breakfast in Tia

Excellent photo, you handled the backlighting very well. The main subject (the boy looking at the camera) is the only face not obscured by steam or smoke. You have all the important elements in the photo,well composed. Thanks for sharing it.

I like this photo because:

 

- it actually captures the ambience and atmosphere of a place and time.

- subjects are not artificially "posed"...the subjects are just as they are, but the photographer has done a great job in composing the picture -- i find that too many pow images are that of photographer "composed" the subjects.

- natural lighting beautifully caught.

- technically well done...good balance to expose the faces, and a bit of the room to give a atmosphere. i.e. didn't resort to the overly contrived high contrast, shadow pic.

-

As noted by the great mass of comments above, this is a superior image. It really tells a

story, doesn't it? Instantly, your mind starts putting together the scene, the people's lives,

how they got to this particular place at this particular moment in time. This is a beautiful

reflection on life. It's not some trick of graphic styling or post-processing or anything

else...it's just a glimpse into the lives of others, and it's a beautiful one at that.

 

Very, very nice shot.

 

Regards--

j

This photo makes me think of the photography of one of my favourite old time photographers - Joseph Sudek. The light you have captured is very much like this one

This is what photography is all about. Exquisite!

A warm scene on a cold morning. Exquisite light, too.

Dickensian! Love the light pouring through the window, and you've got the tones just right.

Congratulations!

 

A

This is fantastic - beautifully seen and composed, lots of contrast, would love to see it bigger for the sake of detail, the kind of picture I associate with rangefinders. Great work!

Beautiful picture. Now I have Ladakh on my "places to go/see" list.

Can you share with us the technical info of this picture please?

I find this photograph compelling and timeless! Black & white simplifies and accentuates

the strengths of the image. The rays of light penetrating the dimness of the room,

illuminate (just) the intimacy of a family gathered around the table. I love the simple

details of the scene -- the bowls, pitchers, the hands and bread, and the feeling of a

smokey haze from the recent cooking. In this instance, the child's gaze on the

photographer brings me (the viewer) into this room, with this family. I feel as if I have

been invited to witness, with the photographer, the humanity and warmth of these people.

 

Thank you for featuring this image, and my sincerest compliments to Karl!

It's difficult to add to what has already been said but your photo is a truly remarcable one. Not only the merely pictorial aspects, the great light and atmosphere; the superb management of the ciaroscuro, but also --in a very significative manner- the warm human story of the everyday activity, and so foreign at the same time to those on different areas of the world. My warmest congratulations!

Hello Karl,

 

What a great photograph! Generally speaking, I do not enjoy "travel/documentary/peeople" type images, but this one speaks to me. The shafts of light, thre shadows, the ilumination of the faces and serving bowls all make a visually rich image image.

 

Regards,

 

Drew Bedo

drewbedo@quietlightphoto.com

Really excellent!

Excellent!!!

Hi Karl,

Awesome light and atmosphere. Cheers

A supremely wonderful image which reveals the true value of photography in recording truth and beauty. A refreshing change to the digitally enhancement and fakery that is often misused to falsify or misrepresent real and poignant moments like this. Excellent.

 

AC

Thanks for all warm words about my photograph from the breakfast in Tia.
As a newcomer at Photo.net it made me most happy that this image was chosen as POW.

I have spent October and the beginning of November this year in Ladakh (Kashmir in the north of India).
This was my 12:th journey to Ladakh since 1986.
By the end of October I had the posibility to check my email and it was a great surprice to me, sitting in Ladakh, to find out that one of my images from the region was chosen as POW. It has been impossible to post any comment until now when I am back home in Sweden again.

I will try to answer some of your questions and give a bit more information about the image.

The photograph was taken my first morning in the village Tia, in the beginning of January during my last visit.
By recommendation I could stay with this family for some days. The room where I sleept was ice cold and my bottle with water got completely frozen during the night. I got out of my sleepingbag, changed film in my camera and went to the kitchen where the family already where gathered for breakfast.

This image is the first frame on the film.
Totaly i shot eight frames, but the woman stoped her work with the bread and looked at me on six of them. On two of them the boy turned his back towards me but other gestures by family members was to disturbing. This one, in my opinion, is the best one. I like the boys eyes on me. I am a part of the brekfast this morning and he shows that.

I used Tri-X at ISO 1600 and I guess the time is 1/15 or 1/8 and the aperture probably 2.8. Normally I do not keep records of time and aperture.
The camera was a Nikon 801s. I do not remember if I used my 20 mm or my 28 mm lens. It is rare that I use a longer lens then 35 mm.
The negativ is printed and then scanned.
Today I use a digital camera for my everyday work, but for this kind of work, where i have my heart, I am still using black and white film.

I am not a teacher. Since 1977 I am working as a freelance phographer.

I hope this gives you some answers on your questions and I hope you will apologize me for not posting any comments until now.

Yours
Karl-Einar

Fantastic atmosphere and light . Regards Dan .