Hostage

good pic

Cant see what's on the floor

The animals in the floor are black iguanas, this kids are their hostage.

 

 

Sorry but I'm not a fan this shot. The children just seem too happy to match the mood of the rest of the scene. Maybe they are thinking about a nice ransom for capturing the lizards? I don't know but it just doesn't blend well.

I like the picture for the reasons Sean (above) does not. I think the incongruous elements are the point. These innocent-looking little boys with their vicious little catch, not to mention whatever plot is at play between the boys themselves. A glimpse of childhood contradictions.

I especially like how the three kids with cheeky smiles are grouped together to the right of the picture. This combines well with the cloaked lizards arranged almost horizontally underneath.

The sunlight (left) disturbs the overall effect of the picture, so in this sense it is technically flawed, but I believe the photograph's strong reportage quality overcomes this.

Well... I know that in Panama iguanas are a delicacy, so I do not know if they want to sell them alive or dead. I do not think that the photo is a contradiction, they are certainly proud of their catch. The problem is that life itself is full of contradictions.

 

Of course, this is from someone who use to catch lizards and make them fight when I was a kid :).

 

I find the shot interesting in the fact that each lizard has its feet bound neatly and a hood over its head. The Lizards are the hostages. The elements of the picture do not go well together. A shot from down by the lizards hooded heads looking up to the kids would have been awesome.

Great; good dynamic composition, lots of ambiguity - look at all the varied interpretations you've gotten. I find it kind of sinister; it resonates with the tensions of the word "hostage". The smiles - kids playing at terrorism - whew! Eerie!

I too like the boys' placement--very powerful, a strong candid sensation when first viewed.

 

However, when you notice the more-formal pose of the boys, the initial reaction and intrigue loses some of its twinkle. A more candid composition/presentation might make it more powerful. ??

 

The content really makes the pic for me. It's one of those photos you just have to see close up. It brings back memories of my childhood. A poor family cheaply renting 100 acres of swamp, pecan grove, pond, bayou, pasture, cow paths, and plenty of chinese tallow and yaupon. What richness. I love the pic for the memories it evokes.

 

I give the photo two-thumbs-up and I would be glad to have it to share from my own collection. Holds a certain mystique for those who know what those boys' smiles could hold.

 

Neat how each of us sees a different facet of this little gem.

 

Thanks for sharing it, Oscar!

You people are funny. You remind me of my high school English teachers, trying to analyze something to death.

Don't get me wrong; I think the picture is great. But it's just a picture, guys!!

Any photo that generates this many comments has achieved the goal of a great photograph - it evokes something from the viewer, be it a feeling, a thought, etc.

 

I agree with Mary Bryson - great job!

Any photo that is able to suck people into it and evokes a response such as this is, in my opinion, is a great shot.

Sandy Ekman Gwynn

 

I think those are one-way plastic tie-downs not cotton strings. They are real pros.

i hadn't noticed that when they switched from the 1-5 rating scheme, to the 1-10, that the ratings i had given hadn't as well. A thousand appologies. I do think this is a great shot. 8-9 not 3-4

Great subject matter. Would like to see a series of these.

finally a relevant picture here on photo.net. I didn't expect such thing here anymore.

The only thing I do not like about this pic is the cropping of the childern's heads. On the upside you captured the mood perfectly and there's a story behind the picture. What more could we ask for? Thumbs up!

This is a marvellous photograph! From the "littlun" holding the catapult, to his protective big brother and their twelve hostages (many without tails, from previous escapades!), this image really captures the essence of childhood as it should be. I think the light really works well; Im less sure about the flare. The way the boys are looking beyond the camera also works very well; it adds a certain tension to the air -- I suppose its a feeling of anticipation; "Who is that coming in the door? Not mum I hope, cause she thinks lizards are dirty, but if its dad well tell him all about it!" I also like the formality of the shot, but then I do tend to like formality in place of the candid moments that photography has such difficulty portraying without the processes of photography getting blatantly into the image -- things such as composition, depth of field, etc. Great shot!

!!!

Thanks four ur critique