journey to eternity Photo

Photographer’s Note

Photographers are not welcome at the " Burning Ghats " on the Ganges in Varanasi. Personally I try to respect the rules of refraining to take pictures around this sacred place. But sometimes, the subject is so special, that I an ashamed to admit that I made a couple of exceptions such as this picture where the family on the boat is spreading the ashes of their loved one, on the Ganges river, accompanied by small floating candles. It was almost dark, therefore I used a 400 ISO film which explains the grainy look.

gezgin37, eleparc, lestans, arnabchat, esme, giovannab has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

dege_801s (25) 2005-09-10 7:39

it's so dramatic image...i like the situation and the candle it's that real...and for you nice try to have this picture while there's no photographer welcome at the burning ghats

bboss (3570) 2005-09-10 7:59

I love it, the candles and the way the water seems to go on for ever (all the way to eternity). I am a sucker for these shots.
It seems that every photo book of Benares has shots from the cremation ghats, (usually a charred limb poking from the pyre) so I guess you just need to pay some money to someone to arrange it - india, land of the facilitator. You can get into trouble trying if you try to shoot for free I remember.
cheers, david

recepyuksel (17786) 2005-09-10 8:36

Merhaba,
Mistik ve gizemli bir atmosfer, sudaki mumlar kısa insan hayatını su ve sis ise hayatın sonsuzluğunu hatırlatıyor. Mükemmel. Elinize sağlık.

hugolef (4909) 2005-09-10 9:12

Hello Izzet
jolie photo, ce n'est pas bien de ne pas respecter les traditions ... m'enfin cela valait le coup, ce n'est pas une banale photo de touriste !
j'aime bcp cette ambiance, et cette lumiere à l'arriere plan qui semble divine, la brume masque l'horizon et donne un aspect d'immensité ... tres spirituel ton cliché, un bel hommage à leurs prieres.
Amities, hugues

ALSOM (6616) 2005-09-10 10:05

People's feelings are well perceived through this compo: no horizon, the color, the candle.... I feel a bit intrusive into this ceremony. Bad sensation.

Thanks for sharing.
Al.

don_narayan (2014) 2005-09-10 11:24

it is a great image. it would be hard to resist taking a photo like this.

eleparc (24063) 2005-09-10 13:33

you are right this is a very special photo .. but i think it shows respect to them and is not too voyeuristic...
well done
Eric

gezgin37 (3390) 2005-09-10 13:43

Merhaba İzzet,
ufuk çizgisinin olmadığı, su ile havanın birbirine karıştığı bir yerde, bir sandal dolusu insanın sevdikleri birini sonsuzluğa uğurlamaları. Suda yüzen ateşler. Böyle bir görüntü karşısında fotoğraf çekmeyi düşünmeyecek bir fotoğrafçı olmaz sanırım.
Paylaştığınız için teşekkürler.
Selçuk

lestans (15616) 2005-09-10 13:46

Thank you for having captured this scene, that I didn't try to photograph when I was there. I like the4 endless water, and the little lights. I rememeber the particular smell of this place. Well done, thank you
Livia

anesugur (17303) 2005-09-10 14:47

Ellerinize sağlık İzzet bey. Teşekkürler.

nerve (10218) 2005-09-10 15:02

Harika olmus bu da Ustam, kompozisyon çok yalın ve güzel..
Bu benim de düsündügüm görüntülerden biri orada, gittigimde umarım bir ortam yakalarım..
minimalistik nefis bir imaj,
saygı ve sevgiler.

AnimeshRay (8894) 2005-09-10 18:07

a superb phito, with a universal quality that I envy you of, Izzet. It has the same quality I have seen in an old KUrasawa film I had seen many years ago.

sandip (3492) 2005-09-11 15:24

this is excellent one Izzet.. I really like the way u have shoot it.. it reminds me some of the SMC's images.. Like the candles and a very low light profile of the image.. A fav for me.

arnabchat (7097) 2005-09-12 10:23

i wonder how you managed this.
W O W !!
what an excellent post. i always admire you for coming up with really nice compos, but this one, very original and exclusive.
Best
Arnab

KevRyan (22440) 2005-09-20 4:38

Oh this is so lovely Izzet - what a fantastic atmosphere created by the mist and this relationship between the boat full of people and the candles - beautifully shot - as often with your images it has that tingle factor - really a wonderful image! I am sure you are a very sensitive photographer but also a professional - for one I'm glad you 'broke the rule' here. best wishes Kev

jkos (981) 2005-09-21 14:20