Masai

I rather like the photo. There is a surrealistic feel about it. They seem like actors on a stage. To my eye this is not a documentary image as an artistic one. The absence of surround focuses the eye strongly on the dynamic of figures. The figure on the right balances the group well. I rather like the contrast of the active, impassioned discussion of the group and the calm of the figure looking on. The sepia tone does not really add anything pictorially here other than give a nod to the earth tone that seems connected to this tribe of people. It doesn't bother me since all other indications of the local are not shown.

To improve it I would venture to advise to make the figure on the right even larger, more dominant and looming. A detached, anchor of calm in a turbulent discussion group, and to get a bit more detail in the dark group.

As if an ancient Egyptian wall carving of a worshiped sun god Ra or Amun. The animal characteristic elements, a sense of abstract forces in the billowing cape, the contrast between dark hunched silhouettes of people relying on canes for support and the power of free standing figure in the light ivory cape. The overall linear composition, absence of anything that would hint on time, date, location create a ceremonial feel, feel of some knowledge or guidance, power, superiority. A very beautiful and powerful photograph!

@AkexShishin In fact this photograph reminds me of last week's giraffe Photo of the Week. What I said about it applies to this photograph. Tourist photographs are valuable as personal keepsakes. But they are neither great documents or great art.
So you would include the images of Dorothea Lange or Vivian Maier in this generalization? Keepsakes.

There might be a tree or a hay hut that is removed from the BG, (though I personally didn't think so) but the images offers a lot about the Masai, there flat one store land , the far horizon yet the unclear one, the two genders of them differentiated by costumes and clothes colors,their jewellery of both genders,their shoes ,fashions and styles,and their habits in dance.
and here their arrows are replaced by their walking sticks.
I think the only thing missing in this image is the colors of their costumes,and that should be red ,orange and saffron by the definition of the Masai peoples.
Fine choice or POW.
A fine and highly artistic images.

I like the composition very much. It is very simple, natural, organic, and artful. The colour treatment is very well suited to the image, as well. It enhances the impression of travel and distance, somehow.

simple but has alot to view... my Eye travels around the image... love that it's black n white-greytones... makes me question, "who, what, when, and where"... great choice Elves ;)

The person who does not support himself with stick speaks. I guess he is a spokesman of the two women to the right or he is prosecutor/defensor. I guess that we see a serious event and the group will take decisions. I would crop this photo to the aspect ratio Last Supper-like to focus attention on the plot.

Timeless, great photo.

The only constructive comments I have would be perhaps to have moved in a little closer and at a slightly different angle to capture more of the faces on the left, and to straighten the horizon line. But that's nitpicking. This is a great image- well done.

In thinking about this photo I wonder if it does not illustrate some serious thoughts about the people in the photo and their isolation from civilisation? How far they have to come to join the Canikon brigade with their Ipads. Unless it is just a tourist dress-up.

I live in the U.S., but I've traveled and worked in other countries, including developing countries. It was often very difficult for me as an outsider and as a temporary guest in another country to observe significant cultural events with a camera in hand without feeling like I might be interfering or becoming a distraction. I'm sensitive to the "ugly American" stereotype (which is often justified), and I don't want to contribute to that view of Americans. Had I been in Teoman's shoes, I likely would have made this same kind of photograph (although I might have processed it differently). I don't think the option of getting closer or changing my perspective would have been there for me, assuming this is a genuine cultural event in this gathering of Maasai people. Doing street photography in my own country is difficult for me. I find it many times more difficult when I'm visiting another country. It takes a delicate and sensitive touch, with a few gestures or other nonverbal communication, to make it work. I have to view Teoman's photograph with that in mind.

An insightful and sensitive comment and approach to other cultures, and even to our own, which I share.

I would like to see this image from other perspective, where the photographer will bring us a close vision of that ritual or moment, coming us more in contact with Masai .In my opinion in photojournalism/documentary, as the image is, the proximity to the subject is necessary in the majority of cases, the reader must be in" touch" to understand better the ceremony sense. Best regards

incredible picture, I love it. It looks like another time, another world. Simply beautiful

michelle

To test my own idea, I made the right figure larger, opened up the shadows a bit and re-cropped the image. Not bad. OK, I may have gone too far in size with her. Kinda looking like the 50ft woman. I just wanted to see if my own advice would hold up. It definitively changes the feel of the shot. If it was shot a bit closer to her the effect would be more natural than a post manipulation. As Stephen points out, that may not have been possible or appropriate. I'm very good at Monday morning photography.

I think it's good for all of us to be Monday morning photographers, especially regarding our own work. Stepping back from the process, from the difficulties we may have faced, from all the excuses or justifications we can make, and looking at the photo as others will see it (which is normally apart from the circumstances under which it was taken) can be very helpful. Then we assess the photo instead of the taking of the photo.

The important thing is that Teoman can reflect on both his photo and on our comments. Reflecting on one's own photo is a good practice at anytime and I believe we should all do that as a regular process in regard to our own work.

I hope that Teoman has been notified by Photo.Net, as he may not be aware of the selection.

I think I have the opposite reaction in regard to the female figure on the right. Even if she would be made smaller by the angle chosen by Teoman (as she is more or less frozen in her attitude and is not really interacting with the others) it would not take anything away from the more apparent expressiveness of the male Masai.

You have done a wonderful job in transmitting the desert feeling to us. If it were a color photo, we would be concentrating on the clothes etc. But instead the eyes are drawn to the leader with the long white shawl.

Interesting point of view.