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old Zanzibar


old Zanzibar
Photo Information
Copyright: Maciej Dakowicz (maciekda) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1931 W: 201 N: 1394] (19436)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-01
Categories: Daily Life
Camera: Canon EOS 5D, Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-02-22 7:27
Viewed: 2035
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
An unrestored part of Zanzibar. There is a quite a lot of restoration works goin on, but sometimes you find yourself surrounded by really old and neglected buildings, with a lot of character I must admit.
sebcz, luisafonso, KevRyan, designsoul has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Very rich textures and multilayers of interest. There is a wonderful sense of decay with a vivid and dynamic portrait emerging out of it. The crispness of the signs above him, serves to emphasise the subject more, as does the irony of the sign "making life better" regards Kevin

Yep definitely a lot of character here Maciej, everywhere you look in the image we have cracks and decayed walls throughout the image. I like the two sides you have shown here, almost telling two stories at once.

All of the above Maciej and I like the painterly quality of the image, as if done in oils. Very sophisticated image. Regards Paul.

Haven't been on Zanzibar yet, but this is such a typical picture of Africa! The Celtel mobile network I also had in Uganda, the motorbike for rent can be found from Sierra Leone up to Tanzannia and the waiting pose of sitting with a hand supporting your head from falling down when dozing off... That's Africa hahaha. :-)

Just to be clear, I don't want to make a discriminating remark here, but the sum of high temperatures + high unemployment + life taking place outside makes that I quite often found Africans sitting in that pose.

Nice picture. Like the contrast between the sharpness of the picture and the cracks in the walls.
I also never understood the slogan 'Making life better', but everyone likes it. An Asian brand of cigarettes called Black does the same 'Black, for a better life'... Well, if I am already in doubt about the impact of a mobile phone network on the life of Africans, I even have more doubt of the positive impact of cigarettes on Asians far below the poverty line.

Nice shot! Dennis

wonderful textures maciej and the guy with the curious look is the icing on the cake
rowan

I like the decaying urban textures here Maciej, but there's not much else here to hold the interest. Neither the pose nor the expression of the man in the foreground has enough impact to really grab the attention; maybe if you had got a bit closer you could have got some kind of reaction from him, or at least established an interaction.
The background is over-exposed and doesn't really add anything.
The graffitti on the decaying wall would have made a great backdrop, and I think if you had gone in closer on the man and that section of the wall you could have come away with a stronger image.

Cheers,
Ben

Hi Maciej,
Very nice picture in this street. This man is nicely placed, the corner of the house too. Interesting walls !
Christophe

hello Maciej,

the older and less restored, the better for us, much more photogenic !!! I love such photos, it is the Real life. great composition and lovely colours.
greetings,inn

  • Great 
  • greg Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 656 W: 314 N: 96] (2782)
  • [2007-02-22 17:31]

I notice you like these end-of-the-wall compositions. Add to that two tidily populated scenes, and a bonus for the crumbling walls... a good job. It's still quite detached in mood, though.

I don't quite agree with Ben's critique... For me the background isn't overexposed at all nor does this picture lacks some character. And being close wasn't also an option for me here. I wouldn't like to miss that "motor rent" sign. For me it unites the entire scene, connecting the introspective guy in the right with the renters on the left. My story here is that the guy on the right is thinking whether he should rent or not the available scooter. But one thing is for sure: he is up to something! Great exposure, great light and great details all across the frame. I like it a lot!

Hi Maciek. Not the most dynamic of your shots, but I think it is well composed. The signs are good and having the guy underneath them is really good. I also like the group on the left as a kind of balance. The lighting here is flat and boring; it doesn't kill the photo at all, but it is not doing it any favours either. Once again your PP has left the colors really flat and not as appealing as what I am used to from you. There is a blue shift here and if you look at the guy on the right you can see that his skin tone is off. What have you changed in your workflow? Your colors always used to be really appealing.

Fantastic textures was the first thing I noticed here. Those walls, what strength and painful decay... But that is not all, of course, far from it... the grouping of the three people in the background, with the guy under the sign "Making life better" is a tremendously ironic and sad part of it all... simply superb, this shot, so rich in every sense.
sasa

Everything falls into place here, Maciej, the oposition of that lone guy on the right, balanced by the three sitting to the left, the textured wall, the tattered signs. It is all just right to me, a superb compo.
All the best,
Francis

I really like the composition - the change in depth halfway across but that linkage of decay and texture both splits and unites the frame very nicely - there is a 'strangeness' to the isolated figure - but then he is united with the image in such a currious way by his eyes up expression and the 'making life better' sign above him....the second sign unites the eye to the other half beautifully with the bike there for all to see and the small gathering in front of that amazingly blocked opening.....the blue,red, yellow linkage also creates another interesting and linking eyeline acros the image.......would happily sit on my wall with a few hundred others you've taken!

bw Kev

  •      
  • nicoz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 252 W: 14 N: 305] (1963)
  • [2007-02-26 6:09]

Hi Maciej,
Another killer shot from this african serie! The texture and the compo in this photo are excellent! The way you place the people and the guy looking up toward "making life better" are clever.
Very good photo!
Nicolas

  • Great 
  • dilane Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 705 W: 151 N: 1201] (9843)
  • [2007-02-27 17:26]

Hi maciej
it isn't a photo, it is a painting
very nice photo
regards dilane

Hello Maciej,
A very busy yet interesting capture. The colours and composition are terrific. Thanks for sharing,
Jules

Hi Maciej

Great comp and colors. Very sharp. The man looking up makes the scene. Maiking life better. Really well done.
Ben

...making life better.... Nicely seen, I like the expression of the guy in front and the fact there are the 3 others in the bg, love the room behind them, simple but shows well hot it looks like, I like it...
Cheers
Yan

nice shot Maciej . All elements in the corect quantity.

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