Oar ballet Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

I'm sure there are many shots like this one in Trekearth however who could resist to the oarsman ballet on the Inle lake.

Intha (Inle lake inhabitants) fishermen have this very specific way of rowing their oar with the help of one of their foot, while standing at the tip of their tiny flat boat.

It is said that the foot paddling saves their arm energy when they'll have to paddle stronger... I couldn't say about the effectiveness of the rowing technique but sure have an opinion about the aesthetics of the global manoeuvre.

I had seen many pictures but of the fishermen taken from another boat but this time managed to get in the same boat and take the fish place, almost inside the conical net.

Of course, you can imagine this shot was a little set up with the help of Ye : fishermen boats usually do not carry photographers on board.

Imagine a boat with me inside and a twenty meters away a boat with Ye inside yelling at the fisherman "take your hat", "move slowly", "look at the camera", "dramatize the movement" (I guess that's what he was saying as I do not understand burmese but was witnessing steady improvements at the fisherman's antics).

Rinie_Hoff, bnallama, zulatra, Homerhomer, Zepi, manss0fl, don_narayan, Clairedelune, ndb1958, Galeota, avis2avis, ramesh_lalwani, ChrisJ, eleparc, rowanb, maciekda, Curioso, stefi, ishai, Darren, jmdaoudal, sigh, AmiBe, efimoore, VinceM, PJE, golden has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Rinie_Hoff (9332) 2005-08-29 17:38

Amazing, really amazing. I remember the first time I saw a picture of these fishermen and was totally overwhelmed by their ability and technique to master a boat, and be a fisherman at the same time.
What a beautiful way to capture a foot, I love the dareker funnel leading to it I have always been a hands person,but since one of Darren's shot of a boatsman steering the ship with his feet, I love feet as well.' Very nice line because of the leg and the oar, and the other arm to balance the shot.

Good to see you back, Luko.

Homerhomer (4005) 2005-08-29 17:44

Yes, there maybe many photos like this here or anywwhere else, but just you can't resist taking them, I can't resist looking at it.
His pose is so poetic, and art of paddling if you will, kung fu on the boat or whatever, it's so beautifull. Apart from the usual from you (that is interesting compositon etc), I really enjoy the tamed colours here, it helps the poetic aspects of the image.
Peter

bnallama (3755) 2005-08-29 17:46

Yes WoW Luko... just a great shot!! You have turned a simple every day scene into a lovely shot! Really love how you have framed the fisherman in the net! Goes to myfavs...
TFS Bala.

p.s. just ordered the HDD hopefully I will get it by friday... hope that the french post will work on time at least for this time :-)

zulatra (133) 2005-08-29 17:49

i think Ye´s effort was worth it... the POV is perfect, a really dramatic shot!

Zepi (22848) 2005-08-29 18:29

Salut Luko…
Oh !
Bon, je sais pas trop comment expliquer les mots qui me sont venus a l’esprit en ouvrant cette image ! En fait oui :
Tu imagines le plus gros vilain mot que tu connaît, pis tu le place devant un « comment c’est beau »
Oui, un claque cette image !
Une harmonie parfaite entre le corps et la pagaie.
J’ose a peine imaginer le mouvement en entier !
Niveau cadrage, ça frise la perfection (j’ose suggérer un centrage parfait via un micro recadrage ???).
Même le ciel gris typique à la mousson donne de la pêche à cette image.
Franchement, c’est à mon goût ta meilleure postée ici avec la déjà mythique «Snub the phones »
Bref, je ne crois pas que j’ai besoin d’argumenter d’avantage pour la glisser dans mes favoris !
Super travail Luko
Merci pour le partage
Sébastien
PS : C’est ou le bouton pour l’imprimer en 50x75 cm ??? ;-)

kinginexile (2440) 2005-08-29 18:39

Superb composition, Luko, which is standing on its own, not just as a picture of a highly recognizable and unique boating tradition. Actually, all over Burma, we can see big engine boats whose wheel is controlled by the feet. A Myanmar specialty?
Anyway, wonderful image for its graphism and, dare I say, choreography, after all.

flydragon (0) 2005-08-29 19:10

yep Luko ;o)
un coup de maitre
simple mais tellement efficace
je dis bravo ;o)
j'ai pas de mot
je regarde ;o)
more more
••simon••

Leonie (8647) 2005-08-29 19:53

Wow, vraiment fantastique! Il n'y a pas de mots pour décrire la réussite de cette photo! :o) Bravo!

Léonie

manss0fl (327) 2005-08-29 20:16 [Comment]

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jinju (14265) 2005-08-29 20:43

I love this shot. The geometry here speaks to me Luko; the lines and the curves. It looks like he is actually dancing, putting on a show. I have no idea how he could get any leverage on the water by standing on one foot. But I guess it works.

don_narayan (2014) 2005-08-29 21:06

fantastic shot!! I would say more but even that is being redundent.

kikvel (4772) 2005-08-29 21:37 [Comment]

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Clairedelune (4885) 2005-08-29 21:54

Bonsoir Luko,
Un seul et unique mot me vient à l'esprit en regardant cette photo : harmonie ou plutôt "harmonies". Harmonie des couleurs, des formes qui se répondent. Et harmonie des mouvements du pagayeur. Pour avoir pratiqué et enseigné du tai chi pendant de nombreuses années, je sais reconnaître un corps qui connaît son centre. Je m'y connais moins en photographie, ne faisant que découvrir cet art magnifique. Mais je peux dire que cette photo nous offre une image du centre, là où règne l'harmonie! Merci!
Claire

[2] +

kclai (2267) 2005-08-29 23:52

Hi Luko
Interesting daily life shot. Love the angle. It's so unique.
Seem that this fisherman are really good, balancing one foot on the boat and the other on the boat pedal, pedalling.
Sometimes, we need to adopt to whatever environment laid in front of us and try our best to suit the environment just for the sake to live a day and a day and a day.....
This is called Life.
Well done, Luko.
Eric Lai

designsoul (21394) 2005-08-30 0:01

Luko, this is MAGICAL
Breathtakingly beautiful
Graceful
Wonderfully composed and executed
Expertly seen
A favourite
Sarolta

ndb1958 (9248) 2005-08-30 0:14

Hi Luko,
this is amazing. Wonderful picture with a great composition and POV ... and certainly there are not many shots like this. It is unique. It is poetic in a certain way and indeed he reminds me to a dancer. A great image for my favorits. Thank you for sharing.
Nino

Galeota (10334) 2005-08-30 0:38

Oui, c'est très beau. J'ai le sentiment que Philip Coggan avait un jour mis en ligne une photographie prise du même point de vue, ce qui me laisse penser qu'il avait reçu l'aide d'un autre Ye pour être à bord d'un de ces bâteaux. Le détail du pied au centre du cône est parfait comme repère de départ pour lire l'image.

avis2avis (4242) 2005-08-30 3:40

I just checked with all the photos posted on TE from this part of the world and IMO none were as dramatic as this one in form and presentation. The fact that you could get onto the same boat and get this pov made all the difference. Sometimes going that extra bit gives you so much more. Thanks for sharing.

ramesh_lalwani (3209) 2005-08-30 4:04

Beautiful taht I want to add
Ramesh

dolin (15647) 2005-08-30 4:12

Olala, c'est ce qui s'appelle du Timing et du PDV !!!
Pour une fois, le ciel blanc lui va à merveille.
Un cadrage qui est impécable et une idée renversante.
Bref, du très bon boulot !
Merci
Joli Luko
Fred

(à sec, je repasse)

naxius (16679) 2005-08-30 4:26

Bonjour Luko,
Beaucoup de photos sur TE sur le meme sujet mais rares sont celles qui ont cette qualite et cette originalite (sans vexer les auteurs des autres photos que j'apprecie egalement!).
Tu as shoote au bon moment et le mouvement de cet homme ressemble beaucoup au mouvement que peuvent avoir des danseurs.
C'est une photo splendide, d'une TRES grande qualite..
Merci pour ce partage Luko.
Alex

Furachan (0) 2005-08-30 6:10

Je ne pense pas, Luko qu'il y ait tellement de cliches "comme celui-la" ni sur TE ni ailleurs.
C'est tout simplement une des plus belles, plus dynamiques et comment dire, transcendentes images que j'aie jamais vu...Il y a presque la joie folle des arts martiaux dans le mouvement de sa jambe, la mandala, roue de la vie, on peut tout y voir. Les couleurs sont d'une discretion parfaite. Ecoute, bon, quelquechose de cet ordre, c'est emouvant. Voila.
Francis

maciekda (19587) 2005-08-30 6:23

fantastic image Luko, i think one of the best ones I have seen from Inle Lake. the compo is so good, beautifully balanced. the foot in the middle is well positioned. excellent work

eleparc (24059) 2005-08-30 7:23

Hi luko your shot is quite different from everything i have seen so far on those nets.. the perfect inclusion of this man in the net is graphically very neat and aesthetically well done... even his standing foot is right in the open space of the net! wow! a master piece;-)
bravo mon ami!

Eric

rowanb (864) 2005-08-30 9:53

wow what a shot!
everything here is perfect!
beautiful!

jcandeli (40) 2005-08-30 15:58

wow. beautiful symetry. Looks almost too cool to be real. ;) Great photo. JP

jeanfrancois (1259) 2005-08-30 17:19

Tres impressionné. Magnifique, presque trop parfait. Mais il fallait le faire.

stefi (1147) 2005-08-30 17:25

Hi Luko, looking at this (and other from your portfolio) I ask myself how could you catch the right moment so well and have an aesthetic eye to get the best off every moment.
No more words needed.

ChrisJ (70299) 2005-08-31 3:45

Bonjour Luko

A superb pov, with excellent graphism afforded by the fishtrap, which also provides marvellous convergence of radial lines. C'est vraiment tres bon travail!

sengir (4946) 2005-08-31 7:21

I am really captivated by the enormous elegance of this shot. You're right, he's acting like a ballet dancer. You've made a good team together ;), he making perfect performance, you taking perfect photo.

ishai (4093) 2005-08-31 7:28

Very powerful POV and very original(for me) here on TE
Amazing ballet performance
Good one

Ishai

Darren (6819) 2005-08-31 8:46

This one is a stunner Luko, and quite frankly I think a pretty new look at a well photographed subject. At least I don't recall seeing quite this angle before.

Really excellent, but I will mention two things which could make this perfect.
1. I wish the sky was more interesting. Not much you could do about that, but I wish it was the case anyways.
2. I wish there was just a little more detail showing in the face. Maybe there is, I am on a computer here in LP and the monitor is good, but far from calibrated. Not a huge minus, even so. Probably difficult to do much else given the lighting conditions at the time.

There are a lot of pluses on this one. I believe this could fall into the decisive moment category, I doubt you could have picked a better moment to trip the shutter.

Strangely, I really like the Octagonal shape of the blue part of the net in the center. Not sure why I think it adds so much, but it does. I also really like how his foot is visible through the hole in the dead center of the net.

The colors/post processing are very you. I share your tastes for the subdued palette you seem to favor. They really work on this shot.

This is really good Luko.

BTW, greetings from LP. Mark and I are both in the cafe now. You are dead right about the laid back, relaxed feel of LP. I really love it.

edit: I just now read your note. I should have realized this was staged. Makes no matter to my interest in the shot though.

clodreno (0) 2005-08-31 10:37

classique bien évidemment, mais comment faire pour la laisser passer.. Impossible.
tout y est.
une belle image,

Porteplume (3255) 2005-09-01 13:32

C'est vrai que les premières photos prises sur ce même lac et postées sur TE - et qui m'avaient vraiment impressionnée - étaient celles de Pascal. Surtout celle-ci! Mais il y en a plein d'autres qui sont aussi très "attractive" [je sais plus le mot français].

Celle-ci aussi est belle, mais surtout différente. Comme pour la nonne d'hier, vous avez su trouver un angle excellent et avec la prise faite au meilleur moment on dirait voir une danseur ou un funambule...

alimo3 (6826) 2005-09-01 18:09

Bonsoir Luko,
Je suis impressionné par l’idée et la réalisation de cette image.
Le graphisme est pur ( presque a la Japonaise ) et tout part du pied ,ce qui donne ce sentiment d’équilibre parfait.
J'aime beaucoup.
Chapeau !

Tom

yeah (213) 2005-09-02 22:47

Hi Luko,
"take ur hat" n "move slowly" are correct. i also say "row steadily" n "row to the other direction" as i don't want my boat appears in ur pic.

jmdaoudal (82) 2005-09-04 3:29

Elle est assez irresitible comme compo, et même si le sujet est courru on ne s'en lasse pas.
J'aime le grand soin pris au cadrage, une vraie leçon de géométrie.
l'ambiance est excellente avec ces couleurs douces traversées par les lignes et l'ensemble du sujet. Voila pour la critique.
Pour le plaisir de regarder c'est tout bon, le personnage et son geste millénaire mis dans un stricte figure comme dessinée par dessus c'est magique.
Belle image.
Jean Michel

everlasting (10916) 2005-09-04 9:56

Too late to add anything orginal here. If I capture one shot halff as good as this during bmy trip to Myanmar next month I will be a very happy lady.

markoci (3917) 2005-09-05 8:18

hi luko,

once again rather late to add anything new in my critiques :-(

i think you've got it! a trully unique shot, i agree with the all above, short perhaps of an underwater camera, it's very hard to come up with something original. composition is awesome! i can picture the whole setup with you and ye and the fisherman.

as for the lighting... i'm sure not the best time of the year (but i get the feeling you might go back if you can talk luna into it).

wonder if you've tried any shots with a flash to show the face of the rower?

as for the leg rowing, i'm quite convinced that this is just a gimmick they've "invented" for the tourists, it just doesn't seem neither efficient nor ergonomic :-)

cheers,

mark

AmiBe (6042) 2005-09-06 12:55

Hello Luko,
je découvre avec grand bonheur ton début de galerie sur la Birmanie.
Alors as-tu aimé le pays ?
La façon dont tu-as traité le sujet des pêcheurs Intha est tout simplement fabuleuse.
Quel graphisme, quel point de vue !
Quel élégance, tu as appuyé au bon moment.
Bon, je m'en vais effacer mes photos du même sujet sur TE... ;-)

nerve (10212) 2005-09-07 3:45

very creative, amazing composition. i also like the idea of analogy as a "mandala"
here.. position of his legs and hands are just too good to be true..
Beautiful work.

fixed (3831) 2005-09-07 9:23

Hello Luko,
Me sens tjs aussi c.. de commenter tes photos
comme bcp d'autres d'ailleurs ...
Enfin bon, le ressenti est là ...
fav, comme çà c'est fait ;)
SUPERBE, BRAVO !
A savourer régulièrement ...
Je repasse, à bientôt!
Arnaud

gringofil (0) 2005-09-07 10:13

Such a wonderful shot, Luko. In terms of framing everything looks to be superb, the fisherman is in the right spot and his pose is just excellent. The foot right in the middle of the frame is a great addition as well and really makes the shot. My only concern is with the flat light...guess you couldn't do anything about it, but it does make the shot a bit less appealing I think (much not enough to make it a plain snap-shot, because it's not). Anyway, apart from the light this is just plain perfect. Goes into my faves. Well done, Luko!

efimoore (2126) 2005-09-08 23:53 [Comment]

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AnimeshRay (8886) 2005-09-11 12:46

Wow! I had not seen this before, so it is all the more surprising to me. Excellent symmetry in your photo here, and wonderful timing.

Prisley (1249) 2005-11-16 3:32

J'ai regardé les autres photos sur TE représentant cette même scène, et je dois dire que c'est de loin celle qui donne le plus de proximité avec le pêcheur et le plus de "graphisme"...directement dans sa ligne de mire ! Quelques fois les photos "montées" sortent tellement de l'ordinaire qu'elles en sont toutes excusées ;o)

P.S: appremment internet a repris du services vers chez toi...j'ai vu que tu as repris l'activité "critique" depuis hier.. ;o)...vivement les prochains "posts"...

yanseiler (20) 2006-04-10 8:02

Salut Luko,

Super bien vu cette prise de vue...
Yan

PJE (19459) 2006-06-06 18:32

Well Luko I have to add my comment to this most excellent photo of yours. Incredible to say the least. Thanks for sharing!

rafid76 (2611) 2006-08-13 0:25

wounderful, and no i havent seen this on trek earth your the first!

lorbal (2) 2006-08-25 7:07 [Comment]

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dzain (585) 2006-12-23 17:30