dalits- the untouchables Photo

Photographer’s Note

dalits account for about 16-17% of the indian population i.e. 160-170 million people (about).
the hindu religion is based on a caste system in which dalits or the ati sudras are considered to be the most inferior. contrary to what a lot of people believe, untouchability is still practised in india, but mostly in the rural areas.
acoording to the hindu religion, the dalits are expected to carry out the most miserable jobs like getting rid of dead animals. they are supposed to stay outside the villages, they are not allowed to tough the village well and they are also not allowed to touch anyone outside the caste. this is their life.
discrimination is one of the subjects in economics that i'm studying and i'm supposed to do a book review, so i've decided on doing a photographic book review with my focus on caste discrimination.
this was taken in a dalit slum. i've been allowed by the head of the slum to take photographs. this is a boy in his late teens with an adult.

maciekda, verge, arnabchat, zeus, sandip, olopez, hugolef, Fixfocus, Ramonven, kaud, pridel, Zippy, e_g, AmiBe, Karthik, eflowers, eleparc, cgrindahl, Praetzer, alimo3, cool_krishna, Riz, scalerman, KevRyan, bfly, rafid76, kajspice has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

maciekda (19599) 2005-02-17 5:33

wow, this is so good Sohrab, an excellent double portrait, excellent composition. you at your best, what a talent ;) i am sure you took a lot of good photos there, lucky you

Zepi (22848) 2005-02-17 5:35

Belle composition !
J’aime bien cette fumée qui envahie le cadre !
Superbe noir et blanc !
J’aime les yeux des personnages !
Beau travail !
Bravo !

Amicalement - Sébastien

verge (1241) 2005-02-17 5:37

this is really nice the B&W really works fine. the look of the guy on the left really supports the note very well. sad about the discrimination....rgds

verge

arnabchat (7097) 2005-02-17 5:40

excellent pic. graphic elemnts good. the looks in their eyes and the smoke deserves 2 smileys each.

the (excellent) note is very striking. you seem to be doing a wonderful documentary with this subject. keep it up!

sandip (3492) 2005-02-17 6:06

This is one of your best In TE.The rope infront of the face of the man comes out of dark is really great.another great composition from u.By the way why dont you write something on your profile about u? I noticed it already but as u told to Maciej u have some exam to be finished i am eagar to know about u too..

clodreno (0) 2005-02-17 6:32

What I especially like in that one is the important masses of grey and black. The 2 guys have nice faces, but for me this image stands out because of the composition.. Not a single space empty.. This is something I am really fond of.
The subject is also interesting, but this is something I believe Indians photographers have to do. i wouldn't want to touch it myself..
nice shot Sohrab
btw , the guy on the left has a peir of beautiful eyes..

bboss (3570) 2005-02-17 6:58

A wonderful photo, I love their expressions and the smoke, and the way they are coming out of the blackness. An interesting composition, for me there is just a bit too much of the plastic sacking at the front - it obscures a bit too much, but I am sure this is exactly the quality that others like.
Good luck with your photographic book review, you must have broadminded professors! Economic policy, like the caste system, is used by the rich and powerful as a mechanism for keeping the poor in their place, whether you can show this in photos we will find out.

hugolef (4909) 2005-02-17 7:07

Hello Sohrab
great capture, nice centring. i like the atmosphere in your pic.
Well done
Regards

Fixfocus (9377) 2005-02-17 7:17

Awesome compo,Sohrab!
Excellent B&W job,sharpness and contrasts are great.The grain of the Tri-X 400 makes the composition even stronger!
take care!
hermann

Ramonven (126) 2005-02-17 7:25

A Very very beautifull and toutching picture! I believe this to be one of you'r greatest works!! And I see you went trough quit a lot to take it...

The boy on the left in is his late teens, but it almost doesn't show, who is who Sohrab... They are scarred with the life...

A beautifull work! And A very interesting approach with the cloth, and the smoke...
Interesting note to Sohrab!
Take care!

Ramon

kaud (1840) 2005-02-17 7:30

Are u a poet?

pridel (233) 2005-02-17 8:03

Sohrab
your photograph is very beautiful (as usual), the compo is looked after : a piece of fabric, a beautiful face with a soft glance on the left and another face drowned in smoke on the right side.
the symbolic system of this framing is strong, of people who don't have the right to be outside of their caste.
To Paris, I don't manage to photograph people who live outside during the day and during the night. I don't have sufficient courage to face their glance. And they are increasingly numerous. And of installations are made so that they cannot sleep any more with the heat in the subway or the street opposite the stores. Paris wants to hide its poor. And I show the most beautiful side of Paris on TE !
thank's for this photo
Pascal

Zippy (0) 2005-02-17 8:04

This is a great social portrait, but the composition just speaks volumes too. This is very emotive, and I'm looking forward to your book!

spike1 (16) 2005-02-17 8:12

Great shot Sohrab - really tells a story

e_g (767) 2005-02-17 9:10

Staggering story, Sohrab. And a very expressive shot! It seems singificant that they as if hide behinde the cloth and ropes. I'm very impressed.

AmiBe (6042) 2005-02-17 9:29

Just excellent, nothing more to say, you're an artist.

RGatward (19759) 2005-02-17 11:24

Another beautifully framed shot. Love the smoke here.

babul (610) 2005-02-17 11:59

mama mia .. super foto veary atomsferic and mysterius I like the grain of tri-x never traid but i have now one role of film soo we see ,they not gone be propobly so goog as yours but .. take care super foto sohrab!!!!and thenks for discriptons .one more time I must sey that you have big talent my frend

eflowers (674) 2005-02-17 14:38

Amazing image. I like that you've captured the one with the line cutting across his face and the other with the smoke obscuring most of his face. It really makes you feel the plight of these people.

Maru (0) 2005-02-17 15:20

Sohrab, you did a great work here! Because this men "untouchables" appared almost covered (by smoke or the piece of cloth), so in a way inaccesible to us.
The dark background really works very well, as the seem to have nothing behind them, like if they were ghosts..
It's quite sad, and a bit difficult for me to understand why this happen, but in the other hand religion is not easy in this world, no matter wich one are we talking about :(
Great work!!
Marisa

eleparc (24063) 2005-02-17 15:22

a very impactful shot sohrab! it is really a good shot showing all your talent once again... congrats!

cgrindahl (6109) 2005-02-17 16:11

Incredibly powerful image Sohrab, speaking to an important social issue. This composition conveys perfectly the matter of "untouchability" with the men hidden behind a burlap curtain and a cloud of smoke. The blackness of the background in contrast with the lightness of the fabric's texture achieves the same effect. This is surely one of your best pieces of work. If you are able to submit these photographs to document this subject for your class, it would be a most powerful report. Keep up the fine work young man. Thank you for sharing it with all of us.

AnimeshRay (8894) 2005-02-17 16:45 [Comment]

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Praetzer (1657) 2005-02-17 17:10

One word: Atmosphere due to the compo and the eyes. A favorite.

alimo3 (6826) 2005-02-17 18:37

Hi Sohrab,
wow wow wow this is a great one !
first,it's nice to see you comming back with a not to contrasted pic,
i like the quality of the BW there and all the rich tones.
those two faces are very interesting + composition and the smoke really makes it.
See you

Tom

cool_krishna (465) 2005-02-17 23:23

Very powerful picture. Has two distinct shades present in it, for me.
1. Recklessness. Gay abandon.. Care I dont attitude on display..
2. Innocence. As if the guy on the left is caught in this environment without a choice. A sense of suffocation as well. Restrain as well.. the boy on the left doesnt really have a way out it seems.
One of your best Sohrab..
My personal view : I think untouchability is slowly on its way out. With each passing generation, the sense of class has diminished. also with India coming out as a global economy, class is not the factor for discrimination, but economic boundaries are. Having said that, its still time before this virus is eradicated completely.

RandomCameraGuy (3063) 2005-02-18 2:58

The framing is perfect with the diff sections moving our eyes around the frame. I'm not too big a fan of the smoke blocking our view of his left eye though, a half second later would be better IMHO. Still I like it alot.

As for the "untouchables" it is definately a sad story, based on such a beautiful religion.

markoci (3917) 2005-02-18 8:05

absolutely fantastic sohrab! they really look untouchable behind the lines. an excellent documentary of a sad reality. great notes, the statistics are staggering. i love the way the smoke covers half his face i think it's a must, part of the "theme". (just to nitpick, the white straight line coming from the wooden pole is a bit distracting) won't comment on the amazing quality, i'd just be repeating myself :-) congratulations!

markgong (2840) 2005-02-18 12:22

This photo is good example why you are one of my favorite photographers on TE. The note helps a great deal in bringing life into an already tragic photo. An adult who has come to terms with his status and a teen who is unsure of his future (atleast in my eyes). Hidden in the shadows behind the fabric, the face emerges almost like a phantom. But really, aren't they all phantoms to the western world? Good work.

michel_r (1114) 2005-02-18 22:03

wow! this is really good sohrab. Beautiful compo and tones in grey and black, completed by these opposing faces. Definitely a favorite. Thanks again for this one.

volpanglos (121) 2005-02-19 4:56

it is good ,one of my favorite picture and it is not coming from a book of Salgado... .In a critique of your last posting I joke about your profession, I tought you were full time photographe .
goog geometrie,good lighting, good subject,good composition, good photo .

I would like to be member of the jury to see the portfolio . They may never had put a foot on an exibition or open a book of photographie, may be it won't speak to them , It is playing a litle bit I think ...and it is good like that no ?

ps: put this deep in your head: "the time is now brother. Don't be afraid to shine " N.Mandela .
.....................antoine.

scalerman (25803) 2005-02-20 1:08

Strong compo; telling note. I like your work Sohrab, all the more because it's done traditionally. Where do you live now?

Kicka (0) 2005-02-21 14:21

Another great composition Sohrab. The expression on that young man really talks to you, what eyes. I also like the effect of the smoke from the mans cigarett. But still this photograph is great because of the composition.

KevRyan (22440) 2005-03-06 4:54

This is a classic Sohrab - composition and expression are just perfect - I am coming to know, bit by bit, more Indian photographers - I am so impressed by the work I see and believe it should be seen more widely. Do you know the film and photography work of Parthiv Shah?

flydragon (0) 2005-03-13 3:06

woww woww Sohrab ;o)
i just come back in paris
and should say wowww when i take time now
to watch your work ,o).
i did verry fast from thailand, sorry i didnt had time and strong connection to comment.
this picture is really good. thos gaze are killing me ,o)
strong one Sohrab i am impress about your work
and happy also.
verry well done ;o) my friend
have you met Tom and Vero ?
see ya
••simon••

federico_hyo (60) 2005-12-05 13:39

my god! i love this picture.. you have take this guys in a particular moment, behind the tend.
It can be everithing.. what they are thinking about? very nice picture. i love your work. thanks to share

rafid76 (2611) 2006-12-06 15:14

powerful shot and even greater cause. discrimnation comes from fear and hate. it is common in all parts of the world but to its own culture. people choose to hate becuase it is in their nature, they may choose religion, race, or status to use as a rightous reason to elimnate or discrmenate.
god bless you mt freind. are you a hindu?