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haggling


haggling
Photo Information
Copyright: Kristaps Klavins (zmey) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 920 W: 71 N: 897] (3567)
Genre: People
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-01-01
Categories: Daily Life
Camera: Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-300mm / F 4-5,6 G AF
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Ecuador People [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-04-15 9:46
Viewed: 313
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
a simple portrait of an "all about business" street textile merchant from Baņos, Ecuador.

--
Haggling is politely arguing, as told in some circles.

"Optimally, if it costs the retailer nothing to engage and allow haggling, he can divine the buyer's willingness to spend. It allows for capturing more consumer surplus as it allows price discrimination, a process whereby a seller can charge a higher price to one buyer who is more eager (by being richer or more desperate). Haggling has largely disappeared in parts of the world where the cost to haggle exceeds the gain to retailers for most common retail items." (courtesy of wikipedia)

however, haggling is commonplace in developing countries like south-eastern asia, northern africa, south america, etc. in places, it is even considered rude not to haggle... since, at times, the starting price offered by the merchant is frequently 5x (up to 100's of times) higher than the local 'going price', the best tip for tourists usually is to KNOW THE PRICE and to diplomatically strategize from there...

and now... the green bottle that many here seem to dislike - here are 5 verry subjective reasons why i left it in:

1. being one of the apes on this planet of apes* i like bright shiny tricklets :))
2. i felt it completed the main diagonal
3. the pic was about haggling; the merchant in the pic was using the bottle as a gesticulation tool
4. maybe the merchant looks just like his ancestors 1000 years ago, haggling over a bushel of corn or tomatoes, but... um... he's gesticulating with a SPRITE BOTTLE today... and haggling with it... ;))
4. the plastic bottle has another interesting meaning for me. as we were traversing ecuadorian countryside we could not help noticing abundance of plastic waste along roadsides, in the fields, in the forests, anywhere we turned our eyes to... even cotopaxi national park... a thought that struck my mind was: plastic had been introduced to these whereabouts relatively recently (through western supermarket chains, etc.), but people would be doing just what they were always used to do. if the drink was 'packaged' in a trunk of bamboo: after drinking the water - boom! there went the bamboo... into the bushes! after eating sweet potatoes from a nice leaf package - boom! where, would you think, the leaves went? :) it was all part of natural circle. but not anymore...
5. given what i said in # 4, the bottle is GREEN... :)

the green bottle stays... ;))

ps. I dislike haggling myself... :) i guess, that's why i caught this moment of the merchang haggling with someone else rather than me.

pps. unrelated to the picture country: in morocco, unlicensed guides customarily get 50% of the value of goods sold to customers they bring to the store. guess, what happens in a store, when a guide brings in potential customers? :) prices go up by 100%...

* the use of the term in TE context i have borrowed from the esteemed George Grabarczyk (Polonaise) here.
gracious, belido, Waylim, avene, Wandering_Dan, Philippe, parbo, fulvio52, Gerrit, gunbud, plimrn has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To fulvio52: expressionzmey 2 04-17 12:21
To Gerrit: hairzmey 1 04-17 08:35
To parbo: focalzmey 6 04-17 08:18
To pboehringer: circular...zmey 4 04-17 08:10
To avene: tooth ;)zmey 1 04-17 07:20
To Floydian: green bottlezmey 4 04-17 07:13
To Wandering_Dan: haggling culturezmey 1 04-17 07:11
To Waylim: connectionzmey 1 04-17 07:06
To belido: light, etc.zmey 5 04-15 13:36
To mammad: conditionszmey 1 04-15 11:21
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Kristaps,
Very nice portrait with a good expression on the face!
the exposure and focus is spot on with fine colour and details
well done also the notes
best regards
Tony

dear kristaps,
good portrait maybe not as sharp as it could get but the feeling is well preserved.
Well done.Regards Mammad.

Hi Kristaps,

simple but very expressive portrait. I really like his look and smile. Nice light and dof. It's something that I need to learn a lot...it's good to check that kind of post from you all. Well done!
Regards,
Carlos

I do haggled often when buying things in markets, not so much that I am cheap, but it for the interaction and connection between me and the merchant. If I didn't buy anything is because I did not want it to begin with. If I did buy something that I don't even needed is because I established that friendly connection. My friend hates it when I do that. He thinks I try to save 1/4 of a dollar.
A simple image with good quality of details color and composition. Most importantly, it depict a story. Thanks for sharing.

Hi, Kristaps -

I wouldn't have known he was haggling, but it's a good portrait, well composed, and shows the pleasure on his face. I like the lighting, too. The bit of green bottle could be jarring, but it adds something and I wouldn't cut it out.

And his pleasure is half - maybe more - the point of haggling. It's a game. Yes, it is often played against tourists who don't know the rules and get taken, but it is also played by locals. I used to haggle in Kenya all the time - and do it in Swahili, which told the merchants I was local, or local enough to know what the price was supposed to be. And that I wasn't going to take it too seriously.

But if you didn't grow up in the culture - and I didn't - it's hard to get used to it.

Hi, Kristaps. The background is very bright here and this allows the man's face to stand out well against it. He definitely seems to be enjoying what he is doing and this shows in his face. The light conditions were unfavourable, but I think you managed to get a decent exposure.

  • Great 
  • parbo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1413 W: 15 N: 1503] (5503)
  • [2008-04-16 14:52]
  • [+]

Hello Kristaps,

You excellently caught his tricky looks. How was your Focal Length? The story is also well known from many countries, some worsts too mostly. Good sharpness and natural colors. Wonderful. Congratulations.

Friendly Regards,

Ertugrul

  • Great 
  • azaf1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1214 W: 112 N: 1462] (7373)
  • [2008-04-17 1:15]

Kristaps hi
I like that portrait of the street vendor. Mostly his expression as he is getting ready! And the 3/4 angle together with the bright colors give a great composition
Best wishes
Argiris

  • Great 
  • avene Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 896 W: 65 N: 1013] (3792)
  • [2008-04-17 5:28]
  • [+]

he knows exactly how to get the money in your pocket "migrate" to HIS pocket :) look at that tooth (or nail?) hanging on the string around his neck, that must've belonged to an unsuspecting bear who thought he can get a good price on a pot of strawberry jam. no such luck, I guess.
not a staged portrait, obviously, but lively and captivating, I quite like how you've captured his mischievous look. i particularly like his wild hair, somehow it fits the mood of wide gestures and intense talking. I cannot really decide about the green bottle - it does look a bit out of place, but I also undersand and see all the reasons for it to be there, to emphasise the diagonal. nice work.

best,
K.

Hi Kristaps,
the expression on the vendor's face is what really counts here, and it qualifies as almost devilish... LOL!!!
I really like the shadowplay, and that bit of bottle-green in bottom right can be either a very nice touch of lighting or something redundant, depending on one's point of view, but it doesn't bother me. I actually like it. Good note too!
Have a great day, I'll catch up with you later.
Cheers,
Fulvio.

Hi Kristaps,
Maybe simple, but with a great pose and nice smile. Your tight framing puts all accent on the his head and that was just the right thing to do. Cloning out the green bottle and the bright white spot is a matter of seconds ;-)
I really like your framing here, something i have to remember..!!!
Take care, Henk

Kristaps,
a very good close up with the tight frame around this person giving an overall good portrait although I personally prefer the type of portraits were you have a direct eye contact with the person. Two minor things that you could have done and I certainly would have done: cloning of the bottle and the white circle above the head. They are distracting from the main attraction - the haggling.
Peter
P.S. OK, I just read your explanations regarding the green bottle. Bottle stays, but what about the circular polarizing filter? ;-))

Hi Kristaps,
well definied portrait with excellent light (especiallly on his hair) and great green bottle.
Fantastic note.
Regards, Gerrit

nice portrait in candid mood your detailed note about Haggling seems to have starting Haggling on Haggling :))) ha ha ha now don’t start Haggling for mine putting three ))) because there is also reason behind that one is for my moustaches.

  • Great 
  • gunbud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3682 W: 3 N: 2948] (14386)
  • [2008-04-17 20:02]

Hi Kristaps,

Great smile capture of the face of this happy haggler. Very nice clarity and beautiful colors. Very informative note about the haggling and I like the green bottle.
Regards, Tom

  • Great 
  • plimrn Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3507 W: 217 N: 4584] (14573)
  • [2008-04-21 14:22]

Hi Kristaps.
I love the expression of confident enjoyment that you captured here. The detail mof his hair is amazing and your note very interesting; good commentary around that 'green' bottle.
HLJ, Pat

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