the HELLO!!! girl Photo

Photographer’s Note

I was lucky enough to capture a picture of this girl after she repeatedly shouted HELLO! at me from 100m away as I was approaching the sand dunes on the outskirts of Dunhuang. No matter how any times I shouted HELLO! back to her, she shouted it again! Perhaps her parents told her this was a good time to put into use those strange foreign words she had been learning at school, but until now had never quite realised what they were for!

Once I finally approached her and she saw I had a camera, she wanted her photo taken and to look at her picture on the LCD screen. I only took 2, clearly they pleased her and she ran away up the dune after her family.

I've always resisted posting this photo because in all honesty I made a mess of taking it, can see many flaws with it, and never found a way of cropping it which I liked. That said, the reason I've finally decided to post it is because everyone I've ever showed it to really liked it and hence I guess there must be something good about it! Her smile is infectious I have to admit.

Thanks for looking guys! :)

zeynepe, fabio_ts, dareco, rodgerg, edal, shevchenko, saylan-cb, stego, Didi, ktanska, Wanda1, fanni has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

janlykke (44) 2008-11-26 3:35

Beutiful shot and a great very natural model :-). Fine illustration of the windy conditions.
/Jan :-)

zeynepe (9342) 2008-11-26 3:36

Hi Lee,
The "HELLO" girl is so cute, you captured a lovely portrait .
The dune in BG makes the composition fantastic.
Congrats and have a nice day,
zeynep

guitianmiranda (3612) 2008-11-26 3:41

just beautiful, very nice composition full of sweetly emotions.

Best regards Lee.

fabio_ts (13674) 2008-11-26 5:39

The title is simply perfect for this lovely image Lee, I really like its joiful atmosphere and natural appeal, all my compliments!!!

have a nice day,
Fabio.

a-lee (426) 2008-11-26 7:11

hi Lee;
very nice photo and very cute.great tight framing and beautiful colours!
a-lee

dareco (17104) 2008-11-26 7:55

I am so glad you posted this, it's given me a smile today :) What a great pose and expression! She is DELIGHTED to have her picture taken. I think you're too hard on yourself, the bg looks great! Good job! TFS

rodgerg (23849) 2008-11-26 10:24

Hello Lee,

Good photowork. The effect of the wind on the sand and the clothing are very well collected. The smile and the expression of this lovely child are too very well collected. The peoples in the BG gives an interesting prospect effect.
Very nice. A very interesting note too.
Have a good evening,
Roger

edal (6567) 2008-11-26 11:21

Hello Lee,
It is a charming capture, indeed. A portrait that is just fascinating for it's true optimism in the smile of the young lady.
Friendly regards,
Anton

shevchenko (9872) 2008-11-26 20:04

Hello Lee,
Nice to see a pretty girl with her funny story, I like background view also, lively to show situation at desert with strong wind blow up the dry sand, thanks for sharing the happy journey.
Ally

jimkilgallon (0) 2008-11-26 20:16

Nice shot Lee
A smile of innocence, great natural skin tone colours and the background people are superb. The soft footprint patterns are a bonus, looks quite windy there.
Well done
Jim

kensimage (8539) 2008-11-26 23:58

You may see "many flaws," Lee, but I don't! I like the contrast between the happy girl filling the foreground and the scene in the background, almost a bit harsh with the blowing sand and the people struggling against it. It's a great composition, nice storytelling. Regards, Ken.

Leonie (8647) 2008-11-27 1:19

Hehe, your title made me laugh, because I've never heard as many "HELLOs" as during my recent India trip! :) I came accross many similar situations.. so many that in the end you don't know anymore if you should laugh or cry at all these sollicitations! Sweet capture though, at least she didn't ask you for money..in India even 2 year old kids did as soon as they saw your camera.

Cheers, Léonie

saylan-cb (12726) 2008-11-27 1:49

Hi Lee,
This is a beautiful simply image whit smile girl.I like this portrait.
TFS/Regards

MarcT (21097) 2008-11-27 22:17

Hi Lee,
Wonderful portrait. Very dynamic composition thanks to the wind.
Nothing to add to that cute little smile.
Cheers
Marc

JLG (2086) 2008-11-28 4:14

hello Lee
un tres beau portrait de cette petite chinoise
son sourire est extraordinaire
well done
jean louis

stego (22350) 2008-11-28 13:21

Hi Lee,
I see you are a perfectionist! :-) Come on, I don't see anything wrong with it! That lovely candid smile and pose would be enough to overcome any major technical flaw that doesn't exist here and I find the cropping quite achieved. I like how you caught the sand blown by the wind, from which the people on the BG seem to be running away. They are also very well placed, giving a nice balance. I like also the footpaths, that give more dynamism and fill a bit that emptiness.
Ok! I found a flaw: the grain... But it is so unimportant...
Regards, José.

Didi (36056) 2008-11-30 2:24

Hi Lee
Interesting scene of this shy girl, the sand wind seems strong
(no good for camera)

做得好
Best regards

kschanna (2634) 2008-12-04 1:48

very bubbly shot with loads for the eye to see in the frame...the smile indeed is infectious for its pure and innocent...no intent just a manifestation of a true human emotion...with that kind of a smile captured, no matter how you crop it, you'll nail it everytime.

Cheers
Kamran

ktanska (16530) 2008-12-05 5:32

Hi Lee,
A cute portrait of this little girl of the desert. Good off centre framing. People in the background add sense of perspective. It must be windy as the sand clearly flies.
Kari

Flavia (10202) 2008-12-06 16:02

Hi Lee,

Lovely girl and lovely picture. The composition with the dunes and the people on the background works very well. The girl red dress ofer a nice contrast to the dunes.

Regards,

Flavia

SteveH (3893) 2008-12-08 3:05

Hi Lee, This is a facinating photo, strange & incongrouos. Her expression and the people disappearing on the wind blown sand dune behind her. Together they make an interesting image. Cheers, Steve

vmukherjee (395) 2008-12-08 6:00

Great shot! The composition, framing, all are very charming. I love the joyfull face of the girl full of laughter. Also the position of the girl with the sands in the bg is just perfect. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for your encouraging comments about my portrait. Yes, I also feel I should not have posted it in TE. I am deleting that picture. Thank you.

sevy (13310) 2008-12-17 1:29

Hello Lee,

There is so life and fun in this shot it is a real pleasure to look if.
Powerful composition with the wind, the ridge of the dune in background, the play of the wind and the people in background to share the feeling of deepness.
Very well managed,

Yves.

Wanda1 (10923) 2009-01-10 8:37

Hi Lee,
She is gorgeous and her smile is really radiant, there is a great mood about the shot and I also especiallly like the sand blowing off the top of the sand dunes around the people on top. A great moment and you clearly had a good connection with her which comes through in the shot.
Regards
Wanda

fanni (8735) 2009-05-24 3:07

Hello Lee,
those to whom you showed this photo were right: this is an excellent shot, and, imho, in this case the technical flaws are not that important! it is the moment that counts! the mood, the smile, the perspective ...
I like the framing - I would crop it the same way!
And I really enjoyed your Note ;) You have a very good writing style! the photo and the Note match each other perfectly.
Very best wishes!
Elena

MLINES (10870) 2009-11-06 21:36

Hi Lee, A very fine spontaneous portrait. The people on the top of the dune, balance with the little HelloGirl. A photo of happiness, well framed. Congratulations. Murray.