine. It is very moving and well composed.

Just... perfect. nothing bad to say about it.

Outstanding photo! Simple but effective~ sure tells a story. Thanks for sharing, Highest regards, Iren

..the photos speaks it self..PERFECT from each way...

Fantastic light and shadows. It seems that everything fell into place perfectly for this shot. Congrats!

a masterpiece-everything about this image is perfect! congratulations. cb :-)

This image is amazing, it says so much about the woman, the world she lives in and the hardships she has faced. watch her footwear and even the position of her feet when struggling to walk.

+++

Outstanding moment, very well captured!

Absolutely FANTASTIC picture!

I have written a poem about your photograph and would like your permission to post it deborah

Deborah , I would be honored to have you post your poem , this site is all about creativity, wherever you find it. Thanks for posting it.

Thank you for the inspiration

Each and Every Step by deborah elaine barrie 2009©

She walked the street

Slowly

Even more slowly

Than she needed to

Her head was bent

Under the weight

Of her memories

Her backpack

Held the bread, cheese

And a little wine

Purchased

For her dinner

She knew

All about pain

But she knew about joy

Even more

As she walked

She remembered

She rode her first bike

Down this street

Her feet had danced

So many times

On these very bricks

And just a few steps

Ahead

She had tasted

Her first kiss

She had chased

Her children home

To dinner

From playing

On this street

And

She had walked

Behind pallbearers

Too many times

Her children tried

To persuade her

To stop these walks

But she laughed

And showed them

Her cane

She might be old

But in her heart

And on this street

She was young again

And so she walked

One memory

At a time.

Deborah, that is a beautifull Poem that tells her story, as well or better than my photo. Thank you for taking the time to write and share it.

It is an amazing photograph that honors this woman's life.

Deborah , for some reason it cut off most of the caption. It was much longer ,and more detailed than the single sentence now. I mentioned that I had seen the woman earlier in the day in St Peters Square, where people would come up to her and pray the rosary with her and then give her a few coins. I thought at the time it would be in bad taste to photograph her there . I was walking down this street just before dark and saw here walking up the street as I walked down, I turned and shot 4 photos and then another person walked into the frame. I felt that because I had not shot the photo earlier , that I was give a second chance with better light. I have heard from people who know her ( I never saw her face, she was only about 4 ft high) that people think she is blessed and that's why they pray with her. She was not a beggar like someone who left a comment said. She had clubbed feet and walked very slowly. I was moved to take the photo , as I am with your poem. thanks

difficult to believe it's a slice of real life, the light and the composition are like in a painting or an illustration to a fairy tale book and the woman, her posture, cane, backpack and particularly surprising shoes add a lot to this sad but wonderful story. Thank you for sharing, my best regards -wm