Look with an angle, a photo from Louangphabang, North

Photographer's Note

This is taken in a Hmong village, an hour drive in the hills from Luang Prabang...

Trails of mud, a grey monsoon sky and lush green hilly surroundings led us to the village, just like in any Lao place, I thought I was walking invisible.

No work frenzy like you would see in vietnamese places, no communicating or selling desire as you would expect from most thai villages, no long staring a la indonesian way, no basketball match nor music, it wasn't the Phils.

Hmong people led their peaceful life and left me leading mine, smiles and small chats happened when I came very closely to the houses entrances, like people were welcoming a long time known neighbor, not a curious foreigner. Untold words and quietness felt warmer than any welcome.

There's an atmosphere spreading over you in Laos, something that makes you become part of the country or, even better, a part of the general mood itself in a snap of the hand. A voice saying inside "let it go everything", soon you're taking the special look that makes you peer at the real world not right in front but just an inch aside, as if you were to look at it from a new profile and let your imagination do the rest.

Sometimes things are stronger felt when not faced abruptly, a slight viewing angle will leave your mind wandering and trigger the dreaming process. In a way, Laos is a dreaming generator : it's certainly the best way not to get flooded with reality and to keep your deepest identity.

Laos is often pointed as the most underdevelopped country in promising SEA. I'm wondering whether it's a fact, a choice or even a will : economics are not really the most fertile thing to dream about, I guess... Laos might have as well looked at it, applied their own angle, then decided why loose their identity to it and soon got back to dreaming.

You see these Hmong kids from Long Ban Lao are not looking right at me... they never will, though I was standing right in front. Perhaps the little girl is looking with a slight angle beyond what I am... more certainly I suppose she doesn't care at all...Like a part of the real world, I'm simply invisible...

shutterbug, kikvel, snuggleaphagus, bullybeef53, eleparc, cgrindahl, hispic, greg, Proxilva, MKING, Santi, Curioso, Galeota, sohrab, Michael_Gan, Wolbo, Riz, everlasting, Bogdan, shalin, Scorgit, moxon, lewiz, stefi, KevRyan, nicoz ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

shutterbug (531) 2004-10-03 18:18

Such a sad and touching photo Luko...You speak your mind very beautifully :} Looks great in B&W.

I have added this to my "Unforgettable Expressions" theme.
TFS

~Stacey

kikvel (4784) 2004-10-03 18:27

the girl´s gaze does it all here...

the boys at the back are also complementing the pic.

She may not be looking at you but the blurred boy at her back certainly is...

I like this pic Luko, it is so well done, and it surely has grabbed the spirit of the girl.

K.
The graininess is just perfect!

snuggleaphagus (4146) 2004-10-03 18:35

The sweet and unhurried expression in the child's face mirrors the discription of your note. The stare of the boy in the back is poignant without overpowering the girl's gaze.

eleparc (24063) 2004-10-03 18:57

jaime bcp la compo de ta photo luko mais il y a bcp trop de grain pour mon gout personnel...cela gache un peu mon plaisir ici;-( dommage

wideangle (72) 2004-10-04 3:22

this girl is too young for a expression like this...

merpb (2001) 2004-10-04 5:18

Beautiful image Luko, simple balanced composition Blah Blah!
It just comes down to that wonderful expession, childlike and all knowing at the same time.
Great Work

Darren (6823) 2004-10-04 5:41

This is great Luko, actually one of my very favorite shots of yours. The toning and grain of the TriX are fantastic, I think I will start using my Z-1 and shoot b&w. What I really like, but is not near as easily done as it would appear, is that you have caught all the faces in a tight situation, but haven't got anything jutting in front of them. With this many subjects, that happens so easily. shallower DOF than you often use too and you know that I dig the bokeh. It looks really contrasty (I am using an awful monitor right now), but all within the limits of the film. Good shot.

greg (2835) 2004-10-04 11:06

One cool, one disinterested, one curious, one oblivious. Really an image to remember a long time.

Proxilva (2157) 2004-10-05 6:57

Bonjour vieille vent...
aah grainy tri-X ain't that something we all like.... The face of this little kid is so adult... i think my face looks more childish than hers (when i shaved that is ;))... what i like most in this photograph is the little boy in the back peeking over the shoulder of his sister...

your stealth mode works quite well, but you shouldn't carry your enlightened blue sword on such missions Luko, the boy spotted you!!! :D

MKING (3054) 2004-10-05 10:45

I like the matching pairs of kids here; two looking to the right of the frame, the other two facing towards the camera. There's a generous sense of space here, which adds to that warm and inviting feel; the subjects aren't hunched and backed into a corner but spread out, relaxed in their environment.

---
Your feelings here, expressed both in the text and image, differ from my own in Burma where my (our) presence was almost alienating for the locals. Then again, where we went was more of a hamlet within a city rather than a real rural village...

I also have a roll of Tri-X sitting in my film cupboard next to the bricks of XP2... haven't quite found the right time to use it (might not ever actually; looks like Ilford needs my custom if it's to survive the digital revolution :) )

madska (0) 2004-10-05 12:02

excellent black and white. I never tried TRI-X, i've heard HP5 has smoother grey tones and less grain, but I should give it a try.. you have nice contrast here, amd strong vertical composition... I like the classical touch you give to your pictures (mostly because of the grain).
as a real BW fan, i like your job very much

flydragon (0) 2004-10-05 16:25

Hello Luko
5O mm tri x et un savoir faire ,o)
jolie cocktail pour un résultat parfait
une image une histoire la base d'une catégorie de photo
et bien sur pour moi le WS ajoute le vernis finale
super bravo
dans mes favorites
A+
••simon••

clodreno (0) 2004-10-06 3:41

la note est très intéressante, mais la photo également. J'aime assez la composition classique de cette image. On voit juste ce qu'il faut des enfants à l'arrière plan.
Un classique grace au noir et blanc..
Une belle image avec ce qu'il faut de grain.Elle me donne envie de me remettre au N&B...

j'aimerais retourner au Laos, je m'y suis un peu ennuyé, un peu trop calme pour moi.
Est-ce à cause de mon amour insensé pour l'inde??

maciekda (19895) 2004-10-06 13:55

beautiful picture Luko... there is something in this look. and the background is great, lots of things going on there. and this B&W.. very good.

Curioso (9271) 2004-10-06 16:35

Lumière très belle, de beaux points d'ancrage au premier plan qui permettent d'entrer dans la photo. Un commentaire très instructif et inattendu... J'ai crû reconnaître un peu de l'esprit que j'ai rencontré dans mon expérience africaine.

En tout cas, une magnifique photo qui donne envie de découvrir le Laos.

scalerman (26900) 2004-10-07 16:51

very moving, Leico :), i'll try some BandW because of your inspiration...

RGatward (20108) 2004-10-09 11:12

Great B&W work here Luko, and your note makes me want to go there more than ever, in fact my plan for next April. Pts tomorrow.

nygus (8178) 2004-10-10 12:09

beautiful story from beautiful world. document the places that are fading away

sohrab (7439) 2004-10-12 5:58

wow
im just spellbound by this photograph of your luko. i think this is the one that maciej was talking about when i met him in delhi
this is really really good. i think that the look on the kid in the foreground is a very unusual one. it seems a little too mature for a kid:)
how did you print this one?

Midnight_sun (1941) 2004-10-20 16:24

I like how photos like this just bring villages on the other side of the world to life, with a hint of the hardship they have, given in the look in her eye. i too initially found the grain to be a little strong, maybe on a bigger version it would be too strong.

My eye keeps being drawn to the little girl on the right, i would like to have seen the shot built around her, even cropping out the boy on the right makes her stronger right away. This also serves to increase the maturity of her expression, which is echoed in the face of her sister.

Michael_Gan (2776) 2004-10-29 13:56

Very intrigueing journalistic picture. On the thumbnail the girl's head seemed to be much too big for the rest of her body, but in the large picture it is not the size of her head, but the expression of her face that seems to be "misplaced" (that's not the best expression for it, but I think you know what I mean). Very thoughtful. Excellent work.

everlasting (19680) 2004-11-03 22:28

Beautiful composition, good texture and B&W works well here. I also enjoyed your note. Laos and Laotian are so unspoilt.

markoci (3933) 2004-12-02 10:49

Another great shot! I am just exploring your gallery and I feel very humbled.

There is a certain resigned sadness on the girl's face, reflecting perhaps the tragic history of the Hmong.

Bogdan (205) 2005-01-08 19:28

I would have never forgiven myself for not critiquing this photo !!
I wish i could give you a pertinet comment, like all yours, but i am out of words !!

shalin (135) 2005-01-30 5:14

When you write such notes you have managed to transfer each photographer where this photograph was clicked. I was in your shoes seeing this picture. Don't have words to appreciate this picture and feel it gives. Count me in your big fan list! :)

Scorgit (207) 2005-05-30 14:24 [Comment]

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Captain (514) 2005-09-12 0:17

An excellent portrait. The use of Monochrome enhances the impact of the image. Well done . Ian

moxon (78) 2005-10-17 12:12

This is just lovely. I love the composition and of course the soulful, otherworldly expression on her face. Also the beautiful B/W grains--a refreshing change from all the oversharpened digital pictures that are so popular.

lewiz (1297) 2005-10-31 19:46

This is a beautiful shot, Luko, but I'll admit I wanted to credit you as much for your introductory note.

Very well said... the beautiful dreamy charm of Laos is matched by no other country on Earth.

Thank you.

capca (0) 2006-05-25 15:06

On peut sentir l'ambiance... ils ont presque l'air adultes, c'est profond. Bravo
Mari

stefi (1230) 2006-07-31 7:19

Thank you for this shot Luko, you can say it has been taken in the forties, I think that few has changed from those years.
You have captured a wonderful combintion of moods... It's quite unreal that the the only kid that's looking towards you is on the background, and (great Luko!) blurred in this wonderful bokeh.
One of my favorite shots.
Merci beaucoup,
Stefano

KevRyan (22956) 2006-09-21 13:34

A wonderful note Luko - I love the geometries of it - the human expressions - the gaze of the girl in her own space - the little one interested in yours and the beautiful innocent telling action of the younger child behind.....

One to visit again and again I think....

best wishes Kev

coco (30439) 2009-02-18 1:48

Hi Luko.

Superb portrait.
I cannot understand why only 3400 visits. This is a masterpiece.

Regards.