The Mourners Photo

Photographer’s Note

A group of Iraqi pilgrims mourning for the suffering of Hussein, grandchild of the Prophet, who was martyred during the Battle of Karbala. The story was being told by a preaching imam, just in front of the outer walls of important Shi'ite mosque of Umayyad.

In the WS, you can find the scene, taken with a wider view, including the preaching imam.

.........

The Umayyad Mosque also holds a shrine which is said to contain the head of John the Baptist (Yahya), honored as a prophet by Muslims and Christians alike. The head was supposedly found during the excavations for the building of the mosque.

parbo, tehanu_f, bostankorkulugu, noborders, BitterMoon, delkoo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

parbo (11006) 2008-08-30 19:13

Hello Deniz,

I wish I was there. This is an enviable documentary frame and I'm sure you already completed the series. Working B&W medium increase feeling of special mood there. I like your complementary post too. Excellent works, congratulations.

Friendly Regards,

Ertugrul

barrufeto_77 (25935) 2008-08-30 19:57

Merhaba Denniz.

For sure, a great daily-life picture. Excellent faces of the people!

Rgs, Oscar

RGatward (19749) 2008-08-30 21:04

Amazing scene to have caught here, I think I'd have been a bit too worried, I guess you shot from the hip.

bracasha75 (22367) 2008-08-31 0:23

Helo Deniz
What a excellent shot in moment who nobody pose
Intresthing expresion on face this peoples
Great B&W work
Cheers,Braca

Valerka (8159) 2008-08-31 1:21

Hello, Deniz,
A wonderfully captured moment of great sorrow.
The BW choice is so appropriate here.
Well done.
TFS
Valerka:)

tehanu_f (6874) 2008-08-31 3:37

ay ne zaman 2 foto yukleyiverdin speedy gonzales? cok belgesel tadinda olmus. magnumvari.

bostankorkulugu (33976) 2008-08-31 11:05

şanslı çocuk... adamın yüzünü görüyor... biz ise kıçına bakıyoruz>:P... öhöm, tamam, i am mourning as well...

chpp (4007) 2008-08-31 13:17

Hi Deniz
really captured a dramatic moment enhanced by the B&W choice. I like the tight framing and the tight framing
TFS
C

noborders (14201) 2008-09-01 0:03

Wow your last 2 photos are so interesting, people and their attitudes... Fantastic and dramatic scene, I've seen such events in Iran and it struck me terribly (loud sobs, real tears for an event which happened centuries ago - they really re-live it !)... Fascinating, you too are now into "photo journalism", please do carry on for a while !
(Ok the guy who is standing up on the left is a bit cumbersome here IMO, but otherwise : great B&W, thanks a lot !)
Hugs,
Cath.

bantonbuju (48796) 2008-09-01 0:19

i dislike the man standing whose head was chopped off... he spoils this profound image... trivializes it somehow...
bw, j.

faubry (32417) 2008-09-01 7:26

bonjour Denyz, a very good photo with this prayers, reportage, naturel scene,great BW.
soon
francine

amazon (10873) 2008-09-02 6:55

yerli fotoculardan pek ilgi gormrmis ama turkce yazi da olsun isterdim,siilerin kerbela yildonumlerindeki ruh hallerini cok guzel yansitmissin,yuzler gorunmuyor ama ifadeleri cok net olarak algilaniyor,
ellerine saglik,
karadenizi bekletiyorsun iyi de ediyorsun ,
izmir'e gittin mi?
iffet

ninaL (19582) 2008-09-02 11:01

HI, Deniz.
Excellente scene, full of feelings.
Very good composition, interesting POV.
I like it.
Best regards. Grazyna.

BitterMoon (2776) 2008-09-02 22:19

Hello Deniz

To me,the whole scene it`s very intense,the whole process of mourning.
I don`t find the guy`s back so interesting or proper to the picture,this perphaps is the unwillingly mistake we do when we are so close to the people,too concentrate on the important parts and forgetting about details which can give another aspect to the framing.
I have to agree with Ertugrul...might be enviable,but definetely an documentary frame.
Might be interesting to see it even in colors,I think has the same power like in B&W,colors saturated enough to give strenght...like the words I used to say in my mind..."powerful enough to launch some punches around" :-D.

Kindest regards,
Lucian

delkoo (34754) 2008-09-05 5:53

hi deniz
I missed this one, this is a great photo reportage , i can feel the presence of virgin Marie surrounded by Muslim people , this is what we are looking for..

all the best
didier

burGu (4544) 2008-09-05 11:54

Ben senin bu iki Mourners fotoğrafıyla ne yapmak istediğini anlamadım. Hangisini koyacağına karar veremeyip ikisini birden koydun desem, pek yapacağın bir şey değil. İkisinden birini yanlışlıkla yükledin, sonra silmeye kıyamadın hiç değil. İki fotoğraf da çok güzeldi, arka arkaya konulmayı hak ediyordu desen, o da tarzın değil.

Fotoğraf çekerken küçük ayrıntıları görmekle ilgili verdiğin bir demeç aklıma geliyor iki fotoğrafa arka arkaya bakınca. Hatırlıyor musun bilmem, sinemadaydık iki elinin baş ve işaret parmağıyla bir dikdörtgen yapıp onun içinden bütünün parçalarının nasıl gözüktüğünü göstermiştin. Bu iki fotoğraf da öyle, birinde çocuğun yüzündeki ifade o kadar ön planda ki, orasının nasıl bir ortam olduğu, o insanların ne yapmaya öyle şekilden şekle girdiği çok belirsiz kalıyor. Diğerindeyse her şey yerli yerinde, elinde mikrofon imam, onun önünde çarşaflara bürünmüş kadın ahalisi, diğer tarafta bir şeylere yas tuttukları her hallerinden belli olan erkek ahalisi… Ve o kalabalığın içinden “ara ki bulasın” küçük velet…

Ne yapmak istediğini hakikaten anlamadım, ama ikinci fotoğrafa yine iki elinin baş ve işaret parmağıyla çizdiğin dikdörtgenin içinden bakınca bunu görüyorum…

Polonaise (5638) 2008-09-07 9:19

And again, Deniz...
A delicioso... A delightful, many layers halvah for the photography lover in me...

The moment... The faces...That 'baby jesus' in there...
And - absolutely marvel detail...
Not EVERYONE is sharing the prayers equally !
These women in the back... They have a good time on their own...
The dude with his handsome back to us - ... He knows better - I presume.... :-)))

Timeless piece, Deniz...
It can't be deny ...

g
..............

KevRyan (22418) 2008-11-16 4:30

An image laced with emotion and meaning - one feels the intensity of believe and respect from the men but then there is also the baby - engaged but innocent and ignorant of the words, the stories and the emotions - for this little one it is a different reality until those things are passed on - and the women - I am sure they have displayed their feelings too but looking after that little one is a major distraction ....and an opportunity to talk.