Keeping the Books

HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
edited November 11, 2011 in Street and Documentary
D3D7066bw-XL.jpg

Amboseli, Kenya
Harry
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"

Comments

  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2011
    I really like this one... (along with your incredible wildlife photos).

    First it strikes me because we are not home here. The three and their outfits require scrutiny. Then I want to see the "book" closer. It appears that the sheets are bound by wood pieces though they are three-ring punched (Glad they weren't playing with your laptop...). The terrain then captures my attention. Finally, the processing has me pondering if I like it or not. My conclusion is it is striking because it probably has every shade of gray possible on my monitor along with deceptive resolution.

    The one contrary thought: Needed to get a closer angle and shoot more from your left -- the street shooter pondering how I would like to get this taken...
  • M38A1M38A1 Registered Users Posts: 1,317 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2011
    Technically amazing to me with that range of grayscale and clarity.

    What I find most intriguing is the motorcycle tire shoes and the ear hoops on the left two individuals. BTW, the notebook looks to be a standard spiral 3 hole jobber indicating they are somewhat (or have been) close to a supply chain of sorts.

    Is that a grass/sod hut to the right?
  • richardmanrichardman Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2011
    Just because they are probably in Africa doesn't mean there's not a Starbucks or McDonald 200 yards away :-) Just kidding.

    OK, I know I am an ass in bringing this out, because if I do, "everyone" will see it... but journalist integrity be damned, unless I am shooting for NatGeo or a newspaper, I will clone that deer horn branch out.
    "Some People Drive, We Are Driven"
    // richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com&gt;
    richardmanphoto on Facebook and Instagram
  • RSLRSL Registered Users Posts: 839 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2011
    Splendid shot, Harry. And, heaven forfend, it tells a story. So maybe it's street photography.
    Russ Lewis
    www.FineArtSnaps.com
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2011
    rainbow wrote: »
    I really like this one... (along with your incredible wildlife photos).

    First it strikes me because we are not home here. The three and their outfits require scrutiny. Then I want to see the "book" closer. It appears that the sheets are bound by wood pieces though they are three-ring punched (Glad they weren't playing with your laptop...). The terrain then captures my attention. Finally, the processing has me pondering if I like it or not. My conclusion is it is striking because it probably has every shade of gray possible on my monitor along with deceptive resolution.

    The one contrary thought: Needed to get a closer angle and shoot more from your left -- the street shooter pondering how I would like to get this taken...

    Thanks for the comments. The Maasai are basically living the same life that they led 1,000 years ago. Every now and then a piece of the present breaks through. Sometimes you'll see a warrior walking with his stick and spear with a cellphone on his hip. Here I was drawn to the scene by the spiral notebook. Since they had just taken out the cows and sheep for the day I assumed it was some kind of record of their livestock.

    I took the shot because the light was behind me and this angle gave me the best light. Also it was a small village and there were 12 photographers in 4 land rovers visiting. It was tough to get an angle w/o another shooter's presence getting in the frame. The Maasai enjoy having their picture taken and will take a pose (aka, ham it up) if they notice you. I grabbed this capture before they were aware of me.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2011
    M38A1 wrote: »
    Technically amazing to me with that range of grayscale and clarity.

    What I find most intriguing is the motorcycle tire shoes and the ear hoops on the left two individuals. BTW, the notebook looks to be a standard spiral 3 hole jobber indicating they are somewhat (or have been) close to a supply chain of sorts.

    Is that a grass/sod hut to the right?

    The tire shoes are the standard because they are cheap and sturdy. Its common among Maasai to pierce and stretch their ear lobes. The hut is made out of tree branches, grass, mud and cow dung.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2011
    richardman wrote: »
    Just because they are probably in Africa doesn't mean there's not a Starbucks or McDonald 200 yards away :-) Just kidding.

    OK, I know I am an ass in bringing this out, because if I do, "everyone" will see it... but journalist integrity be damned, unless I am shooting for NatGeo or a newspaper, I will clone that deer horn branch out.

    One of the attractions of shooting in Kenya was the absence of Starbucks and those golden arches.

    I would agree about that branch normally. I have just tried not to do the normal stuff on my African pictures. However in this case I might have to make an exception. Now that you mention it that twig is damn annoying.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • richardmanrichardman Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2011
    It's one of those things. Until some jackass mentions it, no one sees things like that, but once someone does it, it sticks out like a damned twig. :-)
    "Some People Drive, We Are Driven"
    // richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com&gt;
    richardmanphoto on Facebook and Instagram
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2011
    richardman wrote: »
    It's one of those things. Until some jackass mentions it, no one sees things like that, but once someone does it, it sticks out like a damned twig. :-)

    now I'll be able to sleep tonite.:snore
    D3D7066bw2-XL.jpg
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2011
    RSL wrote: »
    Splendid shot, Harry. And, heaven forfend, it tells a story. So maybe it's street photography.

    Thanks, glad you liked it. All pictures tell a story. Some just demand a little bit more imagination from the viewer.

    I would call thisa dirt path filled with cow dung photography. :D
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • richardmanrichardman Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2011
    Bravo, but there seems to 3 or 4 floating bits (slightly to the left of the midway between the 2 heads) left? :-) Sorry, my perfectionism is showing...
    "Some People Drive, We Are Driven"
    // richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com&gt;
    richardmanphoto on Facebook and Instagram
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2011
    richardman wrote: »
    Bravo, but there seems to 3 or 4 floating bits (slightly to the left of the midway between the 2 heads) left? :-) Sorry, my perfectionism is showing...

    Its a quick rework, got those offenders on my second pass. I'm on the home stretch of going through 16,000+ captures from the trip and I'm getting a tad loopy.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • lizzard_nyclizzard_nyc Registered Users Posts: 4,056 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2011
    hey Harry,
    Your wildlife shots from this trip were pretty spectacular, glad to see you worked in some "street" type shots too!

    Nothing about the shot is "familiar" to me. From the clothing, jewelry, surroundings, except for the three ring notebook in there in the middle of it all and I don't know why but it causes me to chuckle, it's a surprising moment. I'm waiting for them to pull out an iphone next rolleyes1.gif.

    As for the branches, I was fine w/ them in, they were part of the scene after all.
    Liz A.
    _________
  • M38A1M38A1 Registered Users Posts: 1,317 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2011
    Is anybody else thinking the stump on the right at the base of the brush pile looks like someones ankle and foot? If you just scan left to right looking only at the feet, the stump to me looks like one.... Weird visual trickery I suppose.... :D

    .
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2011
    lizzard_nyc wrote: »
    hey Harry,
    Your wildlife shots from this trip were pretty spectacular, glad to see you worked in some "street" type shots too!

    Nothing about the shot is "familiar" to me. From the clothing, jewelry, surroundings, except for the three ring notebook in there in the middle of it all and I don't know why but it causes me to chuckle, it's a surprising moment. I'm waiting for them to pull out an iphone next rolleyes1.gif.

    As for the branches, I was fine w/ them in, they were part of the scene after all.


    Actually i was a street shooter before I moved to Florida and got into the wildlife. Those two types of shooting have a lot in common. In both you are taking in an everyday scene and looking for something interesting in the context of the scene. When you find a "moment" you need to do a quick capture because those moments are fleeting.

    The Maasai are good people and very interesting. They have pretty much resisted assimilation and are still living their traditional lifestyle. But there are moments when current day contraption appear.

    D3S2478-XL.jpg
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2011
    M38A1 wrote: »
    Is anybody else thinking the stump on the right at the base of the brush pile looks like someones ankle and foot? If you just scan left to right looking only at the feet, the stump to me looks like one.... Weird visual trickery I suppose.... :D

    .

    I can understand how you could see that. The texture of the stump is very similar to the texture of the soles of their sandals.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • RSLRSL Registered Users Posts: 839 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2011
    Another good one, Harry. Keep on with this stuff. Have you checked this last one in B&W? The color is nice, but I think it detracts from the good geometry of the shot.
    Russ Lewis
    www.FineArtSnaps.com
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2011
    RSL wrote: »
    Another good one, Harry. Keep on with this stuff. Have you checked this last one in B&W? The color is nice, but I think it detracts from the good geometry of the shot.

    I agree with you. The Maasai wear bright red and sometimes blue robes. When I did my initial processing of the Maasai images I started out in color and soon started doing B&W conversions on many of the images. I'm now about to go back and redo most of the Maasai images in B&W for the reason you stated. When I did the inital capture of this image it was more a snapshot type of capture.

    Here's a quick B&W version of the above image.

    D3S2478bw-XL.jpg
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • damonffdamonff Registered Users Posts: 1,894 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2011
    Love the spiral notebook Harry. Beautiful shot.
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2011
    damonff wrote: »
    Love the spiral notebook Harry. Beautiful shot.

    Thanks Damon, its interesting that a simple thing like a spiral notebook can give a capt ure much more impact.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • bfjrbfjr Registered Users Posts: 10,980 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2011
    Harryb wrote: »
    Thanks Damon, its interesting that a simple thing like a spiral notebook can give a capt ure much more impact.

    Yeah well that shows how strong "Juxtaposition" is.

    However even without it's an interesting / well processed/captured image.
    Benjamin
    My Galleries
    Flicker
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