like a bird ... Photo

Photographer’s Note

Vuiroli, a home for homeless old people in Chennai.
I just found this photo in my archives, it really touches me.
there is a story behind it...

This man was taken from the street just half an hour before taking this photo, he has just been washed...

He was thrown out of his home by his daughter-in-law. He would die on the street. It is such a strange but simple story about this man.

I was talking to pastor Rajkumar about making this photostory about Vuyiroli, that it should contain some pictures of people living on the street, to show how people lived before being taken to Vuyiroli's home. So we took the scooter and drove to the train station to find old people living on the street. We couldn't see anybody. Then we saw that man - he was sitting on the sidewalk like a bird, looked miserable, he had a rotting injury on his head, was dirty and looked so vulnerable. Rajkumar stopped the scooter and told me to go to photograph this man. I had to kick my ass - it was not easy, a white stranger photographying a poor man, people passing me by, looking strangely at me... I took some pictures, went back to Rajkumar's scooter and said: this man looks terrible. and a half an hour later this man was in the Vyuiroli's home.

pgorod, eleparc, alejandroguzman, polter, mismet, KevRyan, SamB, robiuk, vagabondtravels, designsoul, isabela_sor, nirajsinha, bhorerpakhi, luisafonso, nicoz, ndb1958, michiels, leo61, Clairedelune, everlasting, tinamunk3, bombilla, sanalytis, padeg, coco, Mistral, Glint, tomaszmarcinek, rafid76, danbachmann has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

pgorod (1122) 2007-02-13 15:43

Maciej,

your photo is very impressive and touching... that look...

I feel ashamed, sometimes it becomes so clear that our world is fighting the wrong wars...

[2]

eleparc (24059) 2007-02-13 15:44

sad photo but a very good one! the contrast of colors and the clear message make this a strong shot. congrats! and an excellent note!
Eric

alejandroguzman (4672) 2007-02-13 15:53

Hello Maciej:
A tender photograph.
You really got a great composition. It has the main object very well composed, with a great ligth and DOF. And very usuful note on this work.

TFS
Cheers,
Edgar

mismet (1312) 2007-02-13 16:02

Well,very impressive,the composition and your message is going well together.Nice dof as well.I think we should think what we got once more before critising our lives.

KevRyan (22352) 2007-02-13 16:38

I can't improve on what Peter has written above.......

the relative scale of including this bucket in the foreground creates such a strong challenge to the eye and mind to work out how big or small this man really is......but it is the heart which is really challenged.......and the sense of injustice in this world.

Thankyou for taking the time to tell us the context.

take care Kev

SamB (1948) 2007-02-13 16:54

Hello, Maciej--
Very powerful picture here, the tired, sad expression on his face, his withered body, and the dull tones of his skin and the wall offset by the super-intense oranges of the bucket and the rag.
Thanks--
sam

Furachan (0) 2007-02-13 17:50

Superb, tight composition for this moving shot which I've never seen before. In combination with your excellent note, it packs a hell of a punch. This is to me just about te perfect TE package, combination of image and note, Macoej. I want you to know that. I sense that you are so driven by the image often that you're almost reluctant to "writ" too much, so as not to spoil the impact. But let me tell you something: when you do, you write very well, simply and movingly and it can enhance the whole.
all the best,
Francis

[2]

robiuk (10763) 2007-02-13 18:55

An incredible good shot, daring, strong and vulnerable!
Photo that conveys a message at the speed of light.
You did an excellent job here Maciej, both technically and spiritually.
Thank you,
Robi

pedrocarmo (1281) 2007-02-13 19:53

Very Impressive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We should all be ashame!!!

vagabondtravels (6103) 2007-02-13 20:11

Hi Maciej

Very powerful image you have here. Sharp, colorful, yet sad. The message is clear. Well done.
Ben

designsoul (21394) 2007-02-13 21:52

Oh my God.
Very touching; both the note and the shot. Like a bird, indeed... and Peter says it all. I am deeply moved by this work and ashamed at my petit complaints in life when life can be THIS hard. You did an amazing thing, however tough and awful you must have felt then, because the shot touches deeply, it goes right to the nerve endings, in fact, to the heart.
take care,
sasa

nirajsinha (822) 2007-02-14 1:55

Hi Maciej!

One need tough heart to see the man in picture. How cruel a person can be in this world? Is there anything precious than a life? Very touchy picture. It compel me to think about ourselves as a human.

Many thanks for sharing

Niraj Sinha

bhorerpakhi (559) 2007-02-14 3:58

A telling photo, very striking. But thats a good deed you have done. Hope he lives well today.
Poulomi

nicoz (1963) 2007-02-14 4:27

Just had my breakfast, and I feel a bit sick. A bit because of the photo, a bit because of the note. Not that I find the man disgusting, but rather that I am shocked. My memory is selective, and I tend to forget how lucky I am.
It must be quite hard to take a photo like this one, as you wrote.
The photo itself is very well done with the bucket etc...
Let's hope that pastor Rajkumar will make his life happier!
Nicolas

jasmis (50298) 2007-02-14 4:52

Jedno z tych wielkich zdjêæ, które wymyka siê spod ocen TE. Perfekcja.
Pozdrawiam.

luisafonso (858) 2007-02-14 5:29

This is a wonderful photo Maciej! So strong, so well composed, with great light. But the subject throws this to an higher level. If only this could reach the hands of the people who think this is a just world... One of the best photos I've seen lately. Thanks for sharing this.

isabela_sor (42097) 2007-02-14 7:01

Not only the picture touches my heart but also this amazing story behind of this documentary photo,makes one think how fortunate we are..and what can we for others!!Life is so unfair!!
Take care
Isabela

vapours (7913) 2007-02-14 7:55

Wow what an image. The bucket is almost as big as him, and almost hidden away in the darkness of the image. Quite an emotional image.

ethemoon (26) 2007-02-14 9:09

very powerful shot! i think it is one of my favorites so far. you have captured something in him here.The bucket gives a sense of scale as to how small and delicate he is, the lighting is directional and soft that brings out the texture of his skin. I think i would burn in the back a little so that the background does not distract from this wonderful man you have captured. Yikes.. how difficult to come up to him and take the picture.. bravo maciej.Very very nice

Darren (6817) 2007-02-14 9:47

This is really impactful Maciek, but I think you know that. He most certainly does look like a bird. The way you have caught his eyes looking emptilly (not sure that is a word) to your right is the strongest part of this shot for me, not that it is totally important. Shots like this make me know I never want to be a PJ. There does seem to a strange blue/grey color shift on this shot as well. Seems as of late that your processing has changed, as I don't recall odd colors in your shots previously.

polter (6082) 2007-02-14 11:06

Wstrząsające zdjęcie, które trudno komentować - zabieram się po raz enty a i tak nic mądrego nie napiszę. Niesamowita postać - upodlona okolicznościami i nawet tym plastikowym, cywilizacyjnym badziewiem dookoła - postać zredukowana do szkieletu nieomal i o twarzy o pięknych, szlachetnych rysach i żywych, niemal gorących oczach. I co tu można powiedzieć, siedząc sobie wygodnie w fotelu przed komputerem...? Pozdrawiam T.

ninaL (19508) 2007-02-14 11:12

Bulwersujacy dokument.
Chudosc tego czlowieka, jego pozycja, jego spojrzenie, i to wszystko kontrastujace z pomaranczowym kolorem wiadra...
Rzeczywiscie, trudno to komentowac, brak slow.
Coz przy takiej biedzie znacza zdjecia bezdomnych z bogatych, zachodnich krajow ?
Dzieki za ten dokument. Pozdrawiam. Grazyna.

ndb1958 (9248) 2007-02-14 15:56

Such a sad and such an impressing image of the old man. Very touching! Indeed his body expression reminds to a bird (have you ever seen the film "birdy" about a guy and his illusion of a transformation into a bird?). Thank you for the note and for sharing this image.
Nino

michiels (4170) 2007-02-14 16:02

hello Maciej,

I don't know what to say, have no words ... there is too much to say in this white space. it is very touching but it is a beautiful shot.
great work, the world should know !!!!
inn

leo61 (43398) 2007-02-14 16:08

Hi Maciej!
It touches me too.....
I do`nt know what to write,fantsatic or sad image....
It`s a very impressive shot with the man in this pose and a symbolic composition with him and the colored plastic items.
I´M a physiotherapist, working with old people after implantation of Hip or knee prothesis and I`m fascinated by how he can move his joints.
Thanks for a new favourite.
Regards,Leo

Polonaise (5636) 2007-02-14 22:31

I refuse to comment upon this photo of yours, Maciek.
I refuse to comment upon your story as well.
Bow my head low down and shut-up.
Once in a while we need that kick across the teeth.

g.

Just to think...Today is a Valentine's day...

Clairedelune (4885) 2007-02-14 23:10

There is a hidden gift in this photo.
I know, it is an insufferable story. To be thrown out of his home? It hurts my senses. It upsets me. And yes, it moves me...
But more. The hidden gift? The beauty. There is an incredible beauty in the eyes of this man, in his features.
In this photo, you show us the contradictions of the human nature...
Claire

everlasting (10898) 2007-02-15 3:38

A touching story Maciej, portrayed tenderly and respectfully. The inclusion of the bright bucket gives scale to the image. I have to echo remarks that have already been said. ----our world is fighting the wrong wars.

tinamunk3 (6382) 2007-02-15 13:27

Hey wow - this is incredible!! Both the story and the way you captured this poor man. Amazing look and posture and you captured that so well.

Tina

bombilla (3402) 2007-02-15 15:50

I join the others who don't have any words. I hope you understand. Thanks. -Hugh

sanalytis (1634) 2007-02-16 0:30

Hi Maciej,

Your photo is an excellent example of the injustices in this world. We spend billions fighting wars for oil and leave people starving and living in deplorable conditions. I wich I had answers.

Spiros

coco (27820) 2007-02-16 12:32

Hi Maciej.

Impressive note and even better photo.
And, of course, I cannot add anything new about the photo. Only let me say that I am amazed: only a red bucket can full that empty space of the composition.

Really thanks for share.

dolin (15647) 2007-02-17 15:10

Hi Maciej.
No comment for this impressive shot.
Sad, beautiful, touching, the message.....
just in my fav
Fred

jsbedard (70) 2007-02-18 16:02

This picture speaks by itself.

scalerman (25731) 2007-02-22 23:23

Maciej: it is very difficult for me to do this type of journalistic picture-taking. Sometimes I will but, maybe like you, it never feels right. But if you have a mission, as you did here, I think it's more than justifiable, as long as you don't profit unduly from the images without reciprocity. Some fine work of yours still emerging here. Best regards, c

s10001in (1485) 2007-02-26 21:28 [Comment]

Show Comment

Mistral (13694) 2007-03-01 15:35

Excellent image, Maciej
a touching story... and a great composition of colours too!
A smile
Luca

crhieatt (5143) 2007-03-12 17:14

Awesome. Speechless.
Or maybe not speechless - the strangest thing, despite your story, the photo is still a beautiful photo - and I don't just mean in the way it depicts the man's plight - it has an intrinsic artistic beauty to it.
Colin

Glint (3042) 2007-04-06 20:38

Hello Maciej,
this image touches me too, how can it not? But like seven others I could not save it to myfavourites. It is just too painful and I am a coward. But you are not and that is why you are such a good photographer.
regards,
Bev

moha_subr (10) 2007-08-30 1:07

Maciej,

Touching & powerful shot. His look makes me feel guilty...

wag (648) 2008-01-05 13:44

Hi Maciej, wonderful POV, also that contrast coulors, well done
Peter

Bluejeans (32173) 2008-01-09 3:56

Ola Maciej,
Que foto impressionante e comovente, como a vida é dura para certas pessoas , tem uma mensagem muito forte a tua foto , parabens
Um abraço Gonçalo