with steady hands... Photo

Photographer’s Note

This is in a local pottery factory in Vigan, Ilocos, Sur. With steady hands, this worker slowly molds the clay into its final shape. It usually takes 10-15 minutes to complete the shape of the product, afterwhich it is dried, placed inside an oven to harden it, and finally drawn/painted with designs.

The finished products can be bought at a very cheap price at the factory, but once released into the market, the price shoots up to 8X its original value.

Pls take a look at the workshop, too. Since these are high-value products, they have to be safeguarded always at the factory :)

weswang, PixelTerror, apache, jhm, singuanti, supereira, ChrisJ, river_14, aznegrao, Jeppe, jafadabret, balatrek, soumik1976, voyagenation, cunejo200, Valerka has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

snuggleaphagus (4138) 2005-08-11 1:43

The motion captures is great. The man's posture is very good and the colors are warm and inviting. The gold through out is wonderful. Great light too.

Regarding the workshop it is very COOL

cgrindahl (6109) 2005-08-11 2:37

This is a wonderful capture Alford very nicely composed with excellent colors and details. The blown out detail behind the potter's shoulder is a bit distracting. The window frame is a nice element, but it is possible a move to the right so that bright light could be avoided might have improved the image. Of course, I have no idea whether that was a possibility. That said, I like your image very much. Without the bright light it would simply have been better.

As a footnote, it is interesting to see a very traditional form of pottery being produced by a youth wearing what appear to be nylon basketball shorts in bright orange... the times they are changing... ;-)

lestans (15406) 2005-08-11 3:00

Great picture, and great also your WS! Wonderful light, and a composition converging towards the pot and the red trouses. If you would show the man's face it would be not so nice. And also colors are great, only two colors. Well done.
You are right about the pottery price. Anyway, when I travel it is always a problem for me to buy such things, because they are nice, but heavy and fragile.

pnphan (3900) 2005-08-11 3:07

was that thing spinning when you capture this shot?
very interest shot with a man concentration on his work

jarosz0 (517) 2005-08-11 3:12

Very interesting and beautiful shot of hand-working man. The light is fine like the composition, which emphasizes effort of working man. Well done

UlfE (8837) 2005-08-11 3:25

Hello Alford,

This shot is supert. It has a lot of motion in it. The colors are wonderful and the photo very sharp. Really well done!

Ulf

PixelTerror (86026) 2005-08-11 4:17

HI Alford,
You're doing well with your 350D, again here an excellent scene and a fine photo, you even used the correct amount of fill in flash not to burn the subject, the only slight burning touch coming from the hard light we feel outside. I still have to read this chapter in the manual, and I should hurry because holidays are getting closer ;-)
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

apache (1426) 2005-08-11 5:16

Hi Alford,
A superbly caught picture. I like the way you have caught the potter concentrating on his work with the wheel superbly framed. His clothes provide a superb contrast to his surroundings. I think the background is a bit overexposed but that doesnt do anything to spoil the picture.
Very well done. This one goes to my favourites.
Ranjith

Cruize (0) 2005-08-11 7:00

Not only is this a fine picture of a craftsman, but the lighting is great...there is a warm golden light making the background glow. Nice crisp image and good perspective.

Well done.

weswang (18223) 2005-08-11 10:30

Hi Alford, This is a well captured man-in-work scene. The guy was working hard to get the massive production out. I like the photo in your WS as well, especially the chicken in the front :D
A nicely taken picture with well captured intensive working mood and the simple working environment. Good sharpness, nice contrast, and excellent use of light.

jhm (81687) 2005-08-11 15:21

Hi Alford,
The man this is a real artist, I find the picture very beautiful through it yellow back light.
I like very much this image Alford!
Regards,
John.

singuanti (15240) 2005-08-11 23:26

Hi Alford. Wow I wouldn't advice messing with the security guard! :) But this shot is good because we get such a good feel for the process in addition to your excellent note. Judging from his fitness level that is a demanding job. Thanks for sharing Alford!

supereira (9576) 2005-08-12 4:31

Great daily life shot.I like the composition and point of view.Great details.I like it.Good colors,light,textures and sharpness.Very good job!

ChrisJ (69522) 2005-08-12 4:56

Hi Alford

A superb daily life shot. I like the tight cropping & framing, and the warm, ambient colors (red, yellow, ochre). Well done, & bagus sekali!

Graal (57268) 2005-08-12 9:24

Hi Alford,
interesting photo, manual work. Good colours and sharpness. I like it. Well done.
Rgs, Aleksander

oochappan (22026) 2005-08-15 4:31

Congratulation, this is what I really like to see, working people placed in such a nice environment, making us truly belive the value of hand work, Alford, this is one of the best pictures I have seen like this lately, very nicely done, his red trousers are really standing out between all the gradiants of yellow/brown, I enjoy this shot !

kinginexile (2440) 2005-08-16 1:57

Beautiful, great uncanny luminosity in this shot. Great definition (bravo, 18-55!) and the nice textures from all things ochre add even more presence.

efimoore (2126) 2005-08-16 2:11

Good capture of the boy at work. Looks hard work (especially if you have 2 left arms…)
I wish you would have also captured his expression but this concentrating pose also works well.

river_14 (166) 2005-08-16 5:28

Hello Alford,
very interesting photo, Good colors and sharpness. good job

aznegrao (10230) 2005-08-16 14:20

Very very good Alford!!
Excelente ambiente daily life. A qualidade da imagem e impressionante. Trabalho perfeito.
Greetings.
Friend.
aznegrao.

Kenny10pin (19301) 2005-08-24 10:59

very good shot of the motion of the pottery, I like the way you have taken this shot, very good work and I like the lighting too

Jeppe (18623) 2005-08-25 17:05

Hi Alford
A photo of very excellent quality and with an interesting and fine motif - I like the fine mix of reflections and the intense way hes doing his job - thanks a lot for this.

feather (49848) 2005-09-02 5:52

Good capture of daily life. I like the potter's stance and his obvious concentration on his task. well done
I had to smile at the WS too.
Kath

manny (21378) 2005-09-26 3:45

Tis is pretty with minimal colors enough to create a strong focus on him.

ilzuka (4) 2006-01-29 11:33 [Comment]

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PogoStick (502) 2006-01-29 11:42

nice subject. great lighting. i love it!

jafadabret (38927) 2006-01-29 12:31

Une superbe photo de potier où tout est bon l'attitude, la lumière, les couleurs... Félicitations !

Nikofan (1086) 2006-03-13 9:03

Hello,
Nice capture of a "creation act".
For me, see an artwork coming from...nothing is magiclike!
Very well exposed in difficult light conditions.
Nothing more to say except : WELL DONE!

Bernard

lasscor (7623) 2006-04-17 9:21

Great colorful composition. Beautiful light.
I like the posture of the man.
We see very well the turn and the pottery.
Well done!
Corinne

balatrek (7419) 2006-06-03 3:03

Buena imagen, la textura de los colores es excelente y has logrado una bella composición, buen trabajo.

José

soumik1976 (173) 2006-08-04 7:18

Dear Alford,
Great composition; an artist at work. The POV is excellent. I like this as a subject, too.

Regards,
Soumik

arjun_das (1850) 2006-08-05 8:19

great capture of daily life activity and the concentration the artist was putting on. very sharp and well focused image though background is little bit over exposed. good pov. thanks for sharing.

regards,
arjun

marietom (31772) 2006-12-29 6:39 [Comment]

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dnsghosh (0) 2007-02-01 12:52

Picture of west bengal

cunejo200 (7157) 2007-02-01 12:52

Hi Alford,
I have to comment on this. It was TE's featured photo when I logged on. Beautiful composition, the potter is so engrossed with his activity that he is oblivious of the camera. Good tech details. Greetings! Danilo

jsbedard (70) 2007-02-21 11:42