Camp Sadhu Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Okay, he's not really a sadhu, just one of the many charlatans that hang around trying to fleece the tourists in Kathmandu's Durbar Square.
We had a bit of a chat, and when I raised my camera to take this photo of him he adopted this extremely camp pose, which seemed to fit well with the outrageous sunglasses he was wearing.
Have a good Sunday everyone.

pasternak, goodwill, plimrn, john_c, tcht, Silke, ryno, patdeph, nbj has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bhuniatrekearth (764) 2006-08-20 4:44

Dear Ben,
Nice capture. A cell phone in the left hand of sadhubaba would have done better.
Best wishes
Dr. Bhunia

Floydian (30970) 2006-08-20 4:48

Hi Ben,
A funny picture, and for sure not a real sadhu ;-)
A bit more dof would be isolate him more from the crowd, but i like his over-reacting pose....very nice work.
Regards, Henk

veronika (6022) 2006-08-20 5:02

Hi Ben,
a funny portrait, he really knows how to pose :)) Cool, it made me smile :)
Nice sunday for you also!
Vero

Wanda1 (10884) 2006-08-20 5:03

Hi Ben,
A very amusing photo, nice and sharp, well taken.
Regards
Wanda

Dragonheart (8393) 2006-08-20 7:17

Hi Ben
Good capture of this man, very sharp image, I like his expression :-)
Thanks for sharing
Best regards
Vivek

pasternak (12994) 2006-08-20 7:23

What a portrait, Ben! His magenta scarf is fantastic, and seems to fit well somehow with his pose and face expression, and especially with sunglasses. Very good scan actually. I would maybe press contrast a bit further.

Cheers
Alexander

Gustaw (21670) 2006-08-20 8:24

Hi, friend!
Very interesting portrait of very interesting person. This man have nice face. Photo have very good qualitty.
Marek

craiggc (2507) 2006-08-20 8:42

Hi Ben,

You've captured a great pose! I think the dof is shallow enough here - your subject does stand out while still remaining in context of a bust street scene.

I wonder what he looks like now, ten years later!

Well done!
Craig

Budapestman (40962) 2006-08-20 11:49

Dear Ben!
Very expressive photo! Excellent and spectacular shot! Very good details and perfect composition! Super!
Thank you, nice days
George

plimrn (19558) 2006-08-20 11:53

Hi Ben,
You captured excellent detail in the bright sun against the crowded street. His exagerated pose and gear almost hide how very thin he is.
Regards, Pat

john_c (24635) 2006-08-20 11:55

Hi Ben,
He is certainly outrageous - and so obviously a con artist that I find it hard to believe that anyone would be fooled, as the glasses are a dead giveaway. Still, a fascinating shot, as you have captured all of the "essentials" here with great colour and clarity. I like how you tastefully cropped this and also the way the shadow appears on the one arm. Very well seen and captured.
JOhn

Graal (57268) 2006-08-21 2:21

Hi Ben,
interesting remembrance, unusual portrait. Good colours and DOF. Well done photo.
Gr., Aleksander

francbois (480) 2006-08-21 9:05

Hi Ben,
Really picturesque dude, looking like Duke in Kathmandu Parano. Maybe he stole the sunglasses to the latter on a beach, along with one full case of very useless stuff. That would explain the patent pride in his overconcealed eyes...
It makes one long for new horizons, I first!
Cheers, F'

tcht (7280) 2006-08-22 5:54

Hi Ben,
LoL Very cool portrait. He seems very satisfied with his outfit n glasses! His pose is just so good. Technically also very good, great sharpness and DOF.
Regards,
CheukHin

Silke (3023) 2006-08-22 19:55

This is hilarious, Ben -- how much did he charge you for posing? I love the tourists in the background: puts him in context. Great capture
TFS
Silke

Polonaise (5627) 2006-08-23 7:53

Smooth operator, eh ?
Here they come...In every country on earth. In every big city.
The guys who 'know' the stuff. The clever ones. The wise guys!
Good shot. Hillarious yet adequate to the content note.
george

tomorrow

wolf38 (12493) 2006-09-12 7:27

Hello Ben. The Camp Saddhu is a shrill type. He is not a genuine Saddhu. But sometime one does not know no more, how a genuine Saddhu looks. The times change, - everywhere. The "Saddhu" is a nice type and maintains the people in the Camp. Very beautifully. Many greetings, Wolfgang.

aralda (1240) 2006-09-17 7:35

Hi Ben,
This is such a fun picture!!! Love the pose and your commentary.
Raluca

martburn (533) 2006-10-31 18:21

Hello,
Like this a lot, particularly with your notes, full of all that is great about photography

Martin

ryno (4576) 2006-11-27 2:43

This is very funny. His glasses and pose remind me of Liza Minelli for some reason. A good portrait. Cheers!

patdeph (17406) 2007-04-11 2:32

hello Ben
Nice photo.I think this man has a lot of humour,because his pose is very funny and very nice also.I like the small smile on his face .He give the impression to be a very charmer man.Thanks for sharing.
Pascale

harras2000 (708) 2007-04-18 18:09

Hello Ben!
I just found this very funny picture in your gallery. With this glasses he can possiblöy walk on a Catwalk.
I have seen in Varanasi and in the nearby Sarnath also some charlatan Saddhus. I photographed that time a real and very impressive Saddhu near the gaths in Varanasi, I think he was a realy holy man, because many Indian people spontanously were standing in a que to get blessings from this Saddhu, he seemed to be in trance while he was walking. Me and some french friends with whom I travelled together for some days got also the blessings of this Saddhu :) This was in 1995. In 2002 I was surprised when I met this Saddhu again, and also this time many Indian people searched for blessings (have a guess who was standing again in the queue :D )

Greetings,
Daniel

nbj (1871) 2007-05-28 3:01

how vain an expression. well captured, nice colors. i like the way you just get a glimpse of the sparkle in his eyes behind the glasses.

wag (648) 2007-10-14 11:43

crazy shot :-)