Small Game

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Small Game
Photo Information
Copyright: Bulent Atalay (batalay) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3185 W: 166 N: 4319] (13003)
Genre: People
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 1976-01-01
Categories: Daily Life
Camera: Nikon F, Nikor 55mm Macro
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Pre-digital II [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-11-04 10:20
Viewed: 1432
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
San Andrés, Colombia

Beginning in 1629 the archipelago of San Andrés y Providencia was settled by English Puritans and Jamaican loggers. Then in the latter years of the same century it was conquered by the Spaniards, who would go on to rule most of Central and South America for the next two hundred years — although intermittently giving up parts to the English, Dutch and French rule. But by the middle of the 19th century large chunks of the land began to secede and gain nationhood. The ownership of the islands off the mainland, however, remained a source of considerable contention. Finally, in a treaty between Colombia and Nicaragua (Treaty of Esguerra-Bárcenas), reached on March 28, 1928, the sovereignty of the San Andrés y Providencia archipelago was assigned to Colombia, and sovereignty of Mangle Islands and Costa Mosquitia to Nicaragua.

It was on a four-week Caribbean cruise spanning mid-December 1975 to mid-January 1976 on the Royal Viking Sea, that I visited the island. While exploring various rooks and crannies of the island, I saw local natives inspecting a large lizard shot by one of them. I asked if they would pose with their kill. (Fashionable at the time were “Afros,” evident from the young man on the right supporting a short-cropped Afro.) On San Andrés most of the natives are bilingual, speaking both Spanish and a variation of English, “Creole,” but even when a language barrier exists, pointing to one’s camera, with a smile, generally produces success. They were most obliging, indeed with four of them “lending a hand” in displaying the lizard. Two others in the background, their right hands visible, resisted the temptation to join in, or could not find enough space to poke their hands through the crowd.

I shot the film with a Nikon-F, loaded with Kodachrome-25 slide film, which I scaanned recently for posting on TE. Clearly, this film is “ancient” as photographic technology goes, but it was famous for its flesh tones, sharpness and permanency. It was also recognized for being agonizingly slow (ISO-25), but that hardly mattered in the bright sunlight of Central America.
happypoppeye, arturo, mesquens has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To happypoppeye: Small Gamebatalay 1 04-27 23:48
To vagabondtravels: Small game...batalay 1 02-05 12:01
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Critiques [Translate]

Curiosa foto, parece una emboscada. Pero asi y todo es muy bonita.

Bulant, supongo, o mejor, espero que tu estadía en Colombia fuera grata, cuando estes de regreso no dudes en contactarnos para darte un tour fotográfico por este hermoso país, gracias por publicar la foto.

Hi Bulent

Nice documentary image. You have captured these men going about their daily lives. If you photographed them again to day I am sure the outfits would have changed. But would they still be hunting lizards? Well done.
Ben

Yes, I agree with vagabondtravels - and I think they would still be hunting lizards. I think the year it was taken really adds interest to the photo also. Again, great note to compliment the photo. Very well done. The question is - Did you even imagine, 30 years ago or 30 years later, that this photo would end up on a device that would allow the world to view it?

  •      
  • arturo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 333 W: 57 N: 209] (1603)
  • [2007-06-22 11:31]

Hi Bulent,

you surprise me with the scope of images in your gallery...the guy on the left seems to go for the boney-m like hairstyle, i think this is the time the group was getting their fame...an easy going portrait i like very much...cheers, arturo

Hi Bulent,
First at all, I think you are a Globe troter from photography.
Second, you are a great PHOTOGRAPHER.
Good POV and DOF.
Pity alligator.
greetings
Raimundo

Hey Bulent,

I know this is an old piece. While I was searching through your countries map, I stumbled across this S. American country (first mistaking it for Venezuela of course.:) and then checked the photo.

The first reaction was - "sweet" - and it lingered. A very fine photo, with perfect tones, and details, composed beautifully and with such an interesting motive. Nikon-F was indeed a superb camera and this one proves it! Of course the photographer was also superb. :>

Very fine work and best regards.

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