Intense..

Smoke pause!This lady was walking along the country road with a heavy load and took a break to puff on a kretek cigarette,Salutations-Laurent

An interesting and well captured portrait Laurent. I'm curious what is a kretek cigarette?..............Holger

Laurent, I really like this image. It has an organic feel, and the detail etched in the subject's face and hands reveals a life of hard work and almost constant exposure to the sun. One small nit - several small areas of highlights seem somewhat blown out to me. (Of course, it could be just me.) - - Best, michael

Holger...Thank you kindly.The kretek cigarette is made from a blend of tobacco and cloves,plus some others local flavors;it was originally produced in Indonesia and has the favor of the majority of smokers in that country.Salutations-Laurent

Hi Michael..and thank you for your take on the interesting lady in the photo.I came across her on a back road and stopped to see if she would to let me take a few shots and she agreed.She dropped her heavy load on the ground and I offered water and the always appreciated cigarette which she lit up instantly.It was midday and the sun is always strong/harsh in Indonesia and at that particular time of day and I should have noticed the blown out spots when I cropped it in PP...I guess when I dig out these old prints,I get taken back for the memories and forget the basics.Salutations-Laurent

Laurent, who are you kidding? You may have overlooked one small aspect of the image, but you never forget the basics! - - Best, michael

Michael...This is one of my favorite amongst the large collection I have of my time in Indonesia but I find other nits with it, the most flagrant one being the absence of light/glint in the eyes as with many of these images and that is my fault as I could not bring myself to use the fill flash at close range in the face of total strangers who were generously letting me shoot away in encounters that lasted but a few minutes....not that I didn't have the time but because they had to get on with the vital chores in which they were engaged.The one good thing about PN(even in this handicapped version) is that it allows me to travel back in my files and share photos which originally were never intended to leave the albums on my shelf.Glad for your kind appreciation of these.Salutations-Laurent