Beautiful Candle Keeper Photo

Photographer’s Note

Scwhedagon Pagoda is the biggest and I guess most important temple in Myanmar. Embarassingly, I forget the reason for the ceremony this evening, but it was more than just another night (I really should keep a journal when I travel). This woman was helping out in keeping candles lit, replacing spent candles and generally tidying up. I guess it is just the guy in me, but I found her to be very beautiful, and I couldn't help but take a large number of shots of her.

Tripod mounted, normal post processing, uncropped, focal length 180mm (270mm 35mm equivalent), ISO 400.

I will post an alternative as a workshop.

Porteplume, letuananh, eleparc, Izobretenik, touristdidi, baudinm has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Porteplume (3257) 2005-07-10 11:09

I guessed... And I won! ;o) - This photo had to be yours, Darren.

Such a warm and moody colours, such a well thought composition. Attractive image, as always... I don't need many words to make my appreciation clear to you. Just thank you!

designsoul (21394) 2005-07-10 11:13

Hello Darren,
Yes, she is very beautiful, and so is the image! :-)
Lovely light, colours, tonality...
Sarolta

letuananh (2486) 2005-07-10 11:21

wow lighting very nice! Great portrait!
Thank for sharing!

migsy (349) 2005-07-10 11:22

Excellent lighting and well composed. Thanks for sharing the picture.

mauricio_matos (417) 2005-07-10 11:42

Beautiful moment. Warm colors help to create the atmosphere.

Zepi (22848) 2005-07-10 13:02

Hello Darren,
Excellente vue de profil,magnifique maîtrise de la lumière!
C'est superbe
J’apprécie
Amicalement
Sébastien

ahmet54 (2249) 2005-07-10 14:27

Hello Darren,
this is really a great shot. In my opinion it is far better than the alternative in the workshop. A background would disturb the mood of this moment.
Congratulations and thanks
Roland

dolin (15647) 2005-07-10 14:55

Hi Darren.
Mmmmhhh beautiful scene with a perfect colors tones and nice light.
Your framing is very good and the sharpness too.
Nice attitude of the woman.
Good shot
Fred

eleparc (24059) 2005-07-10 15:19

tanaka on her face and such a sharp focus ! This is technically and aesthetically a superb shot darren! Bravo!!

sometimes i wish i changed my long lens for a 2.8 aperture too!
Eric

Luko (13896) 2005-07-10 17:08

strange you've chosen this one, Darren, because apart from the girl who I agree is beautiful,I think there some shortcomings that the WS adresses (apart from the standing man in the background, arms hanging and mouth catching the flies, could be anyone of us, mesmerized by the beauty of this girl..) :
- your background is quite empty in here and leaves a large area with nothing to look at, not even patterns,...
- the candle lights are totally burnt out while there's no attractie lighting on face but a dull maroony tone. I guess you'll agre at least with the statement that the lighting is better on the WS.

All in all, okayish but a bit monotonous, I suppose this is coming from the not so attractive tone, neither orangy, nor reddish, a bit on the muddy side. Perhaps your white balance wasn't too appropriate for this shot, have you tried several other selections with the RAW software?

[2]

AmiBe (6042) 2005-07-10 18:39

Hi Darren,
Mmmm, what a fantastic place...
I like the atmosphere of devotion.
For me the WS is still better, I like the light on her face.

alimo3 (6826) 2005-07-10 19:05

Hi Darren,
beautiful image,
the light on her face with Tanaka and the little reflection in her eyes are great and peaceful.
i am going to Yangon in two weeks and it's nice to see this picture tonight,that reminds me how magic is this place.
nice composition and attitude.
thanks for this special mood.

Tom

Izobretenik (1264) 2005-07-10 19:22 [Comment]

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tongapup (1574) 2005-07-10 19:52

I can agree with Luko about the light but overall I find this a better shot: the guy in the BG in the other shot really is just too distracting for me. The candles look better in the WS -- more are in focus and there's more context -- but the simplicity here is what I like.

Don't need to be a guy to appreciate her beauty: a beautiful being is always nice to look at, especially one as purposeful as she is. The cheek markings (tanakas?) are lovely too.

Drom (1165) 2005-07-11 3:29

Magnifique portrait.
Bravo pour l'attitude et la couleur.
Dominique

gringofil (0) 2005-07-11 11:23

Nice shot, Darren. Quite a simple composition, but the fact that makes the shot great is that the girl is VERY concentrated on her task. I just wish that the candles would have painted her face a bit more in this wonderful golden light as they did in the WS. How did you manage to expose this so perfectly? Did you meter for the candles and compensate? Anyway, great work here, Darren. Well done.

touristdidi (8561) 2005-07-11 12:37 [Comment]

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Furachan (0) 2005-07-12 3:23

Who says intimate pictures don't live at the end of a telefoto lens, eh, Darren? Beautifuly controlled shot. You have her eye in focus just right and the delicate movement of her hand to the right. Light is fione because a spark remains in her eye...in my very humble opinion...;)
Cheers, Francis

baudinm (347) 2005-08-17 10:49

Hi Darren,
I like this picture a lot.
This is a wonderful play with the light and the candels.
The depth of field is perfectly managed, attracting the eyes to the woman.
I agree with you when you say that the workshop version gives too space to the background : this one is far better.
The composition is really great.
Bravo !
Amicalement,
Michaël

rowanb (864) 2005-09-11 4:24