Money (That's What I want...)

Critiques [Translate]

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• dolin (15647)
• [2007-09-11 15:12]

Re
Ca c'est le genre de photo qui touche, c'est prenant, vivant....en plein coeur du moment....c'est le genre de photos que je trouve forte et que j'oserais sans doute pas faire...
Les yeux rivés sur ce visage que l'on ne voit pas....magnifique
Cette main qui entre dans le cadre, ce don capturé pile au bon moment....génial.
La masse noire du mec sur la gauche, peut-être un peu trop présente....mais c'est le genre de truc qu'on oublie dans ce type de photo.
Bravo !!!!!
T'as tjs des notes super longues...tu penses à ceux qui peine en anglais ? :) Mais c'est quand même tjs un régal d'essayer....et de comprendre....
Bonne nuit
Fred

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• kajspice (4524)
• [2007-09-11 15:23]

WOW! I am desperately trying to limit my time on TE at the moment, (damn those notifications!) but I simply have to stop and leave you with my thoughts... like WOW!!! This is just a visual joy..

Your latest work is superb..

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• euryan (8022)
• [2007-09-11 15:33]

It's almost scary how well this photo illustrates your note. That all powerful hand coming down from the sky, as if it where God, to distribute the cash. The man in the hat even appears to be praying, they all are really. Just look at their eyes. Their eyes were watching God.

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• atlantida (2275)
• [2007-09-11 15:57]

Money, that's what we all want, isn't it? Hunger makes people have that look in their eyes, those looks scare me to be honest, really scare me. How did u get yourself in a place like this anyway? Damn why these things exist. This photo remind me of another similar to this one, taken in the capital of my country, check it out if u want to here

Gordana

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• bombilla (3367)
• [2007-09-11 16:04]
• [+]

Metaphorically, sure, maybe this has religious overtones - the powerful hand coming down from heaven, the Promethean impulse, the touch of the divine. But, of course, that all falls under the paradigm of enlightenment, right? At least in our modern Western conception of the relationship between God and man. So, no, I don't really see that here, actually. I don't see prayer. I see lust and greed and animal behavior. And I am cognizant of the problem of referring to people from underdeveloped and impoverished countries as animals. Quite aware and I don't mean anything like that here. These could easily be Parisians or New Yorkers or any members of our global material society. This is primal behavior. It comes out all the time, everywhere, no matter where you go on this earth -- and it comes out especially under circumstances made possible by our fetishizing of wealth. No, this is not prayer at all. No spirituality in this tableau. This is the opposite of religion. The fistful of dollars appears and the anti-religious tear down the church. -Hugh

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• redrash (551)
• [2007-09-11 16:08]

Nice story behind good picture.

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• Furachan (0)
• [2007-09-11 16:30]

Following on from yuor last post a similar approach - plunging us into the scene by almost being one with the guy standing and bending down. Love the way you frame (and divide (the scene) with his arm.
-F

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• prantik (1130)
• [2007-09-11 16:49]
• [+]

brilliant idea, brilliant execution, brilliant note.

best
P

PS: I am sure you deliberated whether to keep the partially visible knee and the foot on the right or not. Would you share with us why you chose to keep it that way. Thanks.

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• rakeshgupta (2666)
• [2007-09-11 18:54]

Hi Luco,
Great reporting through the scene. It looks like you really goes well into subject, their feelings, their social and psycho behavior. It describes about people of Mozambique very well. You have captured nice expressions of all people.
Thanks for showing your scene with excellent notes.

Rakesh

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• AnimeshRay (8834)
• [2007-09-11 20:39]

Wonderful POV, I can almost see you crouching there with your zoom! Hilarious note.

[This worship of dollar...I have an unexpected take on this...soon]

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• melmcree (2253)
• [2007-09-11 21:23]

A very interesting message to accompany your photo. We have a serious problem in the states with some African countries and their scams. I've been contacted personally several times by callers from Africa attempting to scam me out of money.

Back to the photo, you can really see the joy on the one fisherman for the money he is receiving and such envy on the other faces around him........excellent timing.

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• sidstakes (764)
• [2007-09-11 21:39]

This photograph exemplifies how life must be in Ilha de Mocambique, just too real a photograph...very palpable for me as a viewer for the viewpoint you've provided...its a sombre portrait of life ..perhaps it has come from your own feelings and understanding of the place and its people and culture...it has touched you so much that its reflected in your photograph and the note accompanying it...and I am able to understand exactly what you mean...money, Shakespeare wrote, is the chemical power of society..it has both a binding power as well as the power to separate...a very touching photograph Luko...



{Maybe this[http://www.undp-povertycentre.org/pub/IPCWorkingPaper39.pdf] article will be an interesting read, although it's contextualised in SA.}

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• Galeota (10315)
• [2007-09-11 21:40]

Very interesting references to a divine touch in the previous comments of Euryan and Bombilla. I had a thought on Peter's recent words saying he didn't feel like your African photos seemed to be really yours, which is a feeling I partially share. Well, this one is undoubtly more in the vein of what you're used to show us and it reminds me somehow the proximity towards the subject present in some of your Pondicherry images. Plus, both are about religion...

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• partha (13244)
• [2007-09-11 23:50]

Hi Luko,
A strong documentary shot. The choice of angle is just great and the expressions as well.
Regards.
partha

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• Dpbours (7885)
• [2007-09-11 23:51]

Hi Luko,

Yes, the stares in this one are amazing and well captured!! Oh yes, same in most African countries. Big heads rule. Well, that is generally the case in most African countries as well... 'Big heads and egos rule'... What to say. If it's part of daily life, why not project that general feeling on pre-1997 dollar bills?
Great take, though circle-shaped over exposure isn't my thing. Must have been a difficult one to balance wrt light. Africans aren't easy to photograph in general in that sense....
One thing, I'm really wondering about the head of the top left guy. Is that really due to lense distortion? Perhaps in combination with the guy already having a long face himself. But it is very visible. And yeah, the knee to the right could have been cropped off - then again, I'm in a very critical / grumpy mood today, so don't take it in any sense personal. ;-)

Have a good day!
Dennis

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• nicoz (1963)
• [2007-09-12 2:55]

Hi Luko,
Brilliaat shot! Full of drama with all these faces turned toward the same point with plenty of auguish. The photo is very well built. Is that you handing the money? I'm a bit confused. I also like what you did with toshop, the kind of orange/sepia tones look good.
I like it!
Nicolas

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• ALSOM (6616)
• [2007-09-12 3:45]

Les regards ainsi dirigés sont impressionants. Sauf celui qui va recevoir l'argent qui est vers celui qui tend l'argent. La montre l'argent contraste avec ce qui les entourent. Ce que j'aime beaucoup, c'est que tous les regards, les attitudes indiquent fortement la présence de l'argent sans que l'argent lui même ne soit complement visible. Je crois que c'est la force de cette composition. Il a une ambiance 'drama' renforcée par la profondeur et l'épaisseur des couleurs Terre.

Je ne serait pas cotre un redressement l'horizon à droite et un cadrage plus à droite pour avoir plus de cette jambre meurtrie ... Je note un aberation chromatique sur les bords de cet objo à moins que cela ne soit du à un post-traitement ?

Merci pour cette photo.

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• vapours (7818)
• [2007-09-12 4:25]

Great cinematic shot with some strong tension as all eyes stare so intently. Agree with everything bombilla has to say about the shot, not really much further I can say about it.

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• tostaky74 (0)
• [2007-09-12 4:40]

Esa foto es la re host.. !!! De lo mejor que he visto por TE

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• bwiti (6024)
• [2007-09-12 5:03]
• [+]

Elle est très belle celle-ci..... on est pris dans le mouvement completement ensérré... Ils regardent les billets verts ? Que doivent-ils penser de ton appareil photo.... Souvent je me suis demandé en voyage pourquoi mon appareil n'avait pas été volé ! Remarque je n'ai voyagé qu'en Asie du sud-est et centrale ainsi lorsque mes séjours prenaient fin ma méfiance des début c'était transformée en une confiance aveugle...
Est ce la même chose en Afrique sub-saharienne ?... Je verrai bien... En tout cas félicitations pour celle-ci...

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• JKaranka (353)
• [2007-09-12 5:50]

Good framing, really close. The blurry shadow on the left handside really makes the picture! That detail reminds me of some Webb. Very good timing as well, even with such low shutter speed (1/8! is that for real? I wouldn't shoot at less than 1/30 unless forced to). On a personal note, it's the first of your last six or seven pictures that I really like... maybe I'm not thrilled by colour that much?

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• flory (4631)
• [2007-09-12 7:36]

hi Luko,
'all the things i could do
if i had a little money
it's a rich man's world'(Money,Money)..
another brilliant from you;)
all these faces for a little money,hm.
thanks!
Flory

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• ndb1958 (9228)
• [2007-09-12 10:52]

On the icon I couldn't realize it, so it was good to open it. The perspective makes this image. Great, the focus on that arm and all these eyes in direction to the invisible person. Great composition. Nino

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• don_narayan (2014)
• [2007-09-12 12:22]

Here we go... this is a good one... something going one, a good composition, an interesting light, and simply an interesting scene. my only guff is about the right side... i would like a little more leg (enough to go the length of the right edge of the frame) or no leg/foot at all. I like the slight motion of some of the folks (especially in the bottom left corner, adds some mystery to it)... but they are surprisingly still for an 1/8th. Great toning as well. I feel like you have a lot other shots that are better than what you have shown before.

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• SamB (1948)
• [2007-09-12 23:04]

Hello, Luko--
Well this one generated some discussion... more strong leading lines to draw us into the figures... worship, prayer, primal urges, lust, greed, materialism, need, spirituality, aspirituality... they all have their place, they're all expressed here, and every eye is longing... Sure, they're longing for the money, but i can only imagine on an individual level what it is that these people were longing for as this picture was taken. And meanwhile, waves wash onto shore with the same timeless, lasting consistency with which we humans long for more.
Thanks!
sam

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• faubry (29411)
• [2007-09-13 1:46]

impressionnant.. superbes ces regards tous diriges vers la main qui donne et cet homme assis qui regarde intensement le propietaire de cette main... splendide image, tres parlante, comme quoi l argent est tres apprecie dans ce pays, c est l essence meme de leur vie semble t il et cela tu as su le montrer par cette photo si forte, du tres bon travail
bravo
francine

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• eleparc (24053)
• [2007-09-15 5:01]

slt Luko, cette scene me ravit l'oeil, un beau cliché qui parle tout seul. Mon seul doute ou regret est le personnage de dos à gauche de l'image qui masque celui qui recoit l'argent.. mais je sais que dans ces cas là, c'est dfficile de faire le ménage alors que tout se passe si vite... Elle n'en a pas moins de force pour autant, meme si elle rate la perfection de peu;-)

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• Darren (6805)
• [2007-09-15 5:59]

This is terrrific Luko; your best from your Africa trip I think and one of your best in quite some time. A great, tight crop, the arm coming in is excellent and some very good expressions too. Everything works about this one; I am sure you wouldn't be insulted if I said that this reminds me of something Sohrab would do. It is a very similar composition somehow.

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• luisafonso (13600)
• [2007-09-17 2:53]

Great tones here Luko. And great composition. You clearly wanted us to be part of the scene and you succeeded in doing that in a very intimate way. His gaze is beautiful and builds a story - along with your literary note. Love the absence of greens on this one.

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• rbcy1974 (20590)
• [2007-09-17 4:10]

Hello Luko
This is sublime
I mean you have captured the satisfaction on the fisherman's eyes very well plus the colelctive expression of awe plus the backdrop is very well captured.
Very nicely done
Regards
Daniel

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• coco (24074)
• [2007-09-20 0:05]

Hi Luko.

Behind this picture there must be a lot of stories. And behind those hands and those eyes too.

Splendid moment and shot.
You are lucky because you were there and you could see how are their lives... and you can tell us.


Regards.

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• Luan (15879)
• [2007-09-21 23:13]

Hi Luko
Partie integrante de ce groupe de personne, au coeur meme de la scene, comment as tu pu etre si pres, participais tu as la transaction ou etais tu egalement attire par le billet vert ;o) ? C'est en effet la force de ta photo, la proximité !
Superbe celle ci.
Luan

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• brevbrev14 (20748)
• [2007-09-23 1:39]

Salut Luko, this image is impressive...
I have a lot to learn from it....
there is a story in this image, in the eyes, in the faces... in the hands...
This is your style Luko ...
GREAT!
CIAO!
Valeria

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• naxius (16675)
• [2007-09-23 11:45]

c'est vrai, c'est l'Afrique, du moins, ce que j'en connais (Sénégal, Mauritanie)..c'était de la folie au Sénégal..pas un pas sans avoir des demandes de sous!
Une superbe photo..dans le mouvement
a+
Alex

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• horatiuTT (4362)
• [2007-11-17 7:39]

Unbeliveble shot with fantastique colours and light.
Magnifical perspective in a subject very interesant.
The quality of the shot is stuning,especially being a dynamique phot.This is a masterpiece!
Horatiu

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• MLINES (9527)
• [2007-12-21 15:21]

Hi Luko. Good graphic photo. Interesting note. Reminds me ot the saying, give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach that man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Only words i guess. What these kids would benefit from is education, but a challenge in many places i realise. TFS Murray.

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• Roaz (68)
• [2008-01-23 3:58]
• [+]

Esta foto não é de Nampula. Nampula fica a cerca de 200 kilómetros do mar.

Isn't Nampula. Nampula stay about 200 klms. of the sea. Nampula only have a litle river. Monapo river. Nothing more. I know Nampula like my hands

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• cdmonson (1877)
• [2008-05-13 12:02]

Hi Luko:

Interesting photo. I have to say I disagree wholeheartedly with Bombilla on the photo. It is not lust and greed to want to have enough money to buy food. It's easy for someone from a wealthy society to say that money is bad, that it causes a whole host of evils that we wouldn't have otherwise (valid assertions in many cases), but try telling that to people that are barely getting enough to eat. How naive we Westerners are! We act as though getting enough to eat is a given, and as if people in poor countries have the perfect lifestyle because they don't have our modern conveniences.

As far as the photo goes, having lived in a fairly poor country myself (though not nearly as poor as Mozambique), I think this captures the sort of awe that people without money exhibit when they see lots of it. Those faces are fantastic, and I agree in a sense with Ryan's comments. This is a great shot. Maybe we Westerners should see shots like this more often, to help us realize that in spite of the problems it can cause, we'd much rather have lots of money than not enough. Thanks for sharing.

Clark

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• Santi (158)
• [2008-07-29 10:12]

GREAT, Luko. From the silhouette in the foreground to the same level boy with the money and the people triangle pointing to the sea, every shown face expresses something.

Very happy to see you back!