Not defeated

My heart is pierced by the tragity in his face. One can feel the cold wind penetrating the noble windows that suffer to soften the blows of Nature; his smile a shield to the sorrows of Life that so overwhelmingly resonate from his eyes. While the world turns with indifference, this photo captures a moment where a lonely soul jestures "I am truth!".

YEAH! I could end here but somehow I am tempted to give the man in the window a high five -- he seems so close to me that I am easily convinced, touching his hand is a reaslistic possibility. The fact that this photograph causes an immediate connection with the viewer is its greatest value. That sense of closeness, an invitation to share and join in an old man's emotions is masterfully supported by a perfect framing -- an open window, as simple as that, a window inviting us to join in a gesture that has become a symbol of hope to so many. Notice a perfect DOF, just enough sense of distance -- the window slightly out of focus on the right with a focus on man's hand, exactly where it should be. Jan's aesthetic choices force us to participate in emotions happening before us, not merely observing them.

 

Speaking of symbols and icons in art -- after Doug's lonely old mother for Christmas, we are given another icon: the symbol of persistance, hope, and victory (I just wonder how did this symbol get to China? uhm, american broadcasting again?). Would this photograph have the same emotional impact, at least on me, if the old man wasn't sporting the V-symbol? No. But because that V-shaped hand is so dear to me and so close to my memories, I feel that it could be me standing in that window. Photography is so much about thinking and conncecting facts, it's so much about what one can offer as a human being, that no "Photography for dummies," no best camera will ever do the trick. Congratulations Jan.

The busyness does a lot for me! I don't know if I'd look at it and say that this is a sign of triumph over the oppression of time, but that's definitely an interesting way of looking at it. There's something kind of cute about it, too. I like warm charming people from other countries.

It's a beautiful image rich in meaning to those able to delve beneath the cold world of surfaces.

 

I find it comforting to believe that such a being resides within us all.

 

Pax.

Yikes ... I, again, assumed everyone has to know what the V-symbol meant to me in the 1980's Poland (that would make roughly 36 mln people well acquainted with V-symbol, not to mention the rest of Eastern Europe and USSR). Well, it meant: We shall overcome communism and gain freedom to eat american hamburgers and fly F-16 (Poland just bough 48 Fighting Falcons at a mere $3.8 bln dollars, courtesy of US Congress and American taxpayers). I guess the interpratation of the V-shaped hand will go back to its original meaning -- the sign of victory in the battle. I am just sick thinking who the enemy is this time.

"Good shot, but in my opinion not a great shot, plus your timings out. Chinese New Year is not for a couple more weeks."

 

What the hell does Chinese New Year have to do with anything? The title of this shot is "Not defeated" not "Happy Chinese New Year" or "Gong Xi Fa Cai/Gung Hay Fat Choy"

A nice shot, with attractive tonality, and well framed. However, I don't see this as POW material (sorry), because the justification given by the Elves needs a bit more substantiation: '...blows we might term suffering, and that seem at times so unbearable...' What blows? I don't see any suffering here. That isn't to say the subject has never suffered; he might very well have survived communist torture, for all we know - but this suffering doesn't seem to me implicit in the photograph. Instead, I see an attractively aged and friendly-looking chinese man, waving.

Black and white does a lot to place strong mood into an image and, on a monitor, this one appears to be rather well exposed as well. ...and it offers some rather substantial detail. However, I feel the photo lacks any real level of thought out (or even instinctive) composition, its just another toothless old guy in rundown living quaters - Asia is full of them and Im as guilty as anybody in photographing them from time-to-time!

 

Additionally I also feel it captures far too many distractive objects; I find my eye continually races aroung the image and never feeling comforatble settling on the central component - the old guy.

 

The surprising aspect is that in looking at Jan's folder containing this image, this one jumps out as the un-thought out shot.

 

...and as for that "V" sign, my wife is Japanese (for those that understand the significance) and if I see another single or double "V" sign at the hint of a raised camera I'll scream.

 

regards

Craig

Great example of Chinese stoicism - wouldn't be half as good in colour. A great shot.

Well, I have to agree with other posters that the elves have gotten a bit carried away with their interpretation. I suppose Jan's title invites it, but, for that matter, I think I'd leave the title ("Not Defeated") out. The place and date would be sufficient. Still, I like the image for it's simplicity and positive energy, and the window with it's wear and textures is interesting.

Folks, thank big all for kind comments. Only has arrived from travel to Cambodia - and here such surprise!

I was wondering if you were going to miss out on 'discovering' your POW, while it was current... Your folders read like a travelogue and I had noticed your recent absence, again... Congratulations!!

My original comment still stands. For me, this only works in B&W. Period.

Apparently most of kind-hearted people misunderstood the story behind the photo, so did our judges of photo.net, or may I say the photo told a fake story about this old Chinese.

More than 50 years ago, some photographers went to China to reflect a true impression of what was happening in this country, Cartier-Bresson was among them I think, we Chinese people found themselves "overlooking the existence of camera, film and photographer. "

I am sorry, I must say NO to this "perfect-exposed" snapshot.

 

Thanks

Your ability to overlook the cliche greeting symbol depends on how

'exotic' you think this image is, which in turn depends on how much

you get to travel. I find myself wondering whether this is a peace

sign or a victory sign, but that's about the extent of my interest. .

. .

"Apparently most of kind-hearted people misunderstood the story behind the photo, so did our judges of photo.net, or may I say the photo told a fake story about this old Chinese."

I have commented twice on the impression this image has upon me. Are you saying my impression is false - or "fake?" If so, how do you know?

I am curious that people seem to be drawn to that v-sign and then say things like 'oh, they do that for tourists' : that may well be. However there's a little more to the image than a victory sign made by the hands.

Witness the body language and facial lines, look into the eyes; some are saying they see a man from China grinning at tourists - I see a human being at peace with his lot; I defy you to disabuse me of this notion.

Ditto Seven ... and I am hanging on to my memories.

Simply, I couldn't accept the title" Not Defeated". Who's the enemy? Would you think this is a right answer please?

 

"Jan's image responds: "Why not! These are the blows that form me." We see here a person reflecting this noble form of acceptance, and resonate with the optimism radiating from Jan's subject so powerfully that at times we found ourselves overlooking the existence of camera, film and photographer. "

 

I did travel a lot and am happy to shoot snap for my personal memory,that's all. The reason I said NO to the "perfect-travel-snap" is a POW at least should not cause misunderstanding. In fact, It did. I happen to come from Uhu, Anhui Province, China.

I did not want to disabuse you, I respect your opinion. It was the photo ( or could I say the photo with such a title) that transferred false infomation. I displayed the photo to my friends ( they are photographers). The feedbacks are as follows:

1."Where's the war, who's the winner?"

2."I bet he'd say--change money--later."

3."Was that in Vietnam?"

4."Crazy North Korean."

It was the photo ( or could I say the photo with such a title) that transferred false infomation.

With all due respect to you, I find your response to Jan's image very interesting... Regarding the title, yes I probably could agree with your observation about it. Like you wrote, others have looked at it and given their response. Just wanted to let you know that we should not always 'automatically' assume that every PN photographer's grasp of the english language is flawless. Received my first direct email from Jan today, after I privately congratulated him on this POW...He told me in a single paragraph, that his command of the english language is not very good as yet and that his usage of it makes it hard to express himself properly. Just look at Jan's response above... Anyway, go back a couple of weeks, Lei and remember Jaap Hart's Tulip Field POW. That image got some "glowing" comments about the vivid colours, etc. But, although I quite liked Jaap's image, it failed my "wallpaper test", because I have seen this kind of scenery too many times, thus reducing its visual impact on me. You write that you actually come from Uhu, Anhui Province, China. Is there any chance that, in your eyes, the 'commonality' of Jan's image loses some (or all) of its impact on you, perhaps?

What we have here is an OK photo, where the most of the discussion regarding the image has pretty much already been said. The only thing left to talk about is the elve's description of what this photo represents.

When I look at a photograph, I would like to be able to respond to it

free from outside influences. If there is a way to determine what the

photographer intended, then it's interesting to compare his intensions

to my reading of it, but let me have a first crack at it.

I'm not used to looking at images with titles, and for the most part I

consider them intrusions into the process I've just described. For

example, this title suggests that Jan is pretty sure that the subject

intends his greeting to be a victory sign or at least he has decided

that is how he wants us to read it.

But maybe I like the peace sign idea better, right or wrong. Or maybe

the sign means very little and it's about who he is and how he feels.

as Seven points out. I think a lot of people can put on a greeting for

a camera toting tourist even though their lives are pretty grim, but

we are free to interpret this on our own.

Many of us have complained about the elves' descriptions

before. It's evolved as a style that needs to be

perpetuated, I guess. I must train myself not to read it - or the

title - at least until I've had a good look at it.

I really appreciate your trying to "protect" your friend, I'll do the same. I am not a native English speaker either. Probably I should type an hour to reply your 5-minute-writing with the help of dictionary.

Please believe that, I am only speaking out my point of view of this photo which does have impact on me. Like happy Chinese tourists did, their snapshots presented many false info of what they saw exactly. I am sorry, I take photos for a living, so I am willing to see a POW which has no problem of interpretation.

I think most of the photographers found the "Not Defeated" more Photo-documentary than Fine Art, than Fashion.

Again, I appeciate your protection of friend. If you are interested in discussing such topic, we might talk by e-mail.

Lei -- I think you are dismissing our interpretations of this picture based purely on the fact that you are Chinese. That's hardly a convincing reason -- you know just as much about this man as I and other viewers do. If Jan did not talk to his subject, he also does not know more than his picture can tell. He absolutely made his own iterpretations --- notice, that there's no other surrounding but the ole window frame with an ole man in it and that's where we should start and end our inquiry. Nothing there tells us that the man works for Verizon advertising campaign ("Can you hear me now") or conspires against communist China or, for that reason, is being paid by the owner of the building to wave the V-sign at tourists. I have my own personal reason to connect with him, and many others have their own. The point is -- Jan took a photograph that has an emotional and aesthetic on a viewer, he caught a moment many of us can share. What else do you want from art?

Not every viewer shares an emotional experience when viewing this or other photos. I just want to look at the photo, and I can imagine the rest for myself, without interpretation of what the image represents. Having grown up in Appalachia,USA, I have met a lot of poor people much like this fellow in the photo. Some viewers may take comfort in expressing what they imagine to be this mans plight, but my guess is he is as happy as most of us.

Joseph said Having grown up in Appalachia,USA, I have met a lot of poor people much like this fellow in the photo.

That probably sums up the major differences in interpretation of this photograph; some see impoverishment where others sense wealth.