Too weak to survive, a photo from Porto Novo, Barlavento

Photographer's Note

The southwest of Santo Antao is a dry place. Except for the village of Taraffal de Monte Trigo, which lies close to a mountain oasis, it is a stone desert. Less than 80 mm of rain per year and flat, shadowless places mostly consisting of dark, lava stone make it a hot and harsh place to survive. I was told that this skelleton belongs to a donkey. He was too weak.

maloutim, mmohan, ACL1978 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

mauro61 (52889) 2012-10-01 14:18

ciao Franz,
scena cruda con il bianco e nero che enfatizza il tutto.
Sembra una immagine dal deserto del Messico con le montagne sullo sfondo.
Mi piace questa novità compositiva,
saluti
maurizio

mmohan (744) 2012-10-01 16:03

Hello Franz,
You have brought out the desolateness wonderfully well.
Great job!
KInd regards,
Manoj

marabu61 (11587) 2012-10-02 12:43

Hallo Franz
good low POV, setting the sceleton in relation with its surroundings. The black and white approach works really good here. It shows us the harsh brutality of life on these plains.
einen schönen Abend
Daniel

ACL1978 (7511) 2012-10-03 5:59

Very stark, evocative image here, Franz. The low angle and closeup work well, putting the subject up close while also expressing a sense of distance and space well. Black and white obviously works quite well, though it might be interesting to see a color version as well.

Thanks for the shots from a place from which I have not seen many.

Andrew

bertolucci (13366) 2012-10-04 13:15

Good evening Franz,
Stark and ecocative indeed - a striking portrayal of tough living conditions. The low angle is vital here, as is the black&white.
Best regards from Rotterdam,
Bert

eldancer1 (36343) 2012-10-23 9:21

Having live in the desert for a few years I've seen what it can do to animals not suited for desert life and even animals that consider the desert their natural habitat. I like your pov and good composition especially in B&W. Good lighting and dof with nice contrast. Well done, tfs.