Girl on traditional Mekong Delta rowing boat, Chau Doc

This photograph was taken on a small, traditional Vietnamese rowing

boat in Chau Doc in the Mekong Delta. I wanted to create a dynamic

composition involving the different diagonal lines - the oars, the

boat, the horizon and even the girl herself. I used slow-sync flash

to blur her hands as she pulled and pushed the oars. I also used

ambient exposure compensation to darken the sky by 2/3rds of a stop.

Her face is not sharp, but I don't mind as it was not my intention to

take a sharp photo but rather one that conveyed what it was like to

travel on one of these little boats. Your coments would be

appreciated.

NB To take this shot, I had to lie down on my back on the bottom of

the boat and point the camera up at the girl. I wanted to shoot at

17mm, but that would have meant including my (bent) knees in the

shot, so I had to settle for 20mm. There was so much water entering

the boat that by the end of one roll of film I was soaking wet!

Nigel,

Nice shot.

I may be a bit biased as having been SE Asia lots I know what goes into trying to nail an image down... bottom of a wet boat and all!

It looks as though it was quite late in the day..

and on a rather overcast day.

The composition is dynamic with the diagonals... but somehow I am wanting a different face/look for the girl...

Though I know that sometimes that is pie in the sky...

The colors are nice if you could just dial in that sky and maybe some more fill on the flash..

but the rear curtain sync is a nice move for the feeling and motion

I wonder how much is this could be improved by bumping levels and curves say in Phsop.

Of course that would take it down a whole diff. road.

Much appreciated that you posted this with the explanation... far too many 'snapshots' on this net with little more than a cliche sunset or an absurd shot a someones grandchild... film done up at the one hour lab.

So yeah.. very cool.

YIKES!!!!!!!!!!

I just checked out your portfolio..

super cool travel shots!

hats off to you! very well done.

where's my camera?!!?!?

how fast can I get plain ticket?!?!?!

EXCELLENT!!!