Girl in Red, a photo from Balkh, West

Photographer's Note

This young girl stands by an old stone arch and watches curiously as the tourists inspect the ancient structure. Her red dress sparkles with the light that has filtered through the trees.

This shot was taken with my camera held by my side so that the subject did not know she was being photographed. In this way I managed to capture her natural expression. Another example of a picture where I shot from the hip is here.

This is the last shot I will post for a couple of weeks. I will be in Sri Lanka, hopefully taking some more photos that are worth posting. See you all again soon.

Happy Christmas to everyone who celebrates it and if you don't celebrate it, have a happy time anyway!

quantabeh, riclopes, weswang, Tue, don_narayan, Fixfocus, pierreb, Cricri, AmiBe, Kirych, Germaine, teta5, sarju, fireflyz, krishindu, jafadabret, jhm, saamb, sandandtsunamis, eshirey, Suellen_Feroldi, vicana, reza-amini has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bodoque (330) 2005-12-19 14:13

Congratulations. I like very much the contrast between the dark red dress and the wall. Well done.

xavshot (69835) 2005-12-19 14:31

Bonsoir Jonathan,
très belle expression sur ce visage et très belle compo avec ce rouge qui contraste avec le décor
j'aime beaucoup, c'est très bien fait
Xavier

quantabeh (5205) 2005-12-19 14:43

Hi Jonathan,
a great shot, with a really good exposure, and great saturated colors. you have certainly captured the curious expression really well...
cheers.
Behrang

gebala (0) 2005-12-19 14:53

hello, I rememeber one song "Lady in RED" beauty song like this photo, exellent point of view, I like how u managed this capture, and how she is looking at u:) well done, really natural:) rgs

riclopes (35567) 2005-12-19 15:35

Hi Jonathan,
Another very well suceeded composition of a shot taken in the improved way...
I like the title, reminding the known 'woman in red'. In fact, the red colour of her dress is very eye cachted.
Her curious expression and pose, with the hands up, contributes for a very nice atmosphere. Good work and thanks a lot for sharing!

Have a wonderful time in Sri Lanka and bring us great shots to share with us.
I've been less active, because of the too much wotk, but still have to come here every day, since I'm addicted to it. Thanks a lot for all the feedback and keeping on capturing my attention to your very good work.
Take care and have a happy Christmas as well.
Ricardo

weswang (18223) 2005-12-19 16:19

Hi Jonathan, You did a nice job in capturing the girl’s natural expression. Good framing, especially considering you have to hold your camera on the side. Nice details sharpness. Well done.

Tue (25798) 2005-12-19 17:54

Hej Jonathan,
Great capture of the girl next to the wall. I like the expression on her face. The colours are also good, well done!
Hilsner,
Lars

sheilaz413 (275) 2005-12-19 21:15

Lovely photo! Great lighting & colors. I love the details in this photo, like her sparkly red dress & bangles. Too bad her expression is not more spirited. Good use of DOF as well. Well done!

don_narayan (2014) 2005-12-19 21:32

Great tones and colors in this image... nice composition and framing with the wall... another great hip shot (image how fully manual would be???). nice work, as usual.

Narayan

Cormac (26545) 2005-12-19 22:28

Another great one Jonathan! It seems like you are channelling Steve McCurry. The composition is incredible considering you shot it from the side. The colour and definition is great. The best part of this, however, it the haunting expression on the girl's face. Wow! One of your best!

Fixfocus (9385) 2005-12-20 4:00

Hello Jonathan,
A beautiful portrait with a timeless mood.Good pose of the girl and a great idea to include the old wall.Very nice colors too.
Merry christmas and a happy new year!
Hermann

rosaline (0) 2005-12-20 4:19

Jonathan
Nice composition and positioning in the frame. The deep red colour of the girl's clothing has powerful impact. The girl's eyes are very powerful too.
Nice work.
Have a great time in Sri Lanka. If you want a taster you can go to my website which is a link on my intro page: Aubrey Stoll's Picture Gallery.
Have a great time.
Cheers
Aubrey.

BlaiseCendrars (0) 2005-12-20 5:48

Jonathan!
You capture facial expressions masterfully. This is yet another example. It looks like she is forming a heart with her hands, isn't that wonderful! Best Regards Chris

Gerrit (43723) 2005-12-20 12:41

Hi Jonathan,

Beautiful picture of this somewhat overdressed princess of the daily life.

Have a good trip, Gerrit

Cricri (86295) 2005-12-20 13:40

Bonjour Jonathan,
Joli portrait et expression de son visage,
Beaux contraste de sa robe rouge avec la couleur brune du mur, trés belle lumiére et couleurs.
Joyeux Noel et une bonne année à toi et à ta famille, que la paix soit sur vous.
Amitiés
cricri

AmiBe (6042) 2005-12-20 17:00

Hi Jonathan,
you're a lucky man, you've holidays again ! ;-)
I like very much the green and the red colors.. with this filtered light, it works very well.
I like her natural expression, too.
Well done

Kirych (2703) 2005-12-20 23:51

Hi, Jonathan!
Wonderful shot! I think, she says words of a pray. Beautiful light and contrast between red and green colors.
Best regards. Tanya.

Stepan (27210) 2005-12-21 15:58

Almost a studio shot : the light is perfect, the sharpness excellent, good depth with the blur tree in the background.
Very interesting to see what you get in these "hard conditions"...
Stéphane

Have a good trio and Mary Christmas...

Stéphane

coco (30433) 2005-12-21 17:11

Hi Jonathan.
Splendid work here. Again an Afghanistan's photo, again a great picture.
Technically is good, and that young woman adds a lovely human touch to the photo.

Simply, great.

Regards.

teta5 (1203) 2005-12-23 16:20

Hello Jonathan,
good composed picture. and the girl from picture is most intersting! The contrast and colors are realy good.
Congratulations and thanks for sharing :)
I wish you Merry Christmas and all the best!
Aneta

sarju (5324) 2005-12-27 10:45

Hi Jon
Looking at the photos, I think it is a very impressive technique to shoot from the hip in order to get the naturual poses. another thing that I do besides shooting from the hip is that I usually put the camera on manual and put it on timer. Turn that flash thing off ... so the person can never guess what was going on.
but I never seem to get such a sharply focussed pictures and interesting compositions
very good use of this technique you have shown here
tfs ... regards ... sarju
PS: I hope you will have nice time in Sri Lanka ... and I will lookforward to your new series of Sri Lanka one year after tsunami

fireflyz (2097) 2005-12-29 19:46

I like many things about this photo.. lighting, colors, composition subject, dof... In fact, I don't know how it could be improved. great work!
Happy holidays to you too!
Skye

krishindu (469) 2006-01-02 1:30

Jonathan
An excellent contrasting foregrounds with a very peaceful green backdrop. Excellent shot. Very clear in detail, great note and an innocent face completes the shot. Well done. Have a wonderful year ahead with more such beautiful shots to share with us.

jafadabret (56497) 2006-01-02 3:42

Jonathan, c'est un très beau portrait. J'aime la composition avec le personnage décentré et ces rouges bien en valeur avec la lumière et le fond. Le regard de la fille nous interroge.
C'est du très beau travail !

jhm (122314) 2006-01-02 8:07

Hi Jonathan,
Maybe late for answer on this picture, but this image is wonderful, the eyes together with the face of this lovely girl make an impression on my, I hope a very happy life for her.
I have grandchilds of this age!!!
Best regards,
John.

Schultzy (5446) 2006-01-09 13:49

Hello Jonathan,
You've captured a nice scenery. The look of the girl is really expressive.
Beautiful natural colors. Great composition.
Well done !

partha (13775) 2006-04-21 22:24

Classic shot. coposed well and the expression is well enough.
good shot.

pari_ali (433) 2006-12-10 12:50

Great shot Jonathan. Extremely well captured just the right amount of girl and wall to make an excellent composition giving the picture a strange depth and attraction.
Regards
Pari

sandandtsunamis (36) 2007-03-14 19:25

Incredible shot. The contrast is perfect with the red and tan/brown. Even the thumbnail was compelling...I couldn't not look at the big picture.
Great job,
Regards,
Dave

eshirey (325) 2007-07-27 14:51

Beautiful color, light, and framing. Nice work!

Suellen_Feroldi (288) 2007-09-10 6:12

Hello...
Fantastic portrait...
The colors are very harmonic....
Congrats fot the composition...
TFS, Have a great day...

Best regards from BRASIL

Sue

daddo (18517) 2007-11-06 18:44

Hi Jonathan. I am so saddened seeing these photos of the people from Afghanistan. Your notes, in particular in relation with the girl from a cave, and such hauntingly beautiful photos like this one, puts your work in a particularly moving context, considering the events since your photos. I read only yesterday that the Taliban are on the rise again, and let us not talk about "collateral damage" that has brought misery to many a village.It is a wonderful photo- her delicate hand movements, her gaze and the red of her attire.My compliments to a fine gallery.Regards. Klaudio.

vicana (74) 2008-03-03 23:19

Nice shot! The bright colours, lighting and natural expression on the girl's face make the picture with a simple subject a captivating one.

eskay001 (106) 2008-10-30 9:41

I saw this picture and then I read all the favourable comments over it. I then saw this picture very carefully again and again. But I couldn't see anything special.

Perhaps I don't have a photographic eye that would enable me to see photographic worth of this picture -- something that would invite so many favourable comments from so many people. Sometimes I am greatly puzzled at Trek Earth. I have frequently found some really great pictures of accomplished artists which could not evoke a response from people. On the other hand, pictures of young girls often create a lot of stir even if no photographic excellence is visible in the photograph.

Savitha (142) 2009-05-10 1:45

Very well composed picture of the Afghan girl standing next to the ruins.
Regards
Savitha

silentranger (46) 2009-09-15 22:20 [Comment]

Show Comment

blueaquan (113) 2009-09-15 22:40

Hi Wilson
Beautiful Colours, Mood and Contrast! For a change it is nice to see a face that's not covered and a Colour that's different from the usual Black or Blue that Women were forced to wear during the rule of tyranny.

Great work, well done

Blue