'The Public Hanging'

A man, right, hangs from an improvised bar in the middle of Kyiv,

Ukraine's main park-like street, while a second man shows on a

watch/clock the gathering crowd the length of time the man has been

hanging in a public contest to see who can hang from that bar the

longest. A prize seems to have been offered for the longest 'hanger',

and the best times were less than three minutes at best. Your

ratings, critiques and observations are invited and most welcome. If

you rate harshly, very critically or wish to make a remark, please

submit a helpful and constructive comment; please share your

photographic knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks!

Enjoy! john

Yes, I know, the size of the clock/watch being held by this mini-event's timekeeper is absurdly small even for a relatively small but gathering crowd.

That's just the nature of things in Ukraine.

One 'makes do' with what one has in Ukraine, and money is in short supply -- goods are not especially in short supply, but money to buy them among ordinary Ukrainians is restricted.

The scene is in front of Ukraine's main post office in Kyiv on the most fashionable street in Ukraine, shut down for pedestrian use on a weekend day within the last year as it is every weekend and holiday.

john

John (Crosley)

Yes, the small clock is indicative of the lack of disposable income amongst the ordinary people of the Ukraine.  But how it makes them resourceful in finding amusement and entertainment from a relatively simple structure and ingenious participatory game.  No X Boxes or Ipads required!

 I like your perspective and angle here, it includes every essential element to appreciate the proceedings.

Best Regards

Alf

This is an object lesson in how to construct a photo from almost nothing and fill the frame, which is an essential element in trying to make a good photo.

Essential is the foreground man's (the timekeeper's) outstretched arm, holding the small watch/clock; it provides a helpful diagonal for compositional purposes and also leads the viewer's eye into the frame, ensuring the photo is multi-planar (see hand, arm, man, hanging man and background onlookers, front to back, and left to right).

You are right about your explanation of the values in Ukraine -- it's 'make do' for many, but not all as some have fabulous wealth, and everybody has some nice clothes, even if they have to share the nice sweater with mom, as one beautiful model told me.

Also, this photo really 'tells a story' which is a main reason it was chosen, and it's among the first, and in later shooting I could not get anything nearly as good and should have just stopped after this one.

Thanks for participating and sharing your thoughts; I'm indebted.

john

John (Crosley)

Also, thanks for the compliments about giving all the elements to appreciate the proceedings -- that's something I 'aim for', and which often can be deceptively hard to achieve in a worthy and viewable photo.

john

John (Crosley)

Drew Bayless,

I'm delighted this pleases you.

You're always welcome here.

Thank you so much.

john

John (Crosley)