Glowing Buddha, a photo from Sukhothai, North

Photographer's Note

The old city of Sukhothai is a popular tourist attraction and archeological site.

Most visitors go there in the morning, as the many buddhas figure are oriented towards the morning sun. So if you visit after 18h00, you’ll have the place for yourself and probably a sunset too...

*** I just read the first comments, and obviously, the lens flare doesn’t seems to make unanimity.

I would like to know your opinion about this effect, maybe it’s a «no-go», a «don’t do» rule... I taught it was cool to include it in certain context, as it visually enforces the feeling of heat, like in the movies, where flares are intentionally created.

In this case, I taught it would break the monotony of orange color and plain silhouette. When I saw it appear in the viewer, I was happy and excited...

Please told the truth and let me know!

irimi, kiwi_explorer, jaywalker, vizion, luisafonso, cherryripe, Elaine_Blath, keribar, Tilapia, imorneau heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

irimi (890) 2007-04-02 4:45

Hello Andre,
Well exposed silhouette photo and well composed as well. I loved the warm colors. The only thing bothers me is that nasty lens flare on the left. I liked the framing too. Well done.

Greetings,
Ahmet

PixelTerror (0) 2007-04-02 4:51

Salut SunsetTerror,
C'est chaud a souhait tom image et une jolie silhouette de budha ca fait du bien pour trouver la serenite en ces temps troubles par des joutes politiques d'un niveau discutable, moi j'aime beaucoup les representatins de Budha, par contre c'est quoi ce gros coup de pinceau en arc en ciel sur la gauche ?
Bonne journee JY

gpsony (448) 2007-04-02 5:09

Hi Andre,

What a lovely shot! Nice warm colours and the silhouette is so good. Nice POV.

Pity about the lens flare. Guess it can't be helped.

Continued....Andre, yes, in this case it does seem to enhance the picutre. The curve certainly does. But the dots near the pillar do not.....This is my opinion.

Cheers,
Guru

tomauer (316) 2007-04-02 5:10

I don't mind the lens flare, it's intresting. It doesn't bother me. Thanks for sharing this beautiful picture!

jaywalker (16105) 2007-04-02 5:43

Hi Andre, Wonderful lighting & superb timing, capturing the sun just on the buddhas shoulder created a nice silhouette & the effect look stunning, beautiful coloured sky & wonderfully composed, kind regards Wilson.

luisafonso (862) 2007-04-02 6:27

Wow! A red sunset. I was never able to capture one. They tend to appear when I am not with my camera. :) Love the silhouettes and the giant circular parentheses on the left. I would have cloned the dot above the pillar though... Great exposure in a great composition.

vizion (729) 2007-04-02 6:29

Hi Andre,
Excellent composition.
The silhouette effect is very good. I think the picture would be better without the flare. I'm not a particular oppent to have flares in the pictures, I just think that this one would be better off.

Thanks,
Christian

cherryripe (21033) 2007-04-02 6:39

Salut André
Ta compo est superbe avec ces silhouettes et le soleil passant juste par-dessus de l'épaule du bouddha.
Personnellement je n'aurais rien changé du tout. Je trouve que cela donne une ambiance mystique et de la profondeur. L'orange est si vif et chaud. J'adore.
Bon aprem
Nikki

ben4321 (9875) 2007-04-02 7:48

I like the lens flare, especially the crescent shaped flare on the left of the image. On second thoughts, the blob of flare halfway up the pillar thingy really needs to go, but that would be easy to get rid of using the clone tool.
It's a bit of a visual cliche perhaps, but who cares? What this shot has is real mood, and tonnes of it.
Excellent composition and a spot-on exposure to top it off.
Good work Andre.

Cheers,
Ben

scobert (5355) 2007-04-02 9:17

Hello Andre,
I really like this photo of yours. Yes, the lens flare works very well here. It adds a mystical element to this already fine photo. I think that we photographers need to go beyond the "tried and true" rulebook of always elminating lens flare like you did here. I would keep the flare and throw away the rulebook. Great work!
Stan

jjcordier (79299) 2007-04-03 1:04

Andre
J'aime bien l'effet de perspective qui donne la méme taille apparente aux quatre silhouettes et les couleurs chaudes de la photo. Le gros flare à gauche ne me déplait pas, ajoutant une part de mystère, mais j'aurais peut-être effacé le petit sur la colonne?
Amicalement
JJ

Luko (14000) 2007-04-03 3:30

Very nice sihouetting, André. Coconut palms, buddha and temple : that's quintessential Thailand. Sukhotai might not be the liveliest part of Thailand, so this one is remarkable enough.

You're absolutely right with the flare that adds a circling figure, which breaks an otherwise "linear" shot, I think it's a welcomed complement in this case.

Elaine_Blath (8471) 2007-04-03 3:34

Hi Andre,

very nice...almost monochromatic in this light, and silhouettes well captured...well done!

Take care, Ivana

Burberry1 (6041) 2007-04-03 3:43

Very mystic and enigmatic photo:)))
Fantastic light, coloring and effect Andre!!

Agnieszka

Luan (12971) 2007-04-03 3:47

Hell Andre,
Magnifique, pour te dire la verite Sukhothai est mon endroit prefere en ce qui concerne temples et vestiges....les lieux sont charges d'une ambiance mystique....c'est trop zen la bas ;o)
Tres belle photo, mais pour chipoter j'aurais bien vu le soleil juste derriere la tete du Boudha genre aura divin ;O)
A++++
Luan
PS : t'aurais pas des poptoys pour mon fils ;o)

cessy (13647) 2007-04-03 7:19

Hallo Andre
you have very nice portfolio
the statue of Budha really fantastic with the light
great capture

Pattyjy (2180) 2007-04-04 6:12

Salut André,
Celle-là je ne peux m'empêcher de la mettre dans mes favorites. Elle est vraiment top. Bravo. Amitié, Patty.

brevbrev14 (140) 2007-04-04 8:01

Hi ANdre, great image!
i like a lot the warm tones, the greats silohuette, and the great atmosphere!
bravooo!
CIAO!
Valeria
---------
I like the lens flare effect, here it is a good game of light

prezntime (3946) 2007-04-04 23:38

Andre...
By all means keep the lens flare. The most remarkable abilities in art are those created by pushing the extremes of ones medium. Coltrane sounded like he would blow the saxaphone apart; Hendrix burned his guitars and pioneered feedback; Winogrand saw a slanted horizon as...not a slanted horizon; Kafka made dreams into literature...see what I mean. Not everyone will agree, but this photo could be any number of TE photos unless that flare was present...that flare is what sets your vision apart from the ordinary. Friend, never compromise...looking fine indeed.
Regards,
Chris.

keribar (43841) 2007-04-05 2:20

Hello Andre,

I'll certainly remember your tips about Sukothai. I have been there once in the morning as you say and that was 20 years ago.
The flare is not a big problem for me either.
But the composition is just beautiful - Izzet

Tilapia (176) 2007-04-07 11:31

Very nice shot. I really like the continuity seen in the pillar, crown of the Buddha, and the spire of the chedi. Very intense colours and good use of negative space.

Personally, I like the flare. It almost acts as a rounded frame on the left side of the photo, keeping your focus on the left 2/3'rds. Rules? Nah! Think of them as guidelines, instead. Nothing is mandatory.

A bientot!
Mike

csavery (172) 2007-04-09 6:21

Absolutely keep the flare. It really helps make the shot. It adds to the atmosphere and takes you further from the territory of sunset silhouette cliche by making this shot unique. Well done.

yanseiler (20) 2007-04-16 4:55

Salut André, une belle carte postale d'un endroit que je n'ai jamais visité, chouettes couleurs et silhouette bien placée, un tout petit peu trop de flare à mon avis mais c'est mignon...
Yan

fixed (3836) 2007-04-17 10:54

hello Andre
jolie photo iconique de la Thailande
les tons brulants :) et le flare nous offre un ensemble attractif
bien joué et bravo
nono

Evolution (91) 2007-06-07 21:45

I ll have to cast my vote in with the Lens Flare group. i think it works nicely ! it gives the photo something more. the photo has 3 vertical / linear objects, and the flare fits nicely with the one other round object to balance the whole image.
well, done. I like your Sukhothai photos much more than my own!.
B