Babyface

Paddy, it's a controversial subject, and I applaud you for going down this path; it takes some real guts to do.
With that said, the feeling this image invokes is a very clear sense of discomfort and fright. The image is very well pulled off as such since it speaks so loudly. I am uncomfortable just watching this image, I can't look into those eyes.
From a boring technical aspect the image is very well done. What are you planning on actually doing with these when your series starts to materialize?
Thank you for sharing such personal work,
- Thomas

Ah! My first thought took me back to my childhood, remembering some old dolls at my grandmother's house, well worn, and scary kind of eyes. She didn't abuse me though! This photograph really made me stop and study its various elements.

I think the image successfully portrays the subject as you expressed it. But like Thomas, I would like to know what you intend to do with the body of work.

I think that you would get better responses to this image if you posted in the Critique Gallery.
The image does not spell out child abuse to me.
There is a mix of synthetic doll's head, natural animal skull (horse or bovine?), pair of metal calipers and metal mechanical saw blade you have used to serve as an aura, (traditionally found over "saintly" figures). The torso seems covered in tree bark. There is clearly "evil" emanating here and the image may be challenging to some beliefs, but if the intention is to make a link between abused child and abusive adult then in my opion this is a tenuous link anyway and this is not plain to me here.
Best wishes,
John.

I looked at this again, and it appears to me now that the scull symbolizes a dead person tormenting the child, so definitely a ghost from the past. It appears to be about verbal abuse, torturing the brain of the child. That's how I see child abuse in the picture.
- Thomas

I want to thank everyone for their thoughtful commentary. I realized after uploading, that I'll need to continue the postings over on our sister site - HybridPhoto.com, because some of the images were created digitally. I'll probably post them to the "Elegiac" gallery.

See you there. thx.