Preparing the exam, a photo from Sagaing, North

Photographer's Note

Nun monastery in Sagaing... same place where I shot this meditating nun.

A general buddhism exam was to happen on the day after I visited their monastery : "studious" was not a wrong word to describe the place, the place was thick on concentration. No chanting or rote learning going around but soft spoken questions and answers through fellow groups... only then and to conclude the work, meditation as an encouragement for the souls.

don_narayan, z_nenith, designsoul, ElSato, AmiBe, entrelec, Bien, fixed, eleparc, yeah, stefi, Rinie_Hoff, devimeuxbe, Porteplume has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

don_narayan (2014) 2005-10-11 17:46

both the nuns reading, out of focus, are great. I like the this corner, made with the line coming from the corner of the book is great, especially with this corner filled with this color tone, but not overbearing, thanks to the great DoF. a great composition in such a tight space. I like the lack of space, a rather caustrophobic feel, we see neither floor nor sky.

Zepi (22848) 2005-10-11 17:46

Hello vaillant défenseur de la cause « Canon » :-),
Une c’est une belle composition que tu nous soumets ce soir.
J’aime plusieurs choses ici :
En premier, j’aime la façon dont tu as placé tes éléments dans le cadre, la lecture est simple, dans tous les sens, le regard s’arrête sur ce live ! C’est parfait.
J’aime aussi ce focus sur la page et ces couleurs pastelles qui donne un air « zen » à ton image !
J’aime de plus en plus les écrits dans une photo, ce renforce le côté graphique à mon goût !
JE ne me rends pas bien compte sur l’image, mais ça à l’air d’être un mélange d’écriture Thaï et d’écriture arabe la typographie Birmane…c’est juste !
Belle composition, tous fonctionne ici, j’adhère
Beau travail
A++
Sébastien

designsoul (21492) 2005-10-11 20:26

Wonderful shot, the depth is that of a beautiful mysterious Esheresque staircase, as the space leads my eyes in a circular way from the left nun's shaved head to her text over to the other's etc... beautifully tight, lovely composition, I enjoy your focus on the Burmese letters, offering us something important to read no doubt, had we the skills to unlock the text...
Anyhow, wonderful shot, as is the nun whom you refer in your note.
I like the lack of cliche in these shots, Luko, downplaying exoticism for compositional gain, that's powerful
Sarolta

ElSato (824) 2005-10-11 22:33

Luko,

A really stunning image, with simplicity hiding some wonderful complexity.

Two figures reading, nothing more. And yet, much more: the reflection of one figure in the other, the clarity of the script contrasted with the blurring of nearby features, the variety of tones in the fabric that's created by the light and shadow, the anonymity of the women (appropriate, I think, for Buddhist nuns) created by their shorn heads and their averted faces, and most of all the tunnel of space that bores down between the two women from the foreground into darkness that creates a real sense of volume in a photo taken at such close quarters and cropped so tightly.

Really a wonderful image.

Lee

bnallama (3763) 2005-10-12 2:08

Wow Luko.. a stunning compo.. I simply love the blurry student and the focused book.. Very effective tight crop as well..

Only wish that I was as motivated and studious as them... :-(

entrelec (8342) 2005-10-12 2:45

Tout ça fonctionne parfaitement à mon avis, avec le triangle supérieur pour les moines et l'inférieur pour le livre sur lequel il y a focus et lumière.
Le cadrage est très reserré, on est parli eux,avec leurs postures d'étude à l'orientale, totalement opposée aux notres.
C'est vrai que les livres ouverts dans une photo, ça fait qquechose de bien particulier.
Joel

Furachan (0) 2005-10-12 3:24

Mais oui! C'est precisement fait pour ca, notre 85!
Superbe compo, pique sur le texte...c'est emouvant meme, avec ces deux tetes rondes de chaque cote du livre.
Une de tes meilleures dans la serie "palympseste".
De la grande classe,
-F
ps A sec, comme tous les matins a Tokyo...;o)

jinju (14265) 2005-10-12 3:33

Good choice of focus! I like this graphical elemtnof the letters on the page. Choosing this focus shows nice thinking outside the box Luko.

mayabee (374) 2005-10-12 3:35

I love your picture. Great colors and composition, looks like an old movie.

Bien (4739) 2005-10-12 4:31

Hi Luko, a very inspiring shot! I love the circular way you lead the viewer's eyes over the composition. The focus on the Burmese text is wonderful. De la grande classe en effet! Sabine

AmiBe (6042) 2005-10-12 4:38

Encore une image qui va finir dans mes favs !
Je la trouve superbe, j'aime beaucoup ce cadrage intime et la façon dont tu as remplis magistralement le cadre.
Superbe couleurs pastels et excellent point de focus sur le livre, on les sens très concentrés, nullement dérangés pars ta présence.

fixed (3833) 2005-10-12 4:52

hello Luko,
une photo harmonieuse, certainement à l'image de l'endroit et de son ambiance.
un bel agencement des éléments qui compose cette photo !!
j'aime le bouquin pointé vers le deuxième moine ...
à ce niveau de photo, j'aurais bien aimé avoir un arrière plan un poil plus flou (pas de grand chose)
une belle harmonie de couleurs également, bcp de rose même la tranche du livre ;)
c'est très BÔ !!
énorme sensibilité !
merci Luko et surtout bravo !
A+
Arnaud

Haymotion (2577) 2005-10-12 4:53

Magnifique composition
Angle du vue original et bonne atmosphère
Bravo
Vince

dolin (15647) 2005-10-12 5:49

Salut Luko.
Ola...un cadrage serré qui lui va comme un gant...EXCELLENT.
J'aime bien ton choix de focus sur ce livre.
Tout ce rose pastel et cette lumière donnent un côté paisible et tranquil.
C'est extremement bien composé...j'adore.
Fred

jcandeli (40) 2005-10-12 12:54

great composition and colors. DOF too. JP

eleparc (24063) 2005-10-12 13:49

toujours ces photos que j'aime: du texte, du bonze et je suis content! et des robes roses pour bien ous faire comprendre que ce sont des filles...haha!... tres douce ta photo
Eric

naxius (16685) 2005-10-12 14:07

Hum, pas mal du tout cette vue aérienne
sur le livre sacré et ces têtes rasées..
J'aime bien la dominante rose et surtout j'aime bien le grain ajouté.
D'ailleurs, si tu avais des conseils sur la façon dont on peut ajouté du grain, ce serait très intéressant.
Alex - merci pour ta réponseu au sujet du grain..Avais pas vu que tu étais à 1600ISO..A bientôt

lewiz (1297) 2005-10-12 19:49

Nice composition and DoF. Interesting colours and repetition. I love the noise too.
Err, I think that's everything in the photo I love there then!

tongapup (0) 2005-10-12 22:03 [Comment]

Show Comment

yeah (213) 2005-10-13 1:23

I like this pic since that day you were taken. One can imagine the seeing eyes of photographer. Sharpness only to the book takes eyes straight but the blurred heads of tow nuns are telling the story what they are doing. Very good compostion. I learn lots of things from you luko. Bravo!

faubry (35335) 2005-10-13 3:44

très sympa cette photo où la netteté est faite sur les écritures, dommage que je ne comprenne pas!!! belle composition, merci
francine

ewag (94) 2005-10-13 6:31

Excellent composition. Perfect choice of dof. You just want to join them...

Do you know why their robes are all pink? Does the colour say anything about them, their rank or maybe buddhism itself? Seen monks in Vietnam, Cambodia and China and I can't remember pink.

maciekda (19861) 2005-10-13 9:51

this one is very nice Luko, I really like the composition - the frame is fully filled, there is no empty space, heads are nicely positioned as well, no overlaps. very nice colors, nice bokeh. well done.

Midnight_sun (1941) 2005-10-15 22:06

You like your bokeh! Super shot.

stefi (1230) 2005-10-18 15:33

Hi Luko, great great image; it unrolls from the book, perfectly at focus towards the monk's heads.
Beautiful contrast between the white pages, pink dresses and tanned skin of the monks.
An easy ut very very effective composition. Grain gives also in my opinion a sense of concreting all together without gaps.
I always learn from your images.
Thank you for sharing your experience,
Stefano

Rinie_Hoff (9340) 2005-10-26 18:17

Women (yeah, I know, nuns), pink, and undecipherable and beautiful writing, enough elements for me to be attracted to it.
I am so glad you focussed on the book, that is so carefully protected by an extra piece of paper around it. The diagonal placement of the book in the frame, and in the 'distance' the other nun, studying.
Your frame is very nice, it all fits together very well. Her ear is a bit strange, as if I'm drawn into it.

devimeuxbe (58557) 2005-11-13 4:58

Hi Luko
All your pictures from Myanmar are so beautifull !...
I choose this intimist atmosphere. Excellent frame amd POV. Beautifull light.
Congratulations
In my favorites.
Bertrand

Porteplume (3321) 2005-11-15 14:30

I had to think, irresistably, of Bob's photograph... I always like to find similitudes in the work of favourite photographers. This one is particularly attractive.

I also like the way you rather tightly cropped - a bit unusual for you? The composition looks "easy" at first sight, but I think the framing was very clever, also the blurried soft "pinkish" fabric of their clothes seems to be the perfect background for the heads and book.

bullabulla (3488) 2005-12-21 8:05

Hi Luko
it is wonderfull composition wich drive the look toward the book and because of the focus as well.
At the end it is a beautiful graphical picture
thanks
Laetitia

livermore (1462) 2012-11-04 2:53

Bonjour Luko,
C'est une très belle image, j'aime beaucoup le cadrage et cette touche de rose très agréable à l'oeil.
Bonne journée
Vincent

Photo Information

Copyright: Luko G R (Luko) (13978)
Genre: People
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-08-10
Categories: Daily Life
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon 85mm/1.8
Exposure: f/5.0, 1/320 seconds
More Photo Info: view
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Devimeuxbe's favorites on TE ( I ), I'm reading - I'm looking for some answers [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-10-11 17:37
Favorites: 2 [view]