Boat racing silhouettes Photo

Photographer’s Note

Some teams were trainning for the anual boat race in the Mekong river that was going to happen the next day.
The long boat in the center was turning around to return to the starting point and try once again until the team is at the best shape possible. Two other teams seen on the sides just finished a race as well.
You can see them competing with each other in this post that was taken a few moments earlier.

WS - alternaive in b&w

These races were part of the Festival of Lights and two nights after this shot, this part of the river was filled with large floats festooned with lights.
What at first glance may seem to be a mere sporting event is actually rooted in ancient beliefs that predate Buddhism in Laos. To this day, many lowland Lao believe that the Mekong and other local waterways are the abode of naga, serpent-like creatures that leave the river during the rainy season and inhabit the flooded paddy fields. The boat races, held near the end of the rainy season, seek to lure the naga out of the fields and back into the rivers, so that ploughing may begin.

In the next day the festive mood was big and noisy, with exciting crowds screaming for their teams, but at the time of this shot, there was a peaceful atmosphere with the boats disapearing in the misty distance.

mikolaj_kawa, AiresSantos, zeynepe, saylan-cb, paura, belido, feather, Tue, danos, luisafonso, xavshot, lucasgalodoido, flory, bostankorkulugu, ChrisJ, shevchenko, Emile, adores, Bluejeans has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

mikolaj_kawa (29406) 2008-12-23 0:32

Hello Ricardo! Very interesting long boats. Interesting landscape. Good lightness. Very good contrast. Original work. Well done!

Leonie (8627) 2008-12-23 1:03

Hi Ricardo,
As previously said, I love this photo! The little details of the people on the boat are great and the B&W works great to restituate a certain atmosphere on the Mekong which offers a light which is otherwise hard to handle. Happy Christmas to you and a very happy New Year full of fanstastic photos to take!

Cheers, Léonie

zeynepe (9340) 2008-12-23 1:25

as if it didn't matter
which way was home;
as if they didn't know
they loved the earth so much
they wanted to stay there forever.

Ola Ric,
The serenity in the image gives way to a sense of freedom.The boat and silhouettes look great against that grey sky.
A foto está excelente! Parabéns.
Um abraço,
Zeynep

AiresSantos (41418) 2008-12-23 1:28

Ola Ricardo
Para alem das silhuetas que esta excelentes gosto muito dos diferentes niveis de cinza das montanhas
Um excelente trabalho fotografico
Abraco e Bom Natal
Aires

siamesa (12465) 2008-12-23 1:53

Olá Ricardo,
Belíssima a cor que você usou na foto.É uma pintura em cinza e as silhuetas dos remadores nas canoas ficaram prá lá de excelentes.
Abraços de abaixo da linha do Equador e um Feliz Natal
Maria

tober (3900) 2008-12-23 1:53

Hello Ricardo, you have an anormous treasure of Near Eastern and Far-Eastern photos in your hand. This one is wonderful with the silhouettes of the people (I especially liked the third one from the right, with his traditional helmet). The view of the mountain range at the background with different tones of grey looks impressive. The only thing which I do not prefer in this beautiful photo are the bushes and tree branch in the foreground. That's only my personal preference. Some people may like.

Best regards and Merry Christmas.

Tolga

saylan-cb (12726) 2008-12-23 2:38

Hi Ricardo,
This is a beautiful compositions and very nice silhouettes.
Excellent work!
TFS/Regards

paura (37872) 2008-12-23 2:42

Ricardo,
Interessante a quantidade de gente que tem em cada barquinho. Eu já fui remador, quando jovem, e me lembro bem com era dificil harmonia entre 8, fico pensando nessa gente toda. A foto está linda.

Abraço

Paulo

belido (16065) 2008-12-23 3:56

Olá Ricardo,

gostei bastante da atmosfera dessa image. Essa neblina funciona muito bem para destacar as diferentes camadas e realçar as silhuetas dos competidores. O pedaço de terra à direita quebra bem a linha da água e aumenta a profundidade de campo. Belo registro!
Abraço,
Carlos

jmdias (18795) 2008-12-23 6:02

ricardo

as siluetas estão magníficas perdidas no meio desta paisagem imprecisa e nevoenta. muioto belo o enquadramento e a compo em si, belo trabalho

abraços

jorge

feather (49848) 2008-12-23 6:37

It's amazing how these boats don't tip over, especially with so many people on board. They seem so much shallower than the ones they transport us around on. I marginally prefer the previous one you posted, but both images are very ethereal with the tiny silhouettes. As this is fairly monotone I thought I might like the B&W equally, but I prefer this for the lilac-ish tone, which adds so much more to the mood and the hazy atmosphere.
Kath

Tue (25608) 2008-12-23 9:20

Hi Ricardo,
What a great view across the river in these hazy conditions. I like a lot the layered hills in the background. The longboat stands out wonderfully against the calm grey water with the silhouettes of all the people. Thanks for sharing this view!
I wish you a Merry Christmas!
Regards,
Lars

danos (31740) 2008-12-23 9:34

Ola Ricardo,
with this shot remember me the splendid days where I lived in Laos last March.Excellent the silhouettes of the people that moving in the river with this huge boats.The pinkish environment, is an asset in the scenery.Well done.

I wish a Happy Christmas for you and for your family,Danos

carper (64130) 2008-12-23 10:15

it's fantastic Ricardo,
marvelous view over the Mekong river I really enjoy your series on Flickr, this one is outstanding.
I wish you and your family a very goos Xmas and a good good and ending of the year.
regard jaap

stego (22336) 2008-12-23 12:36

Olá Ricardo,

Ena! Isto é motivo para celebrar! Mais uma do Laos!

Não sei exactamente porquê, mas tem um ar irresistível de Extremo Oriente. A composição é excelente, gosto imenso da forma como os barcos estão dispostos e enquadrados pelos montes enevoados pela silhueta da margem em primeiro plano. Quase nem se nota que é a cores, pelo que practicamente não há diferenças entre esta e o WS.

Boas Festas e Baos Entradas para ti e para os teus.

Um abraço, José.

toto (18563) 2008-12-23 12:51

Bonjours,
belle photo de ces silhouettes sur ces frêles esquifs, bien vu, bien pris.
Bon POV et bien fait ce coin de terre a l' avant, ces pirogues et ces gens bien nets, puis le fond brumeux de toute beauté qui laisse entrevoir et deviner ces nombreuses collines.

Rosa et moi nous vous souhaitons de bonnes fêtes de fin d' année et une année 2009 qui vous apportera bonheur, amour et prospérité.
Amitiés Thomas

Gerrit (35493) 2008-12-23 13:11

Wow Ricardo,
what a boats.
Excellent composition in great tones. Fantastic composition and atmosphere.
Have a great Christmas,
Gerrit

luisafonso (858) 2008-12-23 13:38

Eu gosto muito de fotos monocromáticas a cores. Tal como esta... Este efeito é muito giro e só o tentei uma ou duas vezes. Acho que a imagem ficava melhor sem este primeiro plano escuro do lado direito. Mas isso já é a minha veia perfeccionista a falar. :)

Aproveito para te desejar um Feliz Natal e um Grande 2009 cheio de grandes projectos! Espero que tenhas novidades para me contares no novo ano. Das boas, claro!

xavshot (61917) 2008-12-23 14:21

Bonsoir Ricardo
très jolies teintes dans cette image. Les silhouettes ressortent bien et amènent un graphisme agréable. Bravo.
Xavier

xuaxo (5637) 2008-12-23 14:23

Olá Ricardo,
Com a quantidade e qualidade de críticas recebidas em meio dia, não me ocorre nada original para acrescentar. Está muito bem.
É um dos raros casos em que prefiro o P&B.
Cumprimentos,
F

chris04stop (2181) 2008-12-23 14:28

A dreaming photo, Ricardo, so a sweet and beautiful one. This really is like a dream in the soft fog. And my fancy...oh, MY FANCY!!! She has the wings (as you know!)
Ehi, you...MERRY CHRISTMAS! To you, your wife and your two wonderful cats!
Anna Paola

gilou530 (34739) 2008-12-23 14:30

salut ricardo
une photo toute en dégradé de gris, une ambiance pleine de calme et un contre jour bien géré bravo pour cette réalisation
amitiés
gilbert

lucasgalodoido (16537) 2008-12-23 17:35

Olá Ricardo,
ficou ótima essa cena com os remadores, e impressionante como conseguem equlibrar assim. O contraste aqui ficou ótimo, e pela supervelocidade utilizada acredito que o ambiente estava bem claro mesmo.
Parabéns e Abraço

flory (4802) 2008-12-23 23:04

Merry Christmas,Ricurosu!!!
to come with gifts ...just stay around to the chimney:)
you have another one from this boats race that like it ,for this image-bengadaboom.The members before me,express already the details.
rronrirng friendly,
Flori:)

bostankorkulugu (33334) 2008-12-24 23:56

back:)...
people on the boats look like little ants... beautiful composition with all the fading hills behind... the piece of land on the foreground is a bit distracting but still very nice ric...

hugs

krkt

ChrisJ (69588) 2008-12-25 3:52

Hi Ricardo

Wonderful graphism & strong light contrasts, on the fully loaded dugout canoe. Excellent sharpness, & an atmospheric capture of the Mekong River. Tfs & Merry Xmas!

shevchenko (9756) 2008-12-25 18:10

Hi Ricardo,
You were very lucky stand on a good position to obtain nice background with layers of mountains, good capture to show the stucture of a long shape board from it side, nice to see other small boards helping in practice, thanks for sharing the local life & cultural activity.
Ally

Emile (19807) 2008-12-25 21:19

Hola Ricardo.
Very well captured shot with so many people on the long boats creating a very good silhouette against the river, the mist produces a nice progressive disappearance of the mountains in the back, your POV is very good also. Great composition. Your WS in B&W is good but honestly I prefer this one.
Merry Christmas my friend and wish you a new year with a lot of hearth, peace and prosperity.
Greetings.

jmcl (13721) 2008-12-26 14:51

hi Ricardo,

Wonderful mood provided by the place interacting with the tonal range .. and the gentle diffusion of the background hills .. the way the misty backdrop works with the sharp silhouettes is tremendous ..

take care,

John

adores (15299) 2008-12-26 16:20

Olá Ricardo!
Ainda não esgotaste as tuas do Laos?
Olha que esta ficou muito boa, especialmente pelas silhuetas dos barquitos cheios de remadores - aquele do chapéu está perfeito. A névoa aqui deu um efeito excelente!

emka (21143) 2008-12-27 12:06

Hi Ricardo,
Wow, Fantastic! I like this grey-blue delicate colour of the mountains and the river. And the silhouettes in boats are amazing. Regards

Malgorzata

Bluejeans (31633) 2008-12-29 15:56

Oi amigo ,
Ficaram lindas as silhuetas dos barcos parecem desenhos animados , gostei muito dos níveis de cinza nas montanhas, belo ponto de visão , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

Boas Festas

Angshu (33324) 2008-12-29 19:49

Ola Ricardo
The boats are back & welcome here ;-)! I loved those shots there. Excellent silhouette of the boat, but I like more the BG hill slopes with the layers they create...the whole picture has a look of a Chinese painting, almost monochromatic. The look & feel of this shot is excellent my friend!
Best Regards
Angshu