Waiting families - Balakot Photo

Photographer’s Note

People waiting to register to a doctor in Balakot, a city almost complete destroyed by the earthqukae in 2005. They mostly came from villages sourrounding Balakot.

after taking some pictures there of waiting people one of the men came to me and quite harshly demanded to show him what kind of pictures I was taking. I managed to skip quickly the images of women and children showing him images from the city only, he smiled and shook my hand. I wonder what would be his reaction after seeing a photo of his wife... Taking pictures of women in some areas is a quite sensitive and tricky thing in Pakistan.

mrbialy, yanseiler, sayan, AnimeshRay, specialist has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

mrbialy (2568) 2006-05-18 5:24

Ha, ha this is good shot. I'm wondering you are saw before taken a shot about so many hands and so many arrangement this hands on this shot or you notice that later in the computer. Let check: at list is 10 hands which do something, perfect moment. In the first moment when I saw this photo I think is nothing interesting but after few second when I notice all this hand I really like this shot. Good captured as well.

yanseiler (20) 2006-05-18 5:26

Hi maciej, your photo trip was a dangerous ride as it seems. Nice pic with good light. An interesting composition with all the women together with the kids in the right bottom and those two guys upper in the left...
Kindly
Yan

sayan (2609) 2006-05-18 5:27

Hi Maciej,
Very nice composition. A very good note too. You have been in danger while taking photo of women there. I love the beautiful expression of the kid! Very nice! To me, it seems that the picture is very tightly cropped. The man on the topmost part, the women on the extreme left are not fully in the pic. I suppose that you can keep the woman on the left a little bit more, may be.
Regards,
Sayan

fixed (3831) 2006-05-18 5:31

hi Maciej
the characters are laid out perfectly
with a beautiful interaction between them
nice one and beautiful testimony
bravo
Arnaud

adrost (2366) 2006-05-18 5:59

Witaj Maciek.

Swietne zdjecie i ulozenie postaci.
Swietnie wszystko sie schodzi do tej dziewczynki po srodku.
No udalo Ci sie zlapac kilka roznych i ciekawych spojrzen.
Naprawde dobre zdjecie.

Pozdrawiam
a.

Furachan (0) 2006-05-18 8:14

It looks almost casual, Maciej, but it's beautifully conceived, painterly really - the stones in the back cut a V into the scene - womnebn and kids on one side, the men on the other.
This is superior photography.
Thanks,
Francis

rowanb (864) 2006-05-18 9:23

like radek said this is one you have to stare at a bit longer - i think for me as well its the hands, theres so many hands on or near mouths, its really quite fascinating. fantastic composition.

you will have to take the good with the bad in your career as a photojournalist.. good luck =)

AnimeshRay (8886) 2006-05-18 13:02

A superb documentary shot, Maciej. The composition has wonderfully classical overtones. Fascinating.

jinju (14265) 2006-05-19 3:23

I guess you had to think fast eh? Did you take a bunch of photos of the city so that you could show them if asked and hide these jewels? If such adventures dont change your mind about being a photojournalist, nothing will. Yes, I would say you were in danger especially as the woman here has an uncovered face. The composition is very complex. Lots of people, but this time I think it really works nicely. All I can say is that Im happy Korea is not like this and we can take photos of women without fear.

rbcy1974 (20746) 2006-05-19 7:32

Hello Maciej,
I like this one a lot
there is an interesting orientalist feeling to it, sort of like a modern Delacroix painting, lots of interesting faces and people with colourful costumes looking at all directions.
Nicely done
Regards
Daniel

roamermark (1588) 2006-05-19 8:32

I have to agree with the first critique....I wasn't sure what drew me to this but all the different actions by the hands do give this photo a remarkable quality. Almost as if it were carefully posed though clearly it was not.

Cheers
Mark

PeterC (2242) 2006-05-22 10:15

Maciej,
Complex and intriguing. I love all the different gestures and expressions and how eveyone seems to be situated at the edges of the frame. All the hands and its so good that not one person is looking at you. As i think that would have ruined it. Here you search around the frame looking at everyone.
Top top stuff
Cheers
Peter

cgrindahl (6109) 2006-06-20 1:23

The tight composition and figures crowded at the edge convey intensity, which is surely appropriate under the dire circumstances of these folks, even if all they're doing at the moment is waiting. Certainly the rubble in the background serves the photojournalistic purpose of the image. Fine work Maciek.

Knowing the kind of shooting you've been sharing on TE and the lenses in your kit, I'm curious about your attitude toward this particular lens on the 5D. I'm experimenting with an EF28-70 f/2.8L primarily for the speed but I find myself wanting more length. There seems no easy solution but the lens you use here is certainly an option. Any comments would be welcomed.