Hiding Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer's Note

Re-scanned, cropped, sharpened and a whole lot of other adjustments

This young guy was part of a family that had a coconut farm near the Persian baths (although they are called "Persian" they are more likely to be Arabic). They gave us a coconut as it was a hot day. When I went to photograh him he ran and hid behind the columns of the baths. Curiosity got the better of fear.

Wanda1 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Wanda1 (13950) 2009-03-09 10:30

Hi Stephen,
This re-scan is so much better than your original, much sharper and clearer and the colour is better too. I like the way he comes out from behind the wall and is still partly hidden by it. Good choice to use the horizontal format to get his arm in filling part of the frame.
Regards
Wanda

skippy007 (12500) 2009-03-10 18:11

Hi Steve, I think the skin tones are a lot better in this one, look more natural. Well framed, I like the fact that he is partly hidden but both eyes are visible. nice one.
Cheers
Santo

delpeoples (45006) 2009-03-11 1:36

Hi Steve, you've done a great job here, I really like how the DOF slightly blurs the little boy's arm. THe way you've cropped it and framed it is excellent and the re-scan is of excellent quality. Well done, Lisa

kschanna (6) 2009-03-12 0:24

Hi Steve

Would have been so nice if he would have moved a few steps ahead. But anyway the composiution with only two colors is very powerful and his expression is well captured

Thanks for sharing
Kamran

holmertz (26980) 2009-03-21 7:47

Hi Steve,
This is certainly an improvement on the original scan. I quite like the way the boy has cropped himself behind the column and I am fascinated by his slightly apprehensive look. You were lucky that he found the courage to look straight into the camera.
Regards,
Gert

Manamo (3646) 2009-04-06 7:44

Stephen, when I see textured pics taken on film like this one, I wanna change my digital camera for a film one...It's not the same finish as what we get with all those fancy new machines. Of course it's not as sharp, but the colors are so deep and rich.
I would have liked this portrait to be in another setting, context, to really contextualize the moment and the life of the kid. However, on another point of view, what you show is a true feeling. We can feel the two states battling in his mind: fear and curiosity. Of course, fear does not seem sooo important at that moment, but still, we can see the emotions!
Finally, you were quick and clever to keep your camera horizontal for the portrait because of the arm, it perfectly fits! and somehow, it puts emphasis on the face because it's one of the only part (the arm/hand) of the pic that's really blurry, showing the DOF.

best regards,

Marc