‘Purified’ Clothes Photo

Photographer’s Note

The great river banks at Benaras (Varanasi), built high with eighteenth and nineteenth-century pavilions and palaces, temples and terraces, are lined with an endless chain of stone steps - the ghats - progressing along the whole of the waterfront, altering in appearance with the dramatic seasonal fluctuations of the river level. Each of the hundred ghats, big and small occupies its own special place in the religious geography of the city. Some have crumbled over the years; others continue to thrive, with early-morning bathers, brahmin priests offering puja, and people practicing meditation and yoga. Hindus regard the Ganges as amrita, the elixir of life, which brings purity to the living and salvation to the dead; skeptical outsiders tend to focus on all-persuasive and extreme lack of hygiene. Ashes to the dead, emissions from open drains and the leftovers from religious rites float by the devout as they go about their bathing and ceremonial cleansing.

This is a scene from Babua Pandey Ghat or Dhobi (laundryman’s) Ghat, used purely for the washing of clothing and could be called the local laundry. Clothes are still rhythmically pulverized in the pursuit of purity. Here are some of the ‘purified’ clothes drying on criss-crossing clothelines, (I used one such line for perspective) while activity goes on, in the BG....

karthikcs, kokoro-zukai, dareco, ribeiroantonio, clio, Urs, pastadog, pablominto, feather, akm, MarcT, Graal, ghilain, papagolf21, patdeph, pierrefonds, ChrisJ, danos, josepmarin, rikko77, Kielia, dip, bukitgolfb301, Bluejeans, jafadabret, bakes888, plimrn, avene, emjleclercq, pauloog, mikolaj_kawa has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

kokoro-zukai (150) 2009-06-23 22:04

Hi Angshuman,

Interesting note and interpretation of looking at laundry. The thoughts behind makes your photos more interesting. Artistic and well composed shot showing the sense of place and the daily life.

Keiji

karthikcs (271) 2009-06-23 22:06

This is an excellent shot.. Nice POV

dareco (17104) 2009-06-23 22:42

Wonderful bright colors!! Nice composition and good detail. A very interesting note as well. TFS

wolf38 (12642) 2009-06-23 22:49

Hello Angshuman. The photo pleases me very well. It is beautiful and worth seeing. Photographically skillfully realizes. Regards, Wolfgang.

ribeiroantonio (21839) 2009-06-23 22:52

First, I enjoyed reading the note. It is very informative.
The shot is also very good with a nice view and composition. Well done.
Antonio

clio (22544) 2009-06-23 23:08

Hi Angshuman,
The choice of the POV is really excellent with this linen which crosses the image. We have almost the impression that the left shirt is going to touch us!
A very beautiful way of illustrious your very interesting note.
Have a nice day
Diane

emka (21179) 2009-06-23 23:59

Hi Angshuman

Amazing view of this loundry. I like the view of the people washing cloths in river or lake, much more romantic than just to throw it to the machine.. I wonder that after it is clean. Nice photo.
Regards

Malgorzata

Urs (2696) 2009-06-24 1:11

Dear Angshuman,

The dobhi wallahs are everywhere in India, also at the Ganges. You really have well chosen the location of your shot, the laundry points the way to the holy river, boosting DOF and vibrancy of the colors. Well done.

Best regards
Urs

Morac (20206) 2009-06-24 1:42

Hi Angshuman,

Interesting note.
Wonderful bright colors and nice composition.
Regards
Marc

pastadog (12821) 2009-06-24 2:14

The photo is the perfect illustration to your note, well composed from the side, allowing us to see both the activity in bg (in a kind of "window" created by your POV) and the clothes themselves in fg; I also like that upper left corner, the photo is "read" from there... I wonder why an entrepreneur has not taken this idea to offer "purifying laundry" service at the Jordan river here...

Gerrit (35593) 2009-06-24 5:08

Hi Angshu,
excellent composition of this huge laundry line and the shore line with the people.
Regards, Gerrit

pablominto (40390) 2009-06-24 5:13

Hello Angshu,

Seems like the clothes dry well in the fine breeze!
I like the point of view actually showing the people doing the job leading to the result we see on the line...
Colourful and good details, a fine slice of daily life!

Greetings,
Pablo -

feather (49858) 2009-06-24 13:51

Very interesting Angshu. Who would have thought there was such a story about a line of laundry. It makes a very colourful image and the movement from the wind is well captured. The diagonal from the washing line leads the eye through the frame. As you say there are interesting glimpses of daily life in the background too.
Kath

akm (646) 2009-06-24 15:50

Hello Angshuman,
A striking photo and a fascinating note. Well captured.
Regards,
Mary

MarcT (21089) 2009-06-24 22:37

Hi Angshuman,
Very nice note for this nice picture. Those colorrich clothes i, tne wind are well presented.
Best wishes
Marc

Graal (57631) 2009-06-25 0:16

Hi Angshuman,
amazing composition, good idea and fine effect. An interesting note also.
Gr., Aleksander

ghilain (1714) 2009-06-25 0:20

Hell Angshu,

Excellent composition, excellent subject!!
Good colors!

And you thought the background, showing children playing os standind near the sea, well-built!

TFs

papagolf21 (56141) 2009-06-25 0:56

Bonjour, mon ami Angshu,
Encore une réussite à travers cette composition. J'ai l'impression d'entendre claquer le linge au vent.
Très bonne création.
Félicitations (une fois de plus).
Amitiés.
Philippe

patdeph (17662) 2009-06-25 3:44

namaste Angshuman
good idea to show another use of the ghats.I like this diagonal of colorful linen flying in the wind ,with the people working behind.The POV is well chosen with a very close uf framimg on the first shirt!Very well done!
Regards
Pascale

npecanhuk (13595) 2009-06-25 3:51

Hello Angshuman!
Quite different and unusual image with great photo qualities!
Very well seen, thought and done!
TFS - congratulations!
Best regards,
Neyvan

pierrefonds (26069) 2009-06-25 4:35

Hi Angshuman,

The clotheline is an asset to the composition. The presence of the people has an effect of scale. The angle of the shot and the point of view taking our eyes toward the horizon are giving depth and perspective to the photo. The light has a good effect on the colors. Have a nice day.

Pierre

ChrisJ (69973) 2009-06-25 6:04

Hi Angshuman

A superb close up of the colourful clothing drying in the wind, with good sharpness & an interesting bg along the riverbank. Tfs!

danos (32170) 2009-06-25 9:56

Hi Angshu,
nice the snapshot with the just washed cloths to dry near the banks of the river.A very characteristic local laundry for this region to dry their cloth with this way.A well reportage scene.

Regards,Danos

josepmarin (33769) 2009-06-25 10:58

Hi, my friend Angshuman,
Your composition has a perfect simplicity, but a great visual power due to the graphism of these hung clothes caressed by the wind while it is purified.
There is a good perspective also, I like the luminosity and the color of the photo.
A great informative note.
Nice work.
Friendly regards,
Josep

aadilj (17950) 2009-06-26 0:58

Just when i thought you'd now give us your take on the city of Mumbai, you are back on the ghats of enlightenment and moksha Angshu! But a nice capture taken from a lovely pov

John_F_Kennedy (31167) 2009-06-26 1:44

Your composition is excellent using the lien of clothes to lead the eye through the shot. Very nice.
Best wishes,
Achim

rikko77 (5896) 2009-06-26 1:47

Hi Angshu
a clever framing and an important, interesting note: this documents well life in Varanasi, with a good framing and a PP I really like.
Have a nice day,
Rikk

Kielia (8373) 2009-06-26 11:58

Hi Angshuman,
it is a very touching note accompanying this interesting impression of the laundry. Looking at this image I can only praise the engineers who invented the washing machine.
The colors are very pleasant and your excellent POV gives a good idea of the activities at the river. TFS!
Warm regards
Harriet

MarianneS (14262) 2009-06-26 12:36

Hello Angshu,
This is the real spirit of TE. Thanks for your note, which explains us things that we perhaps would not understand if ever visiting your country.
The clothes are colourful and the effect of the wind give them even more presence.
The background is very interesting too, you managed a great daily life shot.
Cheers,
Marianne

dip (12532) 2009-06-26 13:41

Hi Angshu!
interesting POV and note too,
well captured and composed!
Greetings,
Dimitris.

dvlazar (6472) 2009-06-26 18:49

Creative and effective framing of these clothes by the ghat. A great view of the ganges.

Cheers!
Dave

Bluejeans (31993) 2009-06-27 4:51

Ola Angshuman ,
I liked your title your photo :)
Ficou linda a linha em diagonal da roupa a secar , gostei do colorido , bom ponto de visão , parabéns !!
Um abraço Gonçalo

bukitgolfb301 (4564) 2009-06-27 4:51

Hello my dear Prof. Angshuman

What a marvelous shot !
Good framing, color management and clear and keen focus as usual. Very simple composition but it has very strong message too, nice shot indeed.

Thanks for sharing and best regards,
Have a nice weekend !

Takero

baba_flies (7951) 2009-06-28 4:50

Hello Angshuman! I LOVE airblown laundry, it smells just different, and always, when I can, I let my cloths dry in the warm summer sun. I like the gentle swing in your photo, how the wind blows the cloths dry, it adds a relaxing atmosphere to your picture that I find special. Maybe it comes from this place, it probably does. Very nice work, I like it a lot. Best wishes, Barbara.

Didi (35928) 2009-06-28 9:32

Hello Angshu
Impossible subject in my place.
Very interesting perspective of coloured shirts.
Well ! India is a marvellous country.
Best regards

jafadabret (39323) 2009-06-28 9:45

Bonjour Angshu.
Cette composition est très dynamique avec le linge gonflé par le vent. J'aime les couleurs et les silhouettes des gens sur la rive.
Bien fait !
Jacques

marietom (31796) 2009-06-28 13:53

hello Angshu,

Jolie composition, avec ce linge coloré qui sèche au vent.
Bonne soirée
Marie

AiresSantos (41820) 2009-06-28 22:56

Hi Angshu
Amazing view of this laundry close to the water. I like the POV, diagonal and colours
Have a nice week
Aires

bakes888 (18055) 2009-06-29 1:52

Hi Angshu. Superb photo. You have captured the colours well and composed with excellent depth. The shallow DOF works well with this shot also. Thanks for sharing.
Have a good week, Paul.

plimrn (19596) 2009-06-29 13:43

Hi Angshu,
What a dynamic photo with the clothes blowing in the breeze and the bathers/washing persons? in the BG. Very interesting note with a good explanation of the Ganges waterfront.
HLJ, Pat

avene (10938) 2009-06-30 5:32

hello Angshuman,
I like a lot the sense of wind these "flying" clothes create, and you're right, the perspective of the line is fascinating, draws the eye right in. the composition works really well, especially with all the lines converging at one point on the right, and natural frame created by these lines around the busy bacground. very well seen and presented, my compliments.

best,
Kristine

Waylim (10741) 2009-07-02 10:02

Greetings Angshu,
Very nostalgic image for me. I also find myself taking many photos of clothes hanging to dry. It make interesting composition and adds much color and depth to the scenery. There is also a sense of calm and peace for me, the way the wind move the clothes and the sun that shine on it. Great note to go with this wonderful composition and good quality image. Have a nice weekend.
Way

emjleclercq (14207) 2009-07-06 13:54

A good note as usual, for this nice colorfull composition. I like the diagonal of the line and the diversity of the clothes' colors.

All the best,

Emmanuel

pauloog (6368) 2009-07-09 3:27

Hello Angshu,
A fine and interesting scene well captured from a good perspective and with the Ganges river in the background to indicate the wider context of the view.
Well done.
R-egards,
Paul

mikolaj_kawa (29755) 2009-08-19 0:38

Hello Angshuman! Wonderful laundry of India, amazing beach, very nice people. Original composition. Very good POV and capture, nice frame. Well done!