You have wonderful subjects, Neil - I'd suggest trying to engage with them much more closely. The woman in this shot is almost lost - we have to look to see that she's the subject. Or is she?
I realize that it can be difficult - and at times dangerous - to do what I'm suggesting. But when it all comes together, it's worth the effort.
The woman in this shot is almost lost - we have to look to see that she's the subject. Or is she?
Astute comment, B.D.
She is certainly only tentatively in this photo, and that was the reality. Photographing women, especially their unveiled faces, is taboo in this culture. I tried to engage her, but a moment after this shot she said emphatically 'No!' and disappeared inside (you can see she has one foot already lifted to flee!). The shot reveals her, and most women's, "sidelined" position. Any photo showing her more engaged with me would not have been culturally genuine.
However, at the same time it's obvious that she is queen of this little alley, and this little alley is a reflection of her.
The shot became for me an environmental portrait.
Don't worry, I am treasuring up all the wisdom of your experience and achievement. I'm very grateful for your taking time to look at my stuff.
She is certainly only tentatively in this photo, and that was the reality. Photographing women, especially their unveiled faces, is taboo in this culture. I tried to engage her, but a moment after this shot she said emphatically 'No!' and disappeared inside (you can see she has one foot already lifted to flee!). The shot reveals her, and most women's, "sidelined" position. Any photo showing her more engaged with me would not have been culturally genuine.
However, at the same time it's obvious that she is queen of this little alley, and this little alley is a reflection of her.
The shot became for me an environmental portrait.
Don't worry, I am treasuring up all the wisdom of your experience and achievement. I'm very grateful for your taking time to look at my stuff.
It's good that you're paying attention to those cultural taboos; too few people do. In '93 when I was in Somalia, I spent time at an MSF clinic, and before I started shooting I asked the french nurse running the clinic if it was alright to photograph the patient. 'Absolutely,' she told me. 'They don't mind.' So I went about photographing. But later in the trip, when the UN was flying a bunch of journalists to a huge Somalian refugee camp in Kenya, the warned us over and over not to photograph the women because to do so would be offensive and might cause an incident. Obviously the same restriction should have applied at the clinic. , but the rench nurse didn't care because she wanted the work of MSF shown. Ah well ...
BUT - the photo. It's nice, but to the person who hasn't been to that alley, and doesn't know who that woman is, the photo doesn't show us that she's the 'Queen of the alley.' Now knowing what the restrictions were, I wouldn't suggest that you should have shot closer. I think it's just one of those scenes that describes better than it photographs.
Comments
You have wonderful subjects, Neil - I'd suggest trying to engage with them much more closely. The woman in this shot is almost lost - we have to look to see that she's the subject. Or is she?
I realize that it can be difficult - and at times dangerous - to do what I'm suggesting. But when it all comes together, it's worth the effort.
"He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan
"The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
Astute comment, B.D.
She is certainly only tentatively in this photo, and that was the reality. Photographing women, especially their unveiled faces, is taboo in this culture. I tried to engage her, but a moment after this shot she said emphatically 'No!' and disappeared inside (you can see she has one foot already lifted to flee!). The shot reveals her, and most women's, "sidelined" position. Any photo showing her more engaged with me would not have been culturally genuine.
However, at the same time it's obvious that she is queen of this little alley, and this little alley is a reflection of her.
The shot became for me an environmental portrait.
Don't worry, I am treasuring up all the wisdom of your experience and achievement. I'm very grateful for your taking time to look at my stuff.
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
It's good that you're paying attention to those cultural taboos; too few people do. In '93 when I was in Somalia, I spent time at an MSF clinic, and before I started shooting I asked the french nurse running the clinic if it was alright to photograph the patient. 'Absolutely,' she told me. 'They don't mind.' So I went about photographing. But later in the trip, when the UN was flying a bunch of journalists to a huge Somalian refugee camp in Kenya, the warned us over and over not to photograph the women because to do so would be offensive and might cause an incident. Obviously the same restriction should have applied at the clinic.
BUT - the photo. It's nice, but to the person who hasn't been to that alley, and doesn't know who that woman is, the photo doesn't show us that she's the 'Queen of the alley.' Now knowing what the restrictions were, I wouldn't suggest that you should have shot closer. I think it's just one of those scenes that describes better than it photographs.
I look forward to seeing more.
"He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan
"The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed