Sometimes Two Hands Just Aren't Enough

Sometimes two hands just aren't enough, as this old woman finds

while she goes through her purse on a street in an Eastern City.

Your ratings and comments are invited and most welcome. If you rate

harshly or very harshly, please submit a helpful and constructive

comment/Please share your superior knowledge to help improve my

photography. Thanks! Enjoy! John

Nice seen John.You have to dicide "how.." in a second.A bit "flat." Different angle would have improved. Succes with hunting.

Nice critique.

 

Yes, there's only a second or two to frame a photo such as this and 'get it'. In fact, this instant lasted less than two seconds, at which time she was already framed and I was shooting her from afar so as not to disturb her, then she stuck that thing in her mouth and 'I got it!' -- it made the shot, which otherwise might have been a throwaway. It's not wonderful, but it's unique.

 

It was a hot summer day and I was shooting her with a 70~200 mm telephoto at full extension with a 1.4 teleconverter for a 280mm view with a 1.5 digital crop factor so that makes it a well over 300 mm shot -- plenty far away enough to conceal my identity from her there on that wide sidewalk with my digital camera and APS sized sensor.

 

And the sidewalk behind her was 'hot' (white) and in front of her was in shade, and so shadow/highlight filter was just barely applied to even them out a little, and her face/body are in mixed sunlight through tree branches/leaves.

 

Yes, you only have a few moments to even grab a chance at a shot like this, and you take whatever you can get; it will never occur again to probably any photographer with this particular woman, and, judging from her apparent age, she doesn't have too many times left to clean her purse and is lucky to have the mouth coordination to use her mouth as an extra prehensile organ.

 

John (Crosley)

John..,you were explaining, I was reading.. I believe she is gone now..

Who is 'she' who is gone. I saw this woman yesterday. She was walking by, pretty vigorously and somebody said she was a Bumshe -- meaning 'bum' and I corrected the young man, and explained to him about diminishing pensions -- something he didn't know about and he turned to me and said 'you're not a bumshe' but it seems you're a pensioneer -- I'm not actually, but it's my shorthand way of saying to Ukrainians that I don't work for the press.

 

I told him I was from America and things were different in the US and that I mad emoney other ways/she didn't have those ways available.

 

Now what is the 'she' who is gone -- did you remove part of your commment or did someone else?

 

John (Crosley)

 

Edit: 11/20/06 Olaf, now I got it. John

John.., it was humor. While reading your reply.. "she had gone" Do have a good time over there..! Feeling amongst them..! Olaf.

Rarely, but occasionally, communications difficulties arise, and I'll be sure to read your posts with an eye towards that in the future, Olaf.

 

Thanks for posting an explanation.

 

John (Crosley)

Nice capture. In spite of her circumstances, she still is wearing her apron. Guess this was the way of most older ladies as my mother-in-law always wore and apron and carried her purse.

Nice eye. I hadn't noticed that.

 

Good for you.

 

Thanks for adding to my understanding. I'll quote you as an able-eyed observer and note it when explaining this photo.

 

John (Crosley)

Special moment!

Thanks!

 

I dropped some money in her cup(s). Notice she has several! That's her living and she's not about to run out.

 

John (Crosley)