Yuanyang roadside dentist Photo

Photographer’s Note

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Some 20km west of old Yuanyang (Xinjie Town) is Shengcun Village where local people have their fair once in every three days. On our third day in Yuanyang, Feb 26, 2007, our driver told us it was the day of such fair, and asked us if we want to come. Of course the answer was yes.

This is one of many exposures I shot from this occasion: a dentist practiced his career right on spot. Without anesthetic agent, he demanded the patient to keep the mouth wide open. He then pried and shook the tooth, and suddenly pulled it off.

Some 50 years ago in Hue, Vietnam, I saw this method of dental care so often. But it was the decade after 2nd World War. Seeing this practice again in this era when we are talking about reaching Mars, I wasn’t able to hide my shock. The dentist shooed us away before performing the task, but I was lucky to be within the range of my 70-200mm tele-lens. Please share with me.

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ryno, Glint, ls7902, Yuanclarkson, Richard1, nicol_g, jwillie44, MLINES has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

miketelemark (2461) 2007-07-19 2:43

Ouch!! Great shot! The facial expression tells it all!

jwillie44 (1179) 2007-07-19 2:44

Great shot! I can feel the pain just sitting here---- Wow! no anestetic. Wonderful tag, you got the dentist just at the perfect time. This shot is awesome. Nice detail in both subjects. Good shades of black and white, I can see this with the sterling silver reflection of the Pliers. The colors are nice and mellow; all have the brown (redish yellow in them.) A True capture of time,
Thanks
Michael
hey, you never told me what you thought about my workshop on your "Yuanyang Dumbling" shot, did it work?

ryno (4710) 2007-07-19 2:47

Hi Thanh, this is an interesting photo, although it's enough to give one goosebumps. Great sharpness brings out the detail in an excellent daily life shot that shows us how things are done in other parts of the world. Good work!
Regards,
Ryno

barrufeto_77 (26141) 2007-07-19 2:57

Hi Thanh.

A nice daily-life picture which is amazing...

Rgs, Oscar

dilane (10289) 2007-07-19 3:04

Très bonne photo de reportage - j'avais vu une scène pareille il y a une trentaine d'année au Maroc... dur, dur pour le client -
amitiés
daniel

sacavem (9007) 2007-07-19 3:25

Hi Thanh,

Fantástica foto da vida diária, no Mundo ocidental é impensável uma cena destas.A miséria de certos povos é realmente muito triste.Esta foto seria certamente proibida e confiscada pela policia chinesa, para que o resto do mundo não saiba a miséria do povo da china. TFS.
Parabéns
Filipe

Glint (3196) 2007-07-19 3:26

Aaagh! I can hardly bear to look. But peeping between my fingers I can admire you camera work. Very sharp and you caught the moment perfectly.
regards
Bev

ls7902 (6420) 2007-07-19 3:52

Excellent capture & crop. Perfect timing. Regards. Latiff.

Yuanclarkson (38) 2007-07-19 5:38

This is trully a journalist picture.
I enjoy it!
Thanks.

fallan (1860) 2007-07-19 6:45

I think that's my dentist! Nice shot.

Richard1 (0) 2007-07-19 7:45

That ol' man is one tough son-of-a-#&%!$ Great photo.......

RC

Zolive (1650) 2007-07-19 9:07

Hi Thanh
great shot on decisive moment. Congratulations
Olivier

PSYOPS (0) 2007-07-19 9:56

Of course this is a proof about your "journalist style" of photography. But I still have a question: did he graduate from a medicine college or just does it by himself? (Was he certified to do so in public?)
Thanks,
George

Ulishna (2258) 2007-07-19 11:41

Hi Thanh,
it's terrible! I hate dantist since I was a childe and this one looks like refined torture.
But it's very good photo...
Julia

nicol_g (771) 2007-07-19 13:23

Hi Thanh,
That's an image I know having seen it before in your PBase albums. It struk me then, it strikes me now while I'm giving it a second look, and I'm also making a connection with Luko's picture . Different locations, only a few weeks separated in time.
I liked very much the note, the idea it carries...
Thank you for your presentation... though it hurt a bit ;)
Best wishes.

lacroux (3292) 2007-07-19 23:47

Hello Thang

Une image intéressante, pour nous, privilégiés qui nous plaignions de nos petites miséres.
Trés bonne photo de reportage.
A bientôt sur TE.
Amical bonjour de France.
Pierre.

tomaszi (112) 2007-07-20 5:08

oh my God.. i don't like dentist. Like this man form photo :D Nice pic.

aliozoglu (103) 2007-07-25 2:21

Hi Thanh,
Very nicety.. :)
very photo.

Ali

Polonaise (5640) 2007-07-29 8:26

Extraordinary...
Many thanks for this...
A photograph, the TE was created for...Valuable photo.
A photo you don't discuss the technical merrits of...
A photo as bold as it is...
There should be a special department created for VALUABLE photographs..
The photographs without bulls***
The photograpfs that speak million words...

this is one of them...

once more, Thanh...Thanks

george

MLINES (11225) 2008-08-28 15:27

Hi Thanh, Perfect timing as the task is carried out. The clarity is superb. Interesting notes too. I see the barbers giving outdoor haircuts in Shenyang but no dentists spotted to date. TFS. Murray.