Attachment, a photo from Louangphabang, North

Photographer's Note

Hi! I am here now in the Philippines, in Iloilo, my home province. And yes, I am posting this in an internet cafe here. Thus, I am posting this today and will be back tomorrow to do my critiquing. I owe you a lot GUYS. I've skimmed through so many beautiful shots.

Anyway, this was ne of the many ics I took in Luang Prabang. Do you still remember her? In my earlier picture of her, she looked afraid and untrusting. Here, she's a picture of happiness and confidence. I think the answer is simple: MOTHER. Because of her proximity to her mom, she looked very self-assured. Call this "imprinting" or attachment.

Notice her teeth. Just like her mom, she is also chewing betel nuts.

eleparc, ChrisJ, summer89, jrj, harold, ma-tibou, nwoehnl, elroyie, RGatward, avigur_11, avis2avis, Burnham, cmartos heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

kaychambers (1198) 2004-07-13 1:32

Hi Manuel....

Great shot....amazing how cheeky kids can get when shown the lens of a camera....

Well done

Regards,

Vic, Singapore. 13th July 2004

eleparc (24063) 2004-07-13 1:36

i like your note manny .. it gives me a differnet approach to this shot;-)) enjoy your family and daughter...

cgrindahl (6113) 2004-07-13 1:56

This is a dramatic image Manny, though I wouldn't interpret what I see the same way you describe it. I may be wrong, of course, but the girl's smile seems contrived to me, rather than natural joy. She may be more comfortable in her mother's arms, but the expression seems forced. And the mother's face is very intense and closed, at least to my eye. It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable when compared with many of your images of children. It is a fine portrait, wonderfully rendered, but it is more disturbing than refreshing to me.

iamxa (3103) 2004-07-13 2:14

Hello friend, I like your note. Also your photo, but I think in this one is a bit oversatured, o oversharpened. In any case a great one again. I'm happy to have news from you again !!

ChrisJ (171822) 2004-07-13 3:40

Wonderful dual portrait, & great dof.

pridel (233) 2004-07-13 4:01

Manuel, heureux de te revoir parmi nous. la photo est bizarre car elle semble en contradiction avec ta note. Je trouve que les traits sont trop figés pour exprimer la joie et le réconfort. Ceci dit la photo en elle même est très réussie.

jhonny_blue (4956) 2004-07-13 4:43

Wopnderful picture Manny ! It´s an amazing shot !
Very good colours and smile ! :)
Very well done.

summer89 (5422) 2004-07-13 5:08

Wonderfull portrait, Manuel.

i like the colores and people expresion.

Very well done

claudiaf (4438) 2004-07-13 5:26 [Comment]

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ste (872) 2004-07-13 5:39

surprenante photo!pleine d'ironie et de mal être?

jrj (34843) 2004-07-13 6:17

Well you sure is back with a powerful shot Manny. Very strong ducomentation of people seemingly far from the sunny side of things. Thank's for sharing..

centurion (0) 2004-07-13 6:56

Excellent shot and good DOF.

harold (2377) 2004-07-13 8:39

Ou peut-on se sentir le plus en sécurité si ce n'est dans les bras de sa mêre. Très belle photo.

where can one feel safe more if it is not in the arms of its mother. Very beautiful photograph.

ma-tibou (4568) 2004-07-13 9:19

Ha! la securité des bras d'une maman, il n'y a rien de t-elle pour retrouver du courage . Bien vue Manuel. Toujours de belles couleurs . Joli portrait.

Ha! the security of the arms of a mom, it does not have nothing like it there to find courage. Seen well Manual. Always of beautiful colors. Pretty portrait.

nwoehnl (122) 2004-07-13 14:02

Good to see a new photo from you, Manny. A very evocative portrait of mother and child, in which the cheeky posing of the girl is lovely to look at, but I am even more drawn to the look on her mother's weathered face. Very good color and light setting that contributes to a special atmosphere, and as always a fine cropping to get the best presentation.

elroyie (2750) 2004-07-13 14:13

Excellent shot, it is very interesting to see another culture, with different faces and habits, very goos composition.

avis2avis (4264) 2004-07-14 2:43 [Comment]

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RGatward (20108) 2004-07-14 3:28

The usual quality portrait, and good note. Points tomorrow.

Burnham (2428) 2004-07-14 11:34

I bet is does help to have mummy around when a lens is shoved in your face, she has a very playful and trusting face, her mother looks a bit concerned though. I really like the colours here and the sharpness. Great work as usual Manny.

avigur_11 (22553) 2004-07-14 13:32

Great shot, Manny. I like the girl's expressiom, so different from her mom. Wonderful capture.

cmartos (242) 2004-07-18 2:50

Nice catch, good to see her so confident in her mom arms. A powerful shot IMO, I notice the almost opposite looks, I like that here. Excellent sharpness and DOF, and very good tight crop. Excellent catch Manuel.

zto (268) 2004-07-18 8:08

I wonder if that smile can be any bigger. She reminds me a bit of my friends dauther so she will un dobtly grow up to a very pretty young l day. It is a nice closeness in the photo, as in so many of your pictures. You are just so great and it is so great to look at your photos. I learn something new every time.

MKING (3054) 2004-07-31 6:29

Interesting to see how she warms up due to the presence and assurance of her mother being nearby.

kinginexile (2598) 2004-09-05 18:00

your note is useful, because it explains the "contrived" smile of the child. It seems then, that she is meaning "OK, now i feel better and safer, Mr stranger". A third shot, and you guys would be pals for life!
Mom might take a little more work to achieve that :-).
Valuable shot for all the tension Mom's uneasiness and your story imply.

Carey (285) 2005-01-23 11:38

Stunning image.... I only wish you had the mother fully in frame. What a contrast between the hope and innocence in youth, and the reality in aging. Laos is a beuatiful country, beautiful people, and terrible hardships they've overcome. You've given the country justice....fantastic light use.
I can't get over the mothers eyes...telling a story.