Photographers Note
(I'll be back with my photos from Portugal later. There are many important things going on in Poland which I want to share with you)
Acceptance
Interesting what high school boys do at midday in the middle of the week on a banch in a small town. Drinking beer is something what they definitely should not be doing.
Their life is so different from that handicapped boy heading into the cathedral to have a pray (we'll see him praying tomorrow).
With this image I wanted to join Kev Ryan's "discussion" he started yesterday on some social issues of our civilisation.
JasPahal, luisafonso, riclopes, jlynx, pasternak, sergecross, KevRyan, Clairedelune has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
JasPahal
(336) 2006-06-07 3:46
Hey Jerzy,
Upon reading your note the picture makes much more sense! Too bad we can't see the boys drinking beer or their facial expressions. I'm not sure I'd get the shot if it weren't for the note..
Technically, I think the pic is great - sharp, crisp, and nice saturated colors.. The pigeon is a great addition - he (or she!) seems to be minding his or her own business, oblivious to the beer drinking and the handicapped boy's troubles!
Thanks for sharing,
Jas
barrufeto_77
(25697) 2006-06-07 3:49
Hi J.
It's a pity that boys waisting their time on a banch in the middle of the week. Unfortunatelly, this is a fact everytime we can see more and more. A pity.
So that what I like of this picture, how real it is.
Rgs, Oscar
luisafonso
(858) 2006-06-07 3:56
Yes, your note really says it all. And the picture is a nice view of that same subject. Its a pity that you cant really visualize what the kids are doing. Looking first at your photo I thought they were just gazing at the disabled kid. But then the note really explained it all. The photo itself is very good. Like the rich natural colors of the scene, especially in the large stone door. The composition is good, although probably I would like to see just a bit more on the bench. Thanks for making us think.
riclopes
(32957) 2006-06-07 4:10
A good interplay bettween the 'bad' kids on the bench and the 'good' one that goes to the church. The attractive façade of that church makes a good background and the composition is very well balanced with the 'bad' ones at right foreground. The quality of the image is excellent. Interesting the issue that you want to raise in here, as the story of this image could be other completely diferent.
ricardo
Furachan
(0) 2006-06-07 5:10
Deep stuff, J. You're tackling the big questions here in a way, good, evil and everything in between, including how "life's unfair".
I would say this straight away: this screams for BW treatment to "isolate" your subjects, to freeze them against the desolation of the church front...The color gives a lie to the idea, it makes things too joyous and we might lose our focus... This is difficult stuff to say and I'm not sure it makes sense, ya know?
I'd vote with great confidence if this was in BW.
Cheers,
-F
ps I lost heart with that one I posted to day...sorry. It felt too silly all of a sudden.
jlynx
(11380) 2006-06-07 5:24
Witaj Jurku,
Niezwykle cenne są dla mnie Twoje obrazy pokazujące migawki niektórych aspektów socjologicznych i kulturowych, które tak umiejętnie wyłuskujesz, opatrując celnymi komentarzami lub jeszcze celniejszym milczeniem. To zdjecie jest bardzo wymownym przykładem Twojej wrażliwości na zjawiska, które zdają się nikogo nie obchodzić. Bardfzo dobry kadr w każdym kontekście.
Pozdrawiam,
Jurek
hugolef
(4909) 2006-06-07 6:17
Hello Jerzy
agree with Francis ... why not in b&w ? maybe would you insist on the fact that happens today ... that doesn't belong to the past, and that will more and more seen in the future ...
Our civilization is ill ... your picture looks like an Sergio Leone's movie, there is a strange atmosphere, enhaunced by your note ...
Well done
Regards, hugues
pasternak
(13214) 2006-06-07 6:30
Hi Jerzy,
Yes, what the society accepts and what it doesn't is a very interesting question and often doesn't have anything to do with the objective harm to the society or an individual but rather with the traditions of the society. Here in Holland, for example, the society accepts marijuana smoking, while in other countries, like Russia, you can be jailed for that but at the same time you can drink alcohol or smoke in public places as much as you want...
Back to your picture. I don't agree with Fransis that it cries for B&W. I tried to convert it to B&W, added some contrast and obtained a totally different picture! Yes it looks a bit more dramatic but in your version different colours of the boys' clothes (red vs blue) underline the difference between them, and it would be pity to lose this effect because that's what you want to show. So I like it as it is.
Regards
Alexander
jasmis
(50142) 2006-06-07 6:47
Zadąłeś w wysokie tony trochę niestety po belfersku. Notka mnie irytuje dydaktycznym smrodkiem (Wańkowicz), natomiast zdjęcie jest przeciętne.
gaby
(19793) 2006-06-07 13:50
Jerzy - great, sad and beautiful - I think the happier in the photo is the pigeon (fabulous pigeon between students and handicapped boy) -
always great my friend (my only problem to comment your interesting shots is my poor english)
Have a nice day
Thanks
Gaby
rbcy1974
(20742) 2006-06-07 17:07
Hello Jerzy
Nice juxtaposition of the kids,
really interesting background showing all the brick details,
well done
Regards
Daniel
sergecross
(3438) 2006-06-07 18:35
Jerzy, i like the tranquility of this picture and the arquitecture of the place. I like the exposition used and the theme worked too.
Very nice
sergio
PeterC
(2242) 2006-06-08 22:10
Jerzy,
Its been a while. Loved your series on old Lisboa super shots. I like this but i would tend to agree with Francis about the black and white it would fit in more with the whole idea i think. Still an excellently composed shot just would have preffered to see it in b&w
Cheers
Peter
KevRyan
(22346) 2006-06-09 13:18
Hi j
that distance between the boys is quite something - it's a telling picture and one that really highlights difference - who is the more handicapped really - I could see this in B&W but i actually like the colours and think they are important in the way they link what the boys are wearing and their contrast to this old building - this contrast is also important to the image....
best wishes Kev
Lukasso
(644) 2006-06-09 16:32
Hej,
Zdjęcie jest w moim odczuciu nie najlepsze technicznie i nieciekawie skomponowane.Ot ławka, gołąb i człowiek przy kościele. Kolorystyka jest mdła, cienie ostrei nieciekawe. Nie mogę oprzeć się wrażeniu, że 1) starasz się dodać mu komentarzem głębi, której ja w nim nie widzę 2) niepotrzebnie moralizujesz. Widz nie jest w stanie poznać ich wieku, po postawie nie widać by pili piwo. Skąd więc pewność, że nie powinni robić czegoś, co niekoniecznie robią? Jeśli są pełnoletni ich prawo.
Pozdrawiam
Polonaise
(5634) 2006-06-09 19:41
Dear Jerzy.
It doesn't happen too often that I'm loosing my skills of yapping about the picture, and this is one of these rare moments (just kidding) For, IMHO, this is one of the most significant and important images you've ever produced. It proves your sensitivity and your mastership as a keen photographer, quick as hell to spot the situation and to respond to it with the unparallel strength and conviction. This scene lasted just seconds, and you've managed to see it, asses it's importance and uniqness, and shoot it with the diabolical precision. And then comes the presentation of this picture to the public and that's where my confusion begins...!? Bright colors, pigeon, out of school, beer, moral lecture...NO . That's NOT what this picture is all about. It's about that crippled young boy and his prayer to almighty who can do everything!
'Good God. Please make me to be like those lads sitting out there.
I'd like to sit on the bench like THEM, as arrogant as they are, during school hours, drinking beer, whistling and talk dirty to the passing girls, spitting as far as to the middle of the street, and run, run, run...like THEY do.
God, please give me healthy body.'
His prayers will never be answered.
For this reason, or another, this photo wrenched my guts and tweaked my brains.
I've seen his tears. I've heard his prayers. I've read his dreams. And I can't do a damned thing about it.
g.g.
Extra text added several hours after posting the first part of it...
I found the boy left behind by 'the leaders' in this picture as lonely as your crippled one.
But yours is much more dramatic and true. And you have followed him into the cold abyss of this humongous cathedral, (built for the ONE that can do everything), and you have seen him praying his heart out to the ONE.
The others...? Well...The other fellow members on TE have seen nice juxtaposition, nice details of the bricks, fabulous pigeon, sex gender of the pigeon, level of pigeon's happiness, nice contrast between the boys' wardrobe and the walls, architecture of the building, the color of the door, uninteresting shades and bleak coloristics, public marijuana smoking in Holland, social differences between Russia and Holland, still photo from S.Leone's 'spaghetti western', and even the size of the bench visible to us (sic!!!!).
Shall I continue...?
Clairedelune
(4885) 2006-07-14 18:28
Hi Jerzy,
I don't comment often on your photos. I must apologize for that. It is not because I don't look at them though. Quite the opposite in fact. But there is some photographers that I have to take my slowly time to approach. You are one of those.
And for my (maybe?) first comment, I will say nothing! (Wow! What a debut!) How dare I say something after George and his so truthful, right to the point and thoroughly critique? The only thing it is left for me to say is that I completely acquiesce to his reading. And we must bow to you, Jerzy, for having taking this photo in the first place and having share it with us.
Claire
bescy (47) 2006-07-16 11:43
your photo is amazing...
but apart of all other things, one in particular got my attenction... the blue bag the boy running into the charch has.
I've the same ;)
that is a bag which anyone who went last year to Koln (for the meeting with the pope for the world youth day) has! And I was there...
very nice
francesco
http://bescia.fotki.com
Photo Information
-
Copyright: Jerzy Bucki (bantonbuju)
(48514) - Genre: People
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2006-03-00
- Categories: Daily Life
- Camera: Nikon D 200, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC HSM
- Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
- Date Submitted: 2006-06-07 3:34
Discussions
- To Clairedelune: No more comments (4)
by Polonaise, last updated 07-17 17:48 - To Polonaise: zobacz to (2)
by bantonbuju, last updated 06-10 07:30 - To Polonaise: will you continue (1)
by bantonbuju, last updated 06-10 02:13 - To Polonaise: right (1)
by bantonbuju, last updated 06-09 12:56 - To Furachan: b/w (6)
by bantonbuju, last updated 06-08 16:47 - To jasmis: wysokie tony (3)
by bantonbuju, last updated 06-07 15:15 - To pasternak: colour vs. b/w (1)
by bantonbuju, last updated 06-07 08:04 - To luisafonso: more on the banch (1)
by bantonbuju, last updated 06-07 03:59








