Posts Tagged ‘Portrait’
Travel Photo of the Week
Congratulations to Shivakumar for winning this week’s travel photo of the week with his outstanding portrait.
Why this Photo Won
Low key portraits that hint something about the subject’s character are often far more interesting than strait forward portraits. The lighting seems to add a sense of mystery to the picture that makes you want to know more about the subject.
According to the photo description, the lighting used was natural window light. This image demonstrates excellent control and manipulation of natural lighting to give an almost studio effect to the lighting.
About the Competition
To enter this weekly travel photography competition you will need to be a flickr user. Once you’re a member of flickr, search for the group – Nomadic Vision and join it. Any photos posted into the group will automatically be entered into the competition.
The winner is announced on this site as well as the flickr group page.
Travel Photo of the Week
Congratulations to Javi Valladares for winning Nomadic Vision’s first travel photo of the week competition.
Why it Won
It is a travel portrait that stands out as both a travel image and an excellent portrait. It also highlights an interesting cultural practice in Ethiopia.
What I love about this image is that it proves you don’t need a wide vista to show a specific location, sometimes more is said through a tightly cropped picture of a local.
About the Competition
To enter this weekly travel photography competition you will need to be a flickr user. Once you’re a member of flickr, search for the group – Nomadic Vision and join it. Any photos posted into the group will automatically be entered into the competition.
The winner is announced on this site as well as the flickr group page.
Beauty in the Slums
I’ve been quite taken back at how much moving location has influenced what I photograph. I grew up in East London, a South African city between Cape Town and Durban. Whilst living there, my primary focus was capturing the beauty of the coastline. East London has one of the most un-spoilt, beautiful coastlines in South Africa. In the 10 years that I lived there, never once did a venture into the slums, which were literally within 5 kilometers of my home.
When surrounded by poverty, I had the mind frame that it was completely normal, why would anyone want to see it in a photo. Moving to London has completely changed my point of view. I would love to photograph the slum in East London, not to document the poverty to cause sympathy, but rather to capture the beauty and joy found there.
Steve McCurry has recently become my favorite photographer. I’ve always been taken back by his Afghan Girl portrait, but browsing through his work, I see beauty and sense feeling of joy and contentment that inspires me even more.
Most of us are of the opinion that people who live in slums are desperately unhappy and cannot wait to get out, but from what I’ve seen, most are completely content. If contentment and joy can be had in the slums, why not in affluent cities? Most city dwellers I observe always seems to be striving to improve their lives, never content with what they have.
In December we are visiting East London, South Africa for a few weeks and I can’t wait to get into the slums.