'The Weight', a photo from Phnum Penh, West

Photographer's Note

Woman at Maryknoll hospice. Maryknoll is one of the best and most compassionate AIDS Projects in the world, all on a low key and modestly funded scale. This small Catholic group with an inspiring story blends seemlessly and supportively into this recovering Buddhist society.

(Please see previous photos for more general info).

This series is in no definite order, nor will what I present here necessarily make the final cut. So obviously I am very interested in your input, and appreciate it very much. And please feel free to be critical. This site seems to over-tilt towards the glowing. Great if well earned, useless and even detrimental if not.

Thanks for hanging out.

snuggleaphagus, devimeuxbe, eleparc, bodoo, mightyweed heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

apache (1426) 2005-08-06 1:37

Hi Bennet,
A very touching picture. Recently a lot of AIDs awareness programs were conducted in Chennai and your shot brings the killer disease into a more personal level. The expression on her face tells a lot about a beautiful life lost.
Thanks for sharing
Ranjith

nygus (8178) 2005-08-06 1:46

This works better for me than the previous one, cos of esthethical value.I sense a pro here - even if I still dont understand previous careless framing.
Why not posting bigger size ?

and by the way - what does this mean ? :

This site seems to over-tilt towards the glowing. Great if well earned, useless and even detrimental if not.

wishnugaruda (1305) 2005-08-06 1:57

Thanks for showing also the sad sites in life.
Specially in Cambodia there is so much sadness, everybody should know, perhaps the people in lucky countries should do something now. I also spoke about some bad things - landmines in Cambodia - her on TE.
Thank you - I like this photo - very good DOF and the colours are marvelous. Brown - green, a sad unity, bye
Sabine - wishnugaruda

kinginexile (2598) 2005-08-06 2:11

Bennett, I am not sure how the whole series turns out in your opinion (not just the shots you put on TE, I mean), but i think this shot of human suffering deserves to be seen by a wider population.
i would not understand that little attention is given to it here, so many popular "beggars" shot, indian ones, are so much shot in passing, with little depth about them, but this one is like a cry, and it shouts!
The hand to her head, It's a sign for us wonder too, why so much suffering?

I hope people stop by, it deserves our full attention.

[2]

snuggleaphagus (4146) 2005-08-06 2:19

I've been looking @ your photos from this wonderful and caring place with interest, and with pain. I have had friends die of AIDS and your photos bring to me memories that are sad and painful.
This photo is beautiful you capture well the weight the woman must have in her mind and heart knowing that the end of her furture will soon arrive. And then there is the other wait the waiting for the day whne the journey will end and the unknown may arrive. You capture that wait beautifully as well.
There is so muvh dignity and elegance in this simple yet very strong photo.

[2]

shopgirl (164) 2005-08-06 2:32

How moving. AIDS is such an epidemic, thank goodness for all the wonderful people like the Catholic group you work with who help those suffering.

alainh (33209) 2005-08-06 2:53

hello Bennet
only terrible picture.
it's also photographe.
strong shot
regards
alain

devimeuxbe (58557) 2005-08-06 3:25

hI Bennett
What can i say about your picture ?
It's just hard to see. maybe impossible to underestand.
I am doctor and i work in Cambodia in the N.Sihanouk Hospital, the biggest hospital of Phnom Penh. There is a fantastic programm from "Medecins Sans Frontières" for AIDS in this hospital. I really know these sad situations.
Cambodia has the highest level of HIV in all Asia. More than Thailand.
But Cambodia is also one of the poorest country of Asia.

Your picture is very impressive.
Thanks for sharing.
Bertrand

[2]

eleparc (24063) 2005-08-06 6:46

Bennett,
once again your series is outstanding and should be part of a project for fundraising or something. are you living on photography?

the greenish tone in this one makes the disease almost palpable...This shot epitomizes the pain and the ravaging side of this terrible disease. It reminds me a lot of the work of the italian Photographer Oliviero Toscani, who made the Bennetton adverts based on HIV patients back in 1993.

Thee is a perfect use of DOF on her sleeve.. This is to me the best of the three so far..
continue the great work! I love your work!

Eric

zig (2456) 2005-08-06 9:04

The light on her face, her hand on her forehead, green colour in background and its reflection on her lips....all and all makes sad impression. Framing is great and colours are super cool. Although I see her life lost not only her weight but alot other things, it's so sad many people have to live through such tough life.

sohrab (7439) 2005-08-06 16:59

powerful stuff bennett...

i'm in touch with an indian photographer who is based in new york at the moment. his name is srinivas kuruganti

he and a writer friend of his have been working on aids etc.. you can see some of therir work here
maybe you could even get in tocu with them and work on aids on a broader scale.. just a thought
take care :)

bodoo (104) 2005-08-08 3:57

Strong. Simple. I see no better crop or anything else - and it doesn't matter a lot. Green is cold, yellow is life. I appreciate that enough is said here without many or any "word".

The title is right as it could be. I can hardly imagine such weight, both physical and mental.

rolfen (16) 2005-08-14 22:48

Too bad you keep pushing the color saturation, it makes her skin look seriously green, like she's an alien. I dont think this is wanted effect, since you'd rather want to emphasize the human aspect and reality.

mightyweed (1292) 2005-08-28 15:14

This is a very sad but full of expression portrait. It shows a lot of pain and suffering on this woman's face. It also seems that she is worrying about something besides her own illness...perheps about children who might have been left...

msadventure (632) 2005-09-02 21:06

You may be "just a guy with a camera" but you are bringing us viewers an awareness of horrific situations in the world with powerful images -
this one too, (among so many of your other photos) sad, which brings an urge to want to go and assist in any way possible.

voodoo (60) 2006-02-07 20:56