Shadow theater Photo

Photographer’s Note

Before the nightfalls, the place to be in Shibam is the hill facing the old town, to enjoy the delicate variations of the light on the city walls, which can provide spectacular pictures to photographers.

But it was too late to climb up to this point, and I thought I would better concentrate my attention on the life's scenes around me.

Hussein, that I had hassled with the sunset in Shibam, could hardly understand that I was so pointedly ignoring the city and focusing my attention on... nothing!

His face was reflecting incomprehension....
"What do you take? "

Wait a minute, my friend... You'll see...

burGu, i9l2y1m8a8t3, bombilla, marion44, rigoletto, SridharRao75, atus, xavshot, pboehringer, gezgin37, jafadabret, carper, avene, pawelx, lucasgalodoido, edytungkal, paura has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Vasy (240) 2008-05-23 3:18

Very nice shot, congratulations!
Mihaela

karanliklar (513) 2008-05-23 3:49

very good super number on

burGu (4536) 2008-05-23 4:24

Hi Marine,
This is a great photo...
I like the half black and half yellowish colors a lot.
Sillhouettes of people in the field are so successful in illuminating the everyday life scene. Some playing with a ball, I can see web maybe for volleyball or something like that, some are just sitting on the ground maybe watching or just chit chating...
The dusty and foggy view of field seems amazing.
Congrats,
Burcu

michiels (4170) 2008-05-23 6:52

hello Marine,

very special photo, the dust, the colours and the compo, it is very nice !!!
greetings, inn

i9l2y1m8a8t3 (241) 2008-05-23 6:55

nice compposition, i love the idea, very candid moment, you've captured it very well, but hope you fixed the framing, anyway, the color itself is beautiful, what i really liked is the shadows, nice leveling and opacity... well done!! TFS

romanaa (2551) 2008-05-23 7:09

Hello Marine,
watching just shadows - it reminds me of the Plato's allegory of the cave. Brilliant capture with strong effect.
Best regards
Romana

bombilla (3402) 2008-05-23 8:39

You were lucky you go there too late (all those doors, I suppose, right?) You definitely got the more spectacular photo, Marine. Truly outstanding. Best, -Hugh

SELU (492) 2008-05-23 9:16

HI MARINE,
A magical atmosphere, very good composition.

Hussein_Kefel (567) 2008-05-23 13:11

Hi Marine,

This is what i call an artistic pose, i am asking my self, did you arrange all these people to pose that way, ofcourse no, I really admire it. I focused more on the subject rather than the lights and colors because every one in the picture seems to be acting which made the picture more valuable. This is a top class photo.

Mercy bocu
Hussein

bantonbuju (48556) 2008-05-23 23:51

salut marine,
this is an example of a photo showing that the author was in a right place in a right moment...
being man times arabic countries i think i may say how important is that football exercising thing to the locals... in sand or dust, in an evening time when the temperature outside does not hurt any more - the kids go out and enjoy the most popular sport in the world...
you portrayed the mood of the moment very well...
best wishes, j.

Morac (20307) 2008-05-25 13:20

Bonsoir Marine,

"What do you take? "

Tout d'abord cette photo est belle et j'aurai bien aimé la réaliser.
Ensuite je comprends ce que tu me disais cet après midi : et bien tu as eu raison de tourner le dos à Shibam pour photographier la vraie vie qui est autour.
Je te propose en WS un format panoramique
Bon retour
Amicalement
Marc

[workshop] [compare] +

marion44 (4258) 2008-05-26 6:50

Bonjour Marine,
Superbe scène de vie, bien vu et très bien réalisée. Quel fourmillement de vie ! Tout en suggestion... Avec le cadrage de Marc, c'est parfait ! ;)
Bonne journée,
Marion

jemaflor (39259) 2008-05-26 11:36

Salut Marine,
intéressant résultat avec une difficle lumière a capturée, bel effet avec ces silhouettes et cette tonalité dorée, peut être qu'un format plus panoramique serait pas mal et éviterai cette très grande masse sombre au bas de l'image.

delkoo (34244) 2008-05-27 4:10

bonjour marine
excelllente lumiere et excellente atmosphere, les silhouettes nombreuses on un effet remarquable dans cette lumiere dorée chargée de particules de poussiere.

didier

clio (22605) 2008-05-27 13:43

Bonsoir Marine,
Elle est magnifique cette photo, toute en ombres chinoises avec ces plans successifs alternant, personnages (et ballon!), palmiers, montagnes.
Je la mets dans mes favorites même si (comme Marc l'a fait) j'aurais coupé un peu du bas et peut-être aussi le ciel.
Pour le reste, je la trouve merveilleuse de vie, de lumière... c'est pour moi une sorte de BD et je me plais à rêver à chaque personnage et à sa vie. Moi aussi, c'est une photo que j'aurais aimé faire, et cela m'aurait vraiment rendue heureuse.
Un très grand bravo!
Bise
Diane

marietom (31854) 2008-05-28 7:03

Salut Marine,

J'ai loupé cette merveille !!! Superbes toutes ces silhouettes, j'aime beaucoup ! J'aurais peut-être redressé l'image, et ôté du ciel blanc en haut.
Bien rentrée ?
Bises
Marie

isabela_sor (42078) 2008-05-29 11:27 [Comment]

Show Comment

erguvan (759) 2008-06-01 12:11 [Comment]

Show Comment

France (149) 2008-06-03 3:39

Bonjour Marine,
Le titre est bien choisi. J'aime toutes ces silhouettes de densité différente qui donnent beaucoup de profondeur à l'image. De plus elles ne sont pas statiques mais en plein mouvement. Le ballon a été figé à un bon endroit de l'image. Selon mon goût, l'avant plan très sombre pourrait être recoupé pour en faire une panoramique.
Bien à toi,
France

Ashrain (124) 2008-06-03 9:32

I like very much the contrast between the black-orange scale colours in the backround and the moving shapes on the foreground. this picture gives a sense of heat and movement!

zeb69 (212) 2008-06-08 4:17

Quelle belle image Marine,
Ce qui est remarquable sur cette image c'est les strates de couleurs brunes et beiges qui se superposent. C'est magique et très graphique comme atmosphere !
Bravo.

Merci au passage pour ta réponse à ma question relative aux arbres de Lisbonne.

irfanat67 (215) 2008-06-12 8:07 [Comment]

Show Comment

yedirenk (7287) 2008-06-15 1:09

Salut Marine,
great moment with superb silhouettes.amazing details and wonderful misty atmosphere.extraordinary compo.very well done.TFS
greetings

Cevdet

rigoletto (26182) 2008-06-16 12:23

Hi Marine,
This is absolutely a shadow theater, or let's say, dream theater, and you were the master of puppets to capture all those dreamy puppets in magic light and dust. The black half bottom is just an unorthodox, namely, daring attempt. Congrats,
Deniz

nicoz (1963) 2008-06-23 9:07

Hi Marine,
Nice shot, I like how the ball nesteles perfectly in between the palm trees. If I were you, I would use an unconventional crop here, and cut most of the black empty space and a little bit of the burnt out sky.
It a nice multy layered shot with this golden light!
Nicolas

tinvin (320) 2008-07-11 11:21

very unique composition and i like the graduation in rows of the shadowed figures as if they were shadow cut-outs on a stage.

great...

SridharRao75 (256) 2008-07-12 19:23

A masterpiece! The texture is unique!!

devimeuxbe (55865) 2008-07-20 15:22

Bonsoir Marine
le bas de l'image est peu être un peu trop important. mais la lumière est tellement magnifique !
Superbe
Bertrand

pastadog (12821) 2008-07-23 1:38

Hi Marine - certainly a very attractive photo, in beautiful foggy light - and many attractive silhouettes... regards, Daniel

Spanishalex (710) 2008-08-02 14:26

Really nice atmosphere in this one!

giorgimer (21070) 2008-08-11 23:42

Hi Marine,

what a great image! Extraordinary multiple layers. Good moment capture with all the "players" seeming to be moved by a coreography.

Very well done!

Gio

foozi (4701) 2008-08-31 23:54

Hello marine,
what a unique shot. Real shadow play with sihoutted people giving a good challenge to the eyes, scrutinizing the actions Great thought and the soft colours give a good impact too. I like looking at each person and guessing their action. But for sure some are playing football.
Great shot.

regards,
Foozi

atus (15452) 2008-09-08 14:36

Visited Yemen, including Shibam 10 years ago, I notice that nothing has changed in the meantime, obviously. The play with the silhouettes is very well seen here, especially thanks to the golden light and the dusty environment. There is only one thing I'd prefer to see and is a bit tighter format, like presented in the ws.
Regarding the panorama from the hill, it was nice for sure, but I preferred an other perspective.
Tfs and best regards.
Attila

xavshot (62327) 2008-09-14 13:27

Bonsoir Marine
très belle photo ! j'aime beaucoup les couleurs et les différentes silhouettes. j'aime bien le WS proposé par Marc.
Bravo.
Xavier

pboehringer (770) 2008-09-19 21:08

Marine,
openning your intro I got stuck with this shot. What a simpy great image. The fantastic atmosphere is already to be seen easily in the thumbnail, but once opening the main post my jaw dropped. The detail of the football in the left upper corner makes the whole scene simply irrisistable.
Peter

bernardec (2225) 2008-09-25 10:13

Bonsoir Marine,
C'est beau-trés beau. on croirait des pantins désarticulés plongés dans l'or du soir.
Et puis il y a quelque chose du Niger où j'ai vécu..
comment lutter contre les bons souvenirs...
Bernard

gezgin37 (3390) 2008-10-13 10:54

Hi Marine,
never seen so many silhouettes in a photograph. Quite a unique picture, no wonder it has recieved so many compliments. I might try to erase the line but not much necessary. Great shot.
My compliments / Selcuk

jafadabret (39485) 2008-10-15 6:41

Bonjour.
Ce théâtre d'ombres est d'une très grande beauté. La lumière et les contre-jours sont superbes. Beau travail !
Jacques

michelloupis (0) 2008-11-10 18:02

Hello Marine,

Chance brought me to this superb shot. Wow, what a delight. It's like a dream out of a fantasy book. Excellent. The half black bottom is quite extraordinary. Powerful, original, mysterious, enchanting. Bravo!

Take care
Nuno

Colombiana (2542) 2008-11-17 15:26

Hi Marine
The stage was set and your camera in action;
great dynamic and sublime mood with good light
management. The silhouettes have a king of ghostly
and theatrical feeling. Very nice one!

Regards! Maryori :)

alainh (35361) 2008-11-21 23:26

bonjour Marine
ce n'est pas ton dernier post mais je l'aime beaucoup. le moment capturé, le traitement de l'image.
bon week-end Marine
alain

Bluejeans (32083) 2008-12-18 10:17

Ola Mariane ,
Que bela foto cheia de silhuetas de pessoas e das árvores , gostei muito da luz quente , bom enquadramento da foto, parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

carper (64638) 2009-01-06 9:27

this is art Marine,
fantastic back light shot with fantastic silhouettes, good balance and a fantastic foggy atmosphere. I like it a lot.
I wish you a good 2009 in good health.
regard jaap

mafegan (4139) 2009-01-07 10:57

Hello Marine
Wonderful shapes and superb colouring - perhaps the powerlines could have been cloned out. Very well done, Marlene

avene (10944) 2009-01-15 10:15

hello Marine,
saw this photo on your intro page, cannot resist leaving my 2 smileys :)
I like the shot a lot, looks like a dream in soft golden colours with soft shadows moving soundlessly around. I quite like the panoramic version in the WS, I think the dark foreground is a little to wide here. but that's a minor point, the photo is great.

best,
Kristine

amazon (10605) 2009-01-17 11:47

wowwwww,
what is this?!.....
incredible shot,i like all tones and silhouettes,
many thanks,
regards from istanbul marine...,
iffet

einstem (426) 2009-01-21 11:37

very very nice picture!!!!!!
i like human shape and tone.Congratulation!!!!!!!!
Cheers
Tem

ahmetgedikli (21841) 2009-01-25 3:03

Hi Marine,
Wonderful shot and an interesting atmosphere...
Beautiful composition...
Have a good sunday.
Ahmet

pawelx (473) 2009-02-04 2:22

Marine, amazing play of shadows! I love the way you have many layers on this shot – you have some people with darker and more visible silhouettes in the “first background”, then some more deeper into the background etc. Overall, very powerful effect. And Yemen, surely, is the only country on Arabian peninsula that I just have to visit! Regards, Pawel

lucasgalodoido (16583) 2009-02-08 1:37

Olá Marine,
muito bonita mesmo toda essa atmosfera que envolve essa partida de futebol, gostei da tonalidade e das silhuetas aqui. Belo trabalho.
Parabéns e Abraço

jimkilgallon (0) 2009-02-08 11:30

Hello Marine
Wonderful atmosphere of this photo with superb tones, the dusty effect is just first rate here. Action packed shot for sure.
Regards
Jim

edytungkal (4519) 2009-02-25 6:24

The mood was great that day Marine, too many people almost like a shadow and I like it alot how you capt their joyful. I think this shot is one of your best....

daniel

limule (3899) 2009-07-27 4:20

hello, Hussein might be too used to regular tourists !
I like it very much, especially this mixture between shade and dust which give this golden colour. All these people seem so busy. Geraldine

paura (38278) 2009-07-28 15:29

Marine,
Very nice technical settings in this job. Lighting and tones are excellent.

Well done

Paulo

tomaszmarcinek (1507) 2009-08-02 8:35

I'll gladly be 'one more commenter' on the picture. Awsome it is, really. It would be better without the electric wires over the scene but they're easily removable if need be for an exibition. Yes! Have yoiu thought of it?

Wishes,

Tom

Juzo (353) 2009-10-15 2:06

brilliant silluotte and movement! Congratulations!
well done,
Justin.