Close Encounter of the Third Kind.

Today the last day of our fasting month Ramathan and by 24:00hrs this evening it is the first day of Aid, please except Happy Aid to every one on photo.net, may God give peace and happyness to all.

Titles are often over used and over influencing in my opinion. Fred. That said, In this instance, the title Close Encounters of the Third Kind, true, refers to a popular Spielberg movie and a popular culture thing that might be viewed as almost a casual or trite usage(because, of its adaption to common parlance. Like the theme of 2001 is used so often to sell a new automobile). Not to put too fine a point on it,the CE -3 movie,when first released was a moving emotional story of the contrast of "alien" cultures. As I look closer now I can see the celphone thing is possible, which if it were seen at first would have diminished the story line. Tells me again that I was primed to see something and did not do a clinical analysis. Do we commonly do a clinical analysis or a gestalt reaction. Rhetorical question:-) gs

Gerry, rhetorical question though it may be, one comment. I didn't do a clinical analysis to notice she looked like she was on the phone. It practically hammered me over the head . . . in an instant . . . part of the gestalt for me.

Wordy bunch!
I like it because of the mechanics of the image. The bikini-ed butt of the modern girl vs the near giggling looks of the old-world traditionalists.
Makes me wonder what they all were thinking
Makes me smile
Makes me give it a 7 for content and a 6 for image qualiaty: I wish it were a bit closer to allow the expressions on the faces to show better but not too close as to lose the setting.

Oddly enough, the photographer's attempt at clarification rather cheapens the picture further, in my eye. Again, there is nothing remarkable about the idea itself of a religious person coming in contact with the temptations of the flesh. This ideais as old as the written word, and has, through repetition from Doestoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov to Whoopi Goldberg's "Sister Act" become trite and cliche. The author's infusion of his background as an Iraqi as somehow giving this image any legitimacy comes across to me as contrived, even dishonest.

"It is neither a landscape nor a portrait,and the first woman with the head scarf is not using a cellphone,she is just laughing and tries to hide her laugh with a little or may be more feeling of shame."

Why would she, who is dressed modestly, feel "shame" rather than disgust as seeing the scantilly clad woman? This seems to imply that the "encounter" actually took place and was "captured" by the photographer. If that is so, then WHY is there no shadow for the bikini clad lady?

"I am a photographer from Iraq,a place used to be a heaven of security for the average citizen who do not care about politics,and this state have turned into hell after the ninth of April 2003."

Huh?Why April 9, 2003? I mean, the Iraq war began on March 19, 2003, but the much televised toppling of the Saddam statute took place on April 9, 2003. Why, in this guy's opinion, did the "security situation" begin, not with the invasion, but with the toppling of the statute?

"After that date the peoples have turned into each other ,the killing have started based on racial,religious,ethnic,political,occupational,and every body have started to denies the others right to speak,to govern,to act,to vote,and to work,it is just the greatest chaotic mess ever happened in the history of the whole area.upon publishing such image I am dreaming of my country to become such a place where the others opinions is respected in choosing the way of living,clothing,talking,simply to live your way,but do not deny the others their own ways"


Sorry, that just sounds ludicrous. So, if women are "respected" in their choice of wearing bikinis, that would cure the effects of an invation that resulted in the death of well over a million people and displacement of about 20% of the population?

"Some images can not be viewed without taking the perspective of the eyes of the beholder.
It is simply my dream for my people and my country that I express it in this image.
Live free all of you."


So, the image was PLANNED then, and not just an accidental capture?

I agree the title must have done a lot of confusion here, a better title should have been taken from the westren SAY'S , like " When You Are In Rome Do What The Romes Do", , this is much better one as long as this westren statement not been forgotten and still apply, this will end the laughing condition and maintain respect of both calutures.

Rashed, I'm a westerner and, believe me, if the title were "When In Rome . . ." I'd be laughing out loud. The point is the photographer intended this as a serious image and it doesn't look serious and doesn't itself show much of what he thinks it's "about."

Saad, I find most of the negative critique comes from people who don't understand the shot. Because they say "I don't see what is so special." Leslie points out the places you can see this happen, and still doesn't enjoy it.
I've personally seen this happen numerous times in Syria and in Lebanon. In fact, Beirut is a testament to American prudeness in some cases!
I will say, its just as humorous and interesting each time I see this happen.
What makes this photo unique is not just the juxtaposition, but the laughing at it by the subjects themselves.
Sure you could shoot a Hasidic jew walking to the synagogue on the sabbath, and happening to pass in front of a McDonalds. It wouldn't be the same though. Unless, possibly, if said Hasidic jew is thumping his head and appearing to say to himself, "why did i go this way?!"
I'm shocked by the utter lack of focus that the dislikers had on the details:
Look at the skirts and the pants, they're wet. They were having fun in the water, seemingly just with their legs dangling in. They are walking back, seemingly uphill away from the water, as a bikini clad woman is running down. They are trying not to laugh at the bikini clad woman with the tramp stamp.
The hijab wearers do not at all have the look of, I wish I could do that. These women likely have the thought, "what a skank!" in their head. I'm not sure why people assume that these women are oppressed and hate their lives and want to wear nothing in public. If you are out and about with your friends, having a good time, and walk past what clearly is a prostitute, you would possibly have the same reaction. Do you wish you could be as free to sell your body for sex? If you do, then wow, but you likely do not.
Also, the bikini clad woman is shot head on, how do we know she's not of the same people, just a different religion? In the levant and turkey there are many "aryan looking" people, without dye jobs or contacts. I was born blonde myself, and I'm of turkish/syrian descent.
Anyhow, they are living side by side, clearly with cultural differences with no real problems. Sure they are laughing, but that is as peaceful as it gets! The woman on the left can go around with her "I do what I want" mentality, and the ones on the left can go around with their "I respect myself" mentality and all seems to be well.

Dear Fred, I wasn't going to add more comments on this image but again I can't ignore your last words, you a member of photo.net and me the same, we all here to improve our skill and understanding in this field of photography and the thanks all go to photo.net and the elvis.
When an image selected to be POW, it is there for the rest of the community members to work it out and make it better, this is not found on any other site but photo.net, a very educational POW not given the photographer a degree of accelance, some people think other wise and run into the wrong path, thinking their photo is the best and the been made masters.
I think when image been selected to be POW, the photographer should not run into conclusions and leave the senior members deal with his image in order to improve it and make better not just for him but for us all, things we all might learn from one POW.
Having said so the photographer should he been needed to answer a question to clearify some technical details in how the image been taken, then it is ok for him to come with the needed answers, other wise he should keep quite.
Of course the input to is image will depend on the members indiviual understanding of photography and his English, we are not all having the same skill and photographic educations, there fore our input and attempt to improve other members work will vary.
I always been loyal to photo.net and I will remain so, weather I am here or not, this an internal community site with massive educational resource Not photo posting site.
Dear Fred, no hard feelings here at all, infact such discussions help both of us to learn from each other and to understand each other and then work along side each other for the best.
I have two bothers, one a real brother from my mother and father, the other is also a real brother and he is an American, from american mother and father, his name is Jim, he is coming to this part of the world for the first time in his life and coming stright to me next month, I will not receive him with Arab Gulf people hospitality, thats a receiving methods for guest and Jim is of no quest but an American brother of mine.
This is how we can shorten distances between us and all meet at one corner and learn how we can live together, forget those miner number of bad ones on my side and yours, as the majority on both side are good ones.
Thank you Fred, I am sure my English will give a hard time to read but again, in here I will learn to improve it.
Wishing you and all of the members here and the admins all of the best.

Dear Faysal I would request not to come with an English word "prostitute" in here, this is a site, I keep a great respect for and its people, we have females among us here and this is not by any means Picka Dely circle, thank you and all of the best.

Faysal and Rashed, great comments both of you--and Rashed, I don't think using the word "prostitute" is a miscue in our language, it is just a descriptor that is generally accepted as a word without a lot of baggage attached to it.

What I will say is that I find the use of the word "prostitute" an interesting description for a girl in such garb and with the tattoo. I also think it interesting the statement regarding "do what she wants" and "I respect myself" philosophies. These really just are more to the point about the cultural divide that still exists in the world. But that said, I totally know what you were trying to say from your point of view/culture. As I said before, we are more similar that different, we (the global "we") just don't want to focus on those things it seems.

Oh, and I still think that the content of this photo is embodied in the two younger women, oh well....

Yes, my use of prostitute was chosen as a more PC version of the other word I may have used.
Let me clear up before anyone may get the wrong idea, that I'm not calling the girl on the left one. I am simply stating that at one point, someone will place something on the distasteful side. I was essentially trying to make the following analogy girls on right: girl on left :: girl on left:prostitute.
Its been a while since I had to do those, but I think I got the format right!

The hijab wearers do not at all have the look of, I wish I could do that. These women likely have the thought, "what a skank!" in their head. I'm not sure why people assume that these women are oppressed and hate their lives and want to wear nothing in public. If you are out and about with your friends, having a good time, and walk past what clearly is a prostitute, you would possibly have the same reaction. Do you wish you could be as free to sell your body for sex? If you do, then wow, but you likely do not.

I wouldn't make these assumptions myself. In fact, I can't imagine any more than a tiny percentage of the women I see with tatoos being prostitutes.

But the fact that the photo provokes this kind of comment would seem to indicate that it's a good photo.

The photographer simply captured a moment and we're all reading our own assumptions into it.

The first woman, is she talking on a cell phone? Was the bikini woman pasted in? Does she look embarassed. Or does she, as you say, look amused and scornfull?

There's really no way of knowing.

In the levant and turkey there are many "aryan looking" people, without dye jobs or contacts. I was born blonde myself, and I'm of turkish/syrian descent.

What ethnicity hasn't marched an army through Asia Minor at some point in the past 3000 years?

I do not look at ladies doing that job been bad but dispert for its reurn, if she could get that return from different way, se would not be so, the Pretty Woman movi is a good example .
Even the profit Issa peace open him, did not call that lady being so and she been corrected, as I am great beleiver in Profit Mahammed Peace Open Him I am also great beleiver in Issa Peace Open Him
Even though, that kind of women job did not come from the west but from China.
I still say the image is good and he elves made the right choice, it is on the front page to improve other members understanding of photography, not there being the best photograph of the week.
I also did learn while in Scotland and England, that when I am in rome I have to do what the rome do and not other wise, I did respect that and still do but in return the same apply here.

Well asked, Stanley. I think the approach is accurately described as "reading a photo." I did not myself at a casual glance mentally 'see',( kind of myopically true enough) the soaked pants on the younger of the three, and even if I had focused on them, I would not have placed it in the kind of narrative that someone did. My gaze was first on the babe and then the older women, who seemed to be in a nervous embarassed non stare. Reinforced by the downward gaze of beach companions....

Such different takes make this gazer have another ah hah look. For which I am grateful for those POW discussion which precipitate a second look. That it has a kind of richness for discussion makes it interesting. Was there ever a POW consensus , well who wants consensus anway... that about sums it for the undersigned. gs

When I first saw the photo I felt like it was trying to manipulate me but reading this discussion brought this quote from the Australian politician Bob Katter to my mind:

So I guess the photograph is a bit more open than I at first thought it was. Nevertheless it still feels like the photo is trying to force a fairly shallow reading focussed on cultural differences and most people are responding to that.

In fact I see no evidence that the three laughing and smiling women apparently coming up from a wade are even aware of the presence of the bikini clad woman heading down, let alone judging her or otherwise projecting themselves onto her. To be honest I think it is quite a cute photo with the two younger physically attractive women slightly apart and the older happy women providing a glimpse of the future. I really like all four of these women. Maybe I am naive but I see nothing but cultural harmony and for me the photo emphasises our common humanity.

the documentary aspect of this image prevails over the photo qualities. The composition is not optimal, but in this situations one has to react quickly and there is not enough tome to think about composition . A nice testimony of our globalized world.

excellent timing
very good

Lex (perpendicularity consultant) Jenkins
"And I wonder if he's ever had a day of fun in his whole life"

This Day is the Very First Day of the three days Aid in the Arabic and Islamic Countries. it is a day where we exchange best wishes of blessings, health,happiness,and sincere regards. I would like to take this opportunity to offer my best wishes of health ,happiness ,and prosperity to all those who contributed to this site,members and staff, and may the blessings of the unseen would frame all of the photo.net contributors with care and excellence. Stay well,fine and happy as long as there is a black box capturing a thread of soul.
You have made my Aid a triple one,Tow by the positive comments,and one by the negative one if there is any,and I am not ashamed to say I am happy.

Is this one shot, and not a collage? If it is, where is the shadow for the girl in the bikini? Please clarify.

This photo works well on contrasts, natural,cultural, and humanity differences. It looks like a juxtaposition, but the ground form is deceptive. The clothed women are going up, the bikini woman is going down (her shadow is before her behind the earth fold) . As a matter of fact they are walking in different direction literally and metaphorically.

I think it is a very good timing, strong color contrasts , and a mirror of cultural differences. It is a message said in one frame, but contains much more than 1000 words.
Congratulation Saad.

This image is a fantastic creation of humanity infinite posibilities. Two complete oposite scenarios, men dress as women and a bikine beauty provides for fabulous story about what we can create with out ideas and feeling. Why will man dress as women in the side of the world so much. And I just find out that in Cina and the other side of the world is reverse, Women dress as man more often! I feel this image sends an strong messa of infinate posibilies for us all! Congrats Saad! Warm regards.

The Elves got it right for making this their choice for PHOTO OF THE WEEK FORUM....the cultural differences between two worlds is well expressed in this picture..... good job Saad....... now having said that, I will add that the gentlemen who used the word "prostitute" to describe the lady in the bikini knew exactly what the word meant and the irony of his use of that word to me is that in his culture that is dominated by men, ie being a patriarchal society, that real prostitutes can be found in every major city of the Muslim world, and a large number of Muslim men visit these prostitutes starting at an early age. There maybe those that will deny this, but I have been told this by both a Sunni Muslim and a Shiite Muslim, from two different Middle Eastern countries.
The fact that this photo has inspired so many to comment, is evidence of the power Mr Saad Salem's photo has on people. THAT is what photography is all about..... again great job ....

Well, it must have SOMEthing interesting; it sure has stirred up a lot of talk!

It's really silly to think that the "native women" and the bikini-clad woman aren't aware of each other. Five seconds prior, ten seconds prior, maybe even one minute prior, they all at the very least saw each other. They would have to, at the very least, acknowledge each others' existence if they have any intention of successfully navigating from point a to point b. It's clear that at some point they were walking head on. And while we're on the topic of cultural differences, it might help not to make so many assumptions. Why are we assuming the bikini-wearing woman wasn't originally of the same religion/faith as the others and just converted or gave it up all together? Why are we assuming she is a visitor and doesn't just live 20 miles down the road? Just because she's white, tattooed, and in a bikini doesn't mean she's from another country. Otherwise, half of the Americans I see everyday must not have been born in the US. That would be like saying all the African-Americans living in the US, who have extensive family trees in the US, aren't actually Americans. THAT'S SILLY! Look past race, tattoos, and clothing.