The Banana Shoppers Photo

Photographer’s Note

In most of my Sri Lanka portraits, the person being photographed knew their photo was about to be taken. This is one of the exceptions, I saw these two from across the street, and then took their photo within seconds.

This is a small village a few kilometres away from the much larger town of Nuwara Eliya, in the tea country of Sri Lanka. Not very many tourists go there. I was only there as I had just walked down a hill outside of town from one of the tea factories. These two are coming out of a small local shop selling many things, one of them bananas. I don't know what they are actually buying.

I like the look of the eyes of the person in the shot, looking straight at me.

Tech: A B&W photo taken with B&W film. The original photo is horizontal, I've cropped about 1/10th of the top and 2/3rds off the sides to make it vertical. Minor contrast adjustments.

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Critiques | Translate

maciekda (19587) 2004-02-27 4:56

it is a nice shot, ould be nicer if the guy on the left wasn't behind bananas - now we can see his face... i like your graing B&W and composition, nice shot, although easily could be even nicer... i wonder how was it before cropping...

summer89 (5414) 2004-02-27 6:25

Amazing Josh.

You get a excelent shot of Sri Lanka it's a great Daily Life photo. The expresion of the man are natural and great. Great composition.

Well done

jhm (81637) 2004-02-27 7:45

It's good B/W shot Josh exellent composition, The expresion of the man are natural and great. Very well done.

orme (6746) 2004-02-27 8:21

A very interesting shot, Josh. I like the mixture of SriLankan and western clothes. Great expression on the man looking at you. Good choice of B/W and well framed.

TheDunno (1030) 2004-02-27 8:25

Very interesting shot!
Sometimes using colour is just ballast and it would have been the case in this one.

Some very interesting face and expressions you caught here!

jhonny_blue (4938) 2004-02-27 10:05

It´s simply wonderful ! Great portrait of the ral life of these people ! Gret expressions !
Congratulations !

manny (21378) 2004-02-27 12:32

Good shot and good choice of BW. IMHO, I would crop it off on top an d on the left to include just the two guys. Anyway, this is a very good job.

BobTrips (1853) 2004-02-28 19:11

Nice. Good use of B&W.

I agree with the others about the presence of the guy on the left.

Try a crop just left of the left-most banana stalk and just below the staring man's knee. Then clone/paint out the third man's elbow. See what you think.

femkevdh (2633) 2004-02-29 17:53