Cambodia love Photo

Photographer’s Note

The lamp post - as PILLAR of strength, she leaned to it.

To hold and love. "Silence is a woman's best garment." Silence is Golden. The woman is showering the boy with a grip of love, and she shows it only facing to the Tonle Sap, away from the public. I wonder if she will do it facing the public or camera?

This post is dedicated to Way ne Lim whose 3rd TE post was of Cambodia, looking for his mother's birth place and which had my 1st critique on his gallery. He will know why I post this, symbolic love of Cambodia, and I hope it means something to him. On my 1st afternoon of arrival at Phnom Penh, taking a taxi from bus station to hotel, then out to shoot photography, I saw this scene which is most universal body language that all can understand easily. Because of the orange dress, the lamp pole backing, THE ARM that stretches around the boy and have a quiet moment of love looking out to the Tonle Sap. I know this is what I would like to post.

In Asian family values, we seldom speak directly of love such as 'I love you, son' but instead we often times express it indirectly by silent actions, such as a stroke of the head, pat of shoulder or other body language. But in Western values, the expression of love is spoken and direct.

Somehow I seem to shoot portrait from the side or behind, and if I try it from the front, you will see how it goes, soon in another upcoming post.

iso200, FL170mm, sigma 70-200mm f/2.8

Silence is Golden - Meaning

A proverbial saying, often used in circumstances where it is thought that saying nothing is preferable to speaking.

Origin

As with many proverbs, the origin of this phrase is obscured by the mists of time. There are reports of versions of it dating back to Ancient Egypt. The first example of it in English is from the poet Thomas Carlyle, who translated the phrase from German in Sartor Resartus, 1831, in which a character expounds at length on the virtues of silence:

"Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together; that at length they may emerge, full-formed and majestic, into the daylight of Life, which they are thenceforth to rule. Not William the Silent only, but all the considerable men I have known, and the most undiplomatic and unstrategic of these, forbore to babble of what they were creating and projecting. Nay, in thy own mean perplexities, do thou thyself but hold thy tongue for one day: on the morrow, how much clearer are thy purposes and duties; what wreck and rubbish have those mute workmen within thee swept away, when intrusive noises were shut out! Speech is too often not, as the Frenchman defined it, the art of concealing Thought; but of quite stifling and suspending Thought, so that there is none to conceal. Speech too is great, but not the greatest. As the Swiss Inscription says: Sprecfien ist silbern, Schweigen ist golden (Speech is silvern, Silence is golden); or as I might rather express it: Speech is of Time, Silence is of Eternity."

Waylim, lucasgalodoido, dip, siamesa, fanni, ymrk, riclopes, Kielia, ChrisJ, Gerrit, papagolf21, serp2000, rodgerg, Cretense, snunney, mikolaj_kawa, Cricri, AiresSantos, Budapestman, paura, UlfE, cfreire, Charo, gunbud, skippy007, jlbrthnn, lrw1966, adores, JCG, avene, zeca, Floydian, Didi, Glint, Docarmo, racheltafoya, siolaw, ManuMay, Atousa, EuniceChoo, patdeph, danos, stego, xavshot, clio, jusninasirun has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

gildasjan (23666) 2009-05-01 10:01

Bonjour Bill
Très bien réalisé ce cadrage vertical de cette mère et de son enfant je suppose.La couleur du pull rouge donne beaucoup d'intensité à la réalisation.
Bonne journée
Amicalement
gildas

Nicou (44641) 2009-05-01 10:36

Hello,

superbe compo, quel captage, quelle originalité, cette dame avec son enfant du pied de ce lampadirae, grandiose.

Bravoe t amitié

Nicou

serp2000 (9391) 2009-05-01 10:37

Hi, Bill,
Very nice composition, an interesting philosophical note. Excellent work! My congratulations!
Have a nice weekend!
Serghei

sacimar (7381) 2009-05-01 10:52

Hi Bill,

lovely picture, I like it, very well done and excellent colours and details, nice job!

Regards

Sergio

papagolf21 (56251) 2009-05-01 11:22

Bonjour, cher Bill,
Chut ! Pas un bruit, s'il vous plaît ! Fermez les yeux et, dans ce silence, écoutez l'ange passer...
Un moment de bonheur simple très agréable à contempler.
Merci également pour la très intéressante note d'accompagnement.
Amitiés.
Philippe

JudyR (821) 2009-05-01 11:24

Lovely, simple composition with intriguing negative spaces around this mother and son. They look by that's not the reason they are doing this. Yes, you communicate the love between them wonderfully. Judy

Waylim (10741) 2009-05-01 12:04

Hi Bill,
Thank you so much for the wonderful dedication. It means so much to me. I was a member here for a long time, but I never really posted anything, I was just enjoying the photos. When I returned from my trip to Cambodia and Laos, having found my mother homeland and birth place and returning to my own birth place, I felt a strong emotional connections and it awaken my sense of who I am, where I come from. With some photos and emotional tie to the place I felt I have something more valuable to share. You have been there to encourage me from the very beginning.
And this photo really shows the beauty of the people in the area in a very subtle and gentle way. I like the subtlety of the POV, like an observer from the side line, not disturbing her peace and privacy. That show respectfulness on your part to the people, as we know sometimes we as tourists can be forceful and inconsiderate to just think we can take people of the people when and however we want. This way, you also captured the tenderness and the love between the woman and her son or brother in the most natural way. Technically, is excellent as always, not that it matter that much in this case. As I said in my intro, sometime a good photo isn’t always about the technical excellence. Once again thank you so much for this dedication and your sensitivity to my nostalgic connection to Cambodia.
My complements and admiration to you, sincerely.
Way

[2] +

siamesa (12744) 2009-05-01 12:30

Hi Bill

Very significant and beautiful picture. A superb composition. Congratulations.
Abraços
Maria

aurora_borealis (309) 2009-05-01 12:33

Hi Bill,
you definitely catched a very beautiful and intimate scene here. Nice Composition as well, with vivid colours. Thanks for sharing!
kind regards

dip (12552) 2009-05-01 12:36

Hi Bill,
excellent capture of this lovely scene,
interesting note too,
very well seen and composed!
Greetings,
Dimitris.

baclama (4571) 2009-05-01 12:39

bonjour,
de tres belles couleurs avec un tres bon choix de cadrage , un POV tres interressant...
il passe une grande emotion...
TFS
vero

MarianneS (14264) 2009-05-01 13:22

Hi Bill,
This is a beautiful dedication to our friend Way.
It is a very emotional photo as well as the note you made. Thank you.
So simple, so quiet, so beautiful!
All the best,
Marianne

emka (21261) 2009-05-01 14:06

Hi Bill, Beautiful photo full of tenderness and love. Nice composition with the red lamp and red dress. One can feel such a calmness here.
So, you went to Cambodia and not only to Angkor but to the Tonle Sap also. I am looking forward to seeing other photos from there

Malgorzata

TopGeo (21723) 2009-05-01 14:45

Bonjour Bill! It is a picture excellent! A note that speaks for love tenderness the silence Is also a lot of other messages that it can give in each heart of person! A frame that impresses and a moment splendid.Nice Composition as well, with vivid colours. Thanks for sharing! I praise you
Georgios

Gerrit (35613) 2009-05-01 16:09

Hi Bill,
beautiful tender photo in great colors,
The pole and the drink are strange but effective elements.
Regards, Gerrit

ChrisJ (70125) 2009-05-01 18:10

Hi Bill

The red jacket contrasts well, against the blue sky. A nice, unconventional view of the mother & child, taken from the back, but the body language is still loud & clear, even if we can't see their faces. Have a great weekend!

devimeuxbe (55865) 2009-05-01 22:24

Hi Bill
there is a lot of complicity in this picture. Amazing colors, very elegant composition. A nice touch of color. Good shot on the riverside
Bertrand

Kielia (8401) 2009-05-02 1:08

Hi Bill,
an excellent note is accompanying this very well composed image! This composition is again food for thoughts.
Great light and wonderful colors! I also like the dedication.
With my best wishes for a nice weekend and warm regards,
Harriet

riclopes (32971) 2009-05-02 2:11

This is very good, Bill. Superb framing - love the detail of the can that completes the triangle. The mom protects her son and the lamppost protects her, holding the whole composition. Wonderful colors and nice bokeh. Congrats.
ric

ymrk (8639) 2009-05-02 2:51

Bill,
Timing is perfect in here.Emotional moment,lovely as much again...
Take care of yourself!

Yağmur

fanni (8735) 2009-05-02 4:14

Hello Bill,
your excellent notes to photos always are an integral part of them, so they must be regarded as one whole thing :)
VERY good capture! Of course I am amazed at the combination of these two main bright colours - orange-red and golden-yellow. This is always a winning combination, but in this case, it is an excellent addition to the subject of the photo and to the POV, if I may say so.
How strange, I have just noticed that the "united silhouette" of the woman, the child and the lamppost looks like a pike of an arrow, or like a triangle. I would prefer an "arrow", though :)
I wish you a very nice weekend!
warm regards,
Elena

wolf38 (12728) 2009-05-02 5:45

Hello Bill. A love-worth scene. The photo pleases me very well. It is beautiful and worth seeing. Photographically skillfully realizes. Regards, Wolfgang.

Miha2ou7 (4907) 2009-05-02 5:54

Hey Bill,

First, you had a good eye for spotting this, secondly, you manged to adjust the photo, third, you squeezed, and forth, you made excellent PP effort. Thus, a wonderful motive, a nice cadre, and super colors and clarity. GG.

Best regards.

lucasgalodoido (16583) 2009-05-02 6:25

Olá Bill,
um bonito momento esse mesmo, da mãe com o garoto, e ainda de quebra serviu como divulgação pro suco em lata!
Parabéns e Abraço

jmdias (19115) 2009-05-02 7:52

bill

very interesting image, the personages are nice here and even the base of the lamp post was used vry nice and adds interesting shapes to the compo. nice colors and light too

hugs

jorge

marietom (31854) 2009-05-02 11:28

hello Bill,

très belles couleurs, pour cette composition toute simple.
Bonne soirée
Marie

rodgerg (23849) 2009-05-03 1:20

Hello Bill,

An excellent vertical framing, an image full of tenderness with the mother and its child. The red color of the shirt arise very well in the image.
An image of athmospher. Congratulatiosnfor this very good and very interesting photowork.
Have a good sunday,
Roger

Cretense (55848) 2009-05-03 4:28

Hello Bill!

What a beautiful moment, what a fantastic photo capturing the essence of the strongest relationship on Earth, that between a mother and her child! Excellent framing and composition, perfect light managment and colours, but most important, fantastic subject! Congratulations!

Hercules

batalay (20858) 2009-05-03 6:16

Hi Bill,

Beautifully composed, rich in color and flawless in resolution. Finally, the subject and your note are both first rate.

Warm regards,

Bulent

snunney (34732) 2009-05-03 7:49

Hello Bill,
A charming capture of mother and son. The lamp post adds a another dimension as well as making an interesting tonal contrast with the woman's top. I like the presence of the drink can; it adds to the happy atmosphere. Very good colours and sharpness.

mikolaj_kawa (29933) 2009-05-03 8:44

Hello Bill! Wonderful scene. Happy mother and happy son. I hope so. Wonderful POV and composition. Original work. Good luck!

Dyerco (9038) 2009-05-03 16:59

Hi Bill
Well seen. This image speaks volumes and we can let out imagination decide what she is thinking.
Phil

Cricri (43030) 2009-05-03 21:52

Hi Bill
Quel jolie note pour exprimer l'amour, tout comme cette image pleine de tendresse et d'amour, j'aime la façon dont elle teint son enfant, le cadrage et les couleurs, vraiment une jolie dédicase pour l'ami Way
Good day for you
cricri

AiresSantos (41970) 2009-05-04 1:38

Hi Bill
Fine view of the Mother and child behind the street lamp.
Great POV and colours. I also like your informative note
TFS and have a nice week
Aires

Budapestman (41686) 2009-05-04 2:18

Hi Bill,
Enchanting photo with splendid composition and warm colours. The pole is attractive element. Beautiful dedication, Congratulations. Tfs! Have a nice week!
George

paura (38278) 2009-05-04 4:24

Bill,
A very beautiful composition here, friend. Framing, colors.. everything is runing well in the nice photo job.

Regards

Paulo

sayeed_rahman (2267) 2009-05-04 9:27

Hey Bill

An interesting story about the shot..i see that you have spent alot of time and research into posting this one..this to me is the most satisfying part of photography where you can sit and let your thoughts and emotions flow. Thats the most important bit of post-processing any photographer can indulge in.

About the shot..depicts correctly the theme youve talked about..they say if "Cambodian love" was the theme and thought behind the photograph..then what is use of the pillar ?

Its difficult but if you are seeking a juxtapostion, it better have an equally strong meaning..else the framing needs to be more concise..

How about this for kicks..the can has to be empty..thats why its kept aside..but the feeling and emotions arent that why the wrap around the shoulders..so you should show more of the can and not the pillar...just an example..not the strongest..but to give you and idea !

But this again, is how i percieve..you should feel the same..think about it..if it strikes a chord..i am happy..if not...ignore me..i tend to be boring and calculative at the begining of the week..office has just begun..

Cheers
Sayeed.
[ps - i like the shot ]

UlfE (8965) 2009-05-04 10:06

Hi Bill,

Superb shot. I love your composition and the strong colours. It shows that you could take really intriguing shots from behind.

Cheers,

Ulf

cfreire (11647) 2009-05-04 13:06

Hi Bill
This a simple and beautiful shot well captured with nice colors. Beautiful lights. Well done. REgards, Consuelo

Royaldevon (5910) 2009-05-04 13:27

hello Bill,

What a strong shot, in every way!
The diminishing sizes, the vertical format, the bond of love and protection, the sharp focus, the minute details and the RED... all intigrating like a jigsaw!
A great story to contemplate!

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

gilou530 (35082) 2009-05-04 14:03

salut bill
une photo intimiste de ces personnages de dos, une tendresse en ressort dans ce cadrage une bonne lumiére les illumine un portrait bien réalisé
amitiés
gilbert

Charo (31665) 2009-05-04 14:36

Hello Bill,
Beautiful, original and tender composition with a wonderful light. I love that woman with the arm holding the child and watching the landscape that is before their eyes. Excellent colors and great POV. Bravo!
Best regards,
Charo

dvlazar (6474) 2009-05-04 18:08

A nice moment of the 2 people. I like the verticals in this... and the colors are bright and strong.
Well done!!

DAve

gunbud (27789) 2009-05-04 19:04

Hi Bill,
There is no stronger love than that of a mother for her child.
Very warm human image with great colors and sharp details.
Regards, Tom

skippy007 (6971) 2009-05-04 19:35

Hello Bill, This is a very lovely photo of the mother with her arm around her child, showing her affection & providing comfort but your well written note & motive takes it to another level. Beautifully done, congratulation. Reading your note about Way & his reply has brought back some memories, almost brought a tear to my eye.
Well done, Thank you
Santo

PJE (19417) 2009-05-04 20:49

Bill I love this wonderful composition of primary colors and simple and yet powerful composition. Add to that the touch of love in touch and embrace. Excellent photography here.

jlbrthnn (37749) 2009-05-05 1:56

Hello Bill,
Excellent topic, superb image full with emotion. The colors are marvellous. The characters are put forward by the blur. Congratulations.
Have a nice day
Cordially
Joël

aadilj (17950) 2009-05-05 2:42

This magnificent and so well composed to total perfection. I love this one Bill and regret that i wasnt able to write to you earlier because I was travelling

lrw1966 (1630) 2009-05-05 9:38

Bill, Hi:

Wonderful, just wonderful. So very well seen.

Thanks
Larry

adores (15487) 2009-05-05 16:49

Hi Bill!
I really like it, the way you framed them, the light, the way you included the lamp and the can. Such a perfect moment and a very good dedication to Way!

sagar (2307) 2009-05-06 7:20

Hello Bill,
This is an amazing composition. Just loved the way you have placed the dup in frame...a mood of solitude dominates every inch of the shot.
Regards,
Sagarneel.

JCG (25207) 2009-05-06 10:26

Hello Bill,

Very pretty moment of tenderness between a mother and her child. Superb quality of the image, I like much the ficys which emphasizes well the characters of the photograph. The pillar of the standard lamp balances the image well. A very good luminosity and an appreciable clearness. Well done Bill and thank you for your interesting comment.

With all my friendships and with soon,

Jean-Charles

delkoo (34244) 2009-05-07 6:45

hi bill
Lovely light and colors throughout the picture. I also praise the pose and love that emanate from this photo.

really good one
didier

avene (10944) 2009-05-07 10:29

hi Bill,
after reading the note and Way's comment there's nothing more to say. the photo is indeed a beautiful illustration of how a simple gesture can mean so much. the scene is very simple as well, but it radiates calm and comfort, especially that soda can on the right :) so mundane, so symbolic of "everything's fine, no worries". great shot, my compliments.

best,
Kristine

zeca (20026) 2009-05-07 19:48

Very nice capture, Bill. You did a nice composition with the mother and her son. The red is always a great detail.
Regards,
Zeca

Floydian (30970) 2009-05-09 0:55

Hi Bill,

Strange, first time i see this picture...i really miss to much good ones along the huge flood of images that pass here on a daily basis.
This is a picture that needs a note, and you sure made a good one from it. Normally i don't like shooting people in their back at all, i want to see a face, an expression, but this one is different, probably because there are two of them, the arm around the little one, protecting, i like that part a lot, just as for the colour balance, that red shirt is just perfect.
Not sure about that can, it adds nothing in the frame imo, but maybe you have second thoughts about it...

Have a nice weekend,

Henk

Didi (36056) 2009-05-09 2:55

Hi Bill
Interesting composition, very good frame by using the rules of the 1/3 and the strong points who give a good impact in this attractive picture.
Best regards

vincz (19039) 2009-05-10 4:24

Very very special shot. The colors are stunning with the yellow and the red. The compsotion excellent. So mysterious to have them from the back.

Glint (3040) 2009-05-10 12:20

Hello Bill,
a thoughful nte and picture. An expression that comes to mind is "action is greater than words" and so it is not necessary to say "I love you" a million little actions prove if this is the truth. Nice light and colours.
regards,
Bev

Flavia (10202) 2009-05-11 7:10

Hi Bill,

Sweet moment you captured here! Very nice subject. The moms red shirt helps them to stand-out agains the nice blue bg.

Regards,

Flavia

Docarmo (8820) 2009-05-12 8:10

Hi Bill,
Interesting, this picture and your note make me think of my 93 years old mother - she used to say O silêncio vale ouro, the same proverb you mentioned (I wrote as she says it, in Portuguese). I hope to be able to see my mother alive - this is one of my most important concerns nowadays. It is not always easy... living so far from each other.
Your image is very beautiful and represents so well the love... without words... unnecessary words.
This fashionable way to say "I love you" was not common in our old times in Brazil. It started to be employed in late seventies, I think... I don't remember exactly.
Thanks for sharing,
Docarmo

racheltafoya (505) 2009-05-12 10:03

Greetings Bill,

This is a moving and powerful image, made more intimate for us, the viewers, by the out of focus background. I'm debating whether or not I would have left the soda can in the shot - probably I would have cropped it out to see what that felt like. It sort of trivializes the moment a little bit for me. That aside, beautiful job with clarity and natural colors. I think this portrait is much more compelling from the back than it would have been from the front. Touching note as well.

Beautifully done, and TFS!

Warm Regards,

Rachel

siolaw (25726) 2009-05-14 0:10

Hi Bill,
I know this area quite well and have a few of this type too... I have to say yours is quite good... position of the mother and kid watching the river, bright red catches the eye well and sharpness is impeccable and keeps the BG as a dreamy area into which they gaze...
Nice
Laurent

ManuMay (10704) 2009-05-14 3:54

Hi Bill!!

Yes...!!! This is LOVE!!!!

Well seen and well done!! No more needed to define great love, inconditional...no interests or egoism!!

And a very useful note that a really appreciate!!

Thanks for this lesson of photography and wise conditions...

Have a very nice day...

Best regards from Madrid.

Manuel

Bluejeans (32083) 2009-05-16 1:54

Ola Bill ,
Que imagem maravilhosa com esta mãe e filho juntos , lindos detalhes do candeeiro em tons de dourado , boa escolha pela foto na vertical , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

foozi (4701) 2009-05-17 6:43

Hi Bill,
you have given the touch of love to its origin. For the mother and child story. The pillar as mentiones is the very literature metaphorical explanation.
Well composed and well done.
The sharpness is wonderful.
Excellent colours and it spalshes the capture with beauty and humanity.

regards,
Foozi

berek (28871) 2009-05-18 20:22

Hi Bill,
its nice double portrait here. its good idea taken from the rear . nice balanced composition .
Best wishes.
Burak

Atousa (3434) 2009-05-20 0:24

Salam Bill,

This is a revealing shot although we don't see their faces.. it is very well composed with good colours n framing..impressive..thank you.
Best regards, Atousa

EuniceChoo (65) 2009-05-21 5:09

Thanks for your comments, Bill. Your photo looks more natural and definately more impressive than mine:)Not only about the skill but you have captured the moment. I still have great interest in photography by the way. Just that now i am more busy with my work. Anyway, im going to Bali, Indonesia next week so i hope to capture some nice photos from there:)Thanks again.

satyakki (312) 2009-05-24 12:29

Dear Bill,
It makes me sad, a bit. That's the power of this photo. I am assuming from their body language that they are struggling for something. I would be happy to be wrong.However, mother is full of passionate love, strength and acceptance. Red is the colour of passion and yellow is the colour of diverse acceptance.
Great note you wrote bill.Great Composition.
Cheers,
Satyakki

cobra112 (11414) 2009-05-25 12:11

Hi Bill. Perfect contrast and amazing light. Very impressive this superbe compo. TFS.

Robertoo.

patdeph (17748) 2009-05-25 22:10

hello Bill
I don't know why I have forgotten to critique this beautiful photo!This is a splendid dedication for Way,with a note full of emotion!I appreciate that you framed from the back not to disturb them,and so we can better see the mother's arm around her son,and feel her love!This is superbly framed,with very beautiful colours!Congratulations!
Cheers
Pascale

danos (32264) 2009-05-27 7:47

Hello Bill,
great snapshot with the mother to grip her son looking at Tonle Sap.I like the strong contrasted colours as the silence of the moment.A rare and at the same time an art shot. Interesting and informative your analysis about the silence that is Golden.Well done.

Regards,Danos

stego (22350) 2009-05-28 11:59

Hi Bill,
I wonder if not seeing their faces makes the "emotional" or poetic side of the photo stand out more. It's a compelling image. Mother and son looking at the infinite, with the mother tenderly embracing her child. Graphically it is also very powerful and the colours give another hand to make it very attractive.
Regards,
José

argycon (2749) 2009-05-29 15:35

Hi Bill,
Great capture of the mother's affection to her son!
Excellent vertical frame! Superb colors, perfect light management!
tfs
Kostas

xavshot (62327) 2009-05-30 11:03

Bonsoir Bill
je m'arrête sur cette photo qui possède de très belles couleurs et une très belle ambiance. J'aime beaucoup le côté poétique de l'image. Bravo.
Xavier

clio (22605) 2009-06-13 23:25

Bonjour Bill,
It is a very beautiful photo full of emotion.
The contrast of the very clear colors and the intensity of tints of the lamppost and the red pullover strengthens the poetry of your image.
Your note is very interesting on the way of showing his love for somebody in the various cultures.
Congratulations
Diane

jusninasirun (10185) 2009-09-18 8:13

Guided from FB. This is really nice. Perfect framing with shallow focus, Bill.
Thanks for sharing and best regards,
Jusni