Separate Lives, a photo from Chongqing, Central

Photographer's Note

My last post introduced the Bang-Bang (wo)men. Arriving from the countryside, either by choice in search of a better life or by displacement, they pick up the cheapest of tools - a bamboo pole (or bang bang) and some rope and joing the growing number of porters.
One bang-bang man said "Cities are good for the rich. If you have money you can do anything. If you don't want to carry something, you just hire a bangbang man". As depicted here, the young women has her wares bought in the western style shopping mall carried to her home/car.

These two women may walk in step but live very separte lives.

thea0211, scalerman, Partha_c, lasscor, KevRyan, chriswhitley has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

scalerman (26884) 2007-05-22 1:22

E: even without noting the photograher, simply a great theme. Superb journalism here with more than compensates for a few technical flaws. Great motif, fine note - well matched. best, c

eshirey (325) 2007-05-22 1:33

I agree with the above - a good shot in a journalistic style. Good eye!

thea0211 (1365) 2007-05-22 2:37

hi elaine,
well seen and captured difference - still if you watch them closely, besides walking in step - they might very well be related - because they look almost alike - except the outfits and hairdo and make-up ... imagine changing their outfits among them and what you'd get ... almost the same image :)
nicely seen!
dora

devimeuxbe (58557) 2007-05-22 2:40

Hi Elaine
Yes, you show us 2 differentslook on the woman condition.
There are probably lot of different China you can see.
Excellent sharpness and light.
Have a nice day
Bertrnd

Partha_c (2015) 2007-05-22 3:23

Hi Elaine.Looking at your gallery I came across this beautiful shot with a nice accompanying note. Rightly composed the lives of these two women with perfect framing. I made a WS just to focus on them. Hope you amy like it. Regards,.
Partha

[workshop] [compare]

Albrecht (11279) 2007-05-22 3:34

Hi Elaine
I like the story you tell in this shot; well seen and captured moment.
greetings Albrecht

partha (13775) 2007-05-22 3:37

Beautiful mixture of the old and the modern. Perfcely timed and good framing as well.
Regards.
Partha

pastadog (12884) 2007-05-22 3:39

Hi Elaine - I like your point here, nicely illustrated, we can even feel their different pace... regards, Daniel

faubry (35335) 2007-05-22 3:49

bonjour Elaine, strong contrast between these women, one from countryside and one from town...good reportage photo, bravo
francine

Furachan (0) 2007-05-22 3:55

That's a pretty Furachanesque picture, Elaine, if I say so myself ;o)
Tremendous contrast, the gap between urban and rural China strongly communicated here. An informative, important upload.
Cheers,
Francis

sidstakes (770) 2007-05-22 10:09

your picture made me stare at it for quite sometime...i have mixed feelings about this...to me this is cruel...and it's a daily scene...which perhaps we tend to get so used to...your photograph has struck a chord somewhere in me...i am not feeling very comfortable anymore...so much contrast! here in calcutta, we have several such examples...you should come to cal..

delkoo (68) 2007-05-22 12:17

bonjour elaine
strong contrast of different shape of life, determination hasn't the same goal to the both.
very well seen
regards
didier

lasscor (7640) 2007-05-22 15:49

Hi Elaine?
Nice daily life composition.
Two faces of the China life conditions in one shot.
TFS,
Corinne

KevRyan (22924) 2007-05-23 4:13

A brilliant shot Elaine - so well seen and with the story to tell in full measure - where the obvious inequalities of Chinese urban life will lead is a major issue of the day - I'm mindful of what you said a few weeks back about disturbances and the enormous amount of references we encountered this time in relation to building the Harmonious Society - in fact our work was supported (and tolerated) because of this policy.

Photographically a wee bit blown on the woman's top but nothing unfixable......

tc Kev

jinju (14265) 2007-05-25 4:40

Hi Elaine,

what a juxtaposition!!! Beautiful elehgance vs hardworking and sad....very much a big city reality, especially in Asia

pady (4800) 2007-05-26 5:42

Great moment of different cultures, two way of living.
I like this contrast.
Good composed.
Cheers
Pierre - André

kenmac (529) 2007-06-20 11:41