Double identities, a photo from Mae Hong Son, North

Photographer's Note

This picture is from Mae Sariang, a small town in northwestern Thailand, in January 1973. When I took it, I probably just saw some kids outside a house, now I see the two sides of Thai life: one ordinary "civilian" life, another devoted to religion. The two ordinary boys and the two monastery novices seem to me like mirroring images of each other, one pair facing each other, another turning their backs on each other.
This was scanned fom a Kodachrome slide.

saxo042, pastadog, COSTANTINO ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

JanD (0) 2008-08-21 1:18

Howdy Holmertz!
Very mysterious scene. Good lightness and brightness. Very nice colors. Good POV and composition.
Regards!

pastadog (13111) 2008-08-21 1:23

Yes, Gert, the symmetry, or mirroring, effect is attractive, also the combination, as you say, of secular and religious boys... maybe I would have liked to see some kind of interaction, or expressions, although you have one interesting one here, which catches my eye - the novice resting his elbow with his hand supporting his head... regards, Daniel

Disabled_A (0) 2008-08-21 1:26

Hej Gert,
what a curious and original scene, indeed. Interesting note, too!
I agree with you: this is a photo showing two different lifestyles and, IMHO, two different fates. Though who knows, maybe the boys on the left will become monks one day? and vice versa.. When I was in Thailand, the guide told us that every Thai male must become a monk for a while once in his lifetime. I don't know if it is really true, but this is what I heard.

How often our camera captures something we aren't even aware of, at first! and only later something else is revealed to us when we look at the photo some years later. Work of subconsciousness?...

In my opinion, the composition is great! food for thought :)
thank you and best regards,
Elena

saxo042 (38078) 2008-08-21 1:26

Hej Gert,
A very interesting composition. It looks like the photo was taken at a corner, the persons looking at two different directions, one of each 'kind'. It gives an impression of something happening at two different scenes, makes you wonder what! Very good colours as usual!
Hälsningar
Gunnar

nirvana73 (0) 2008-08-21 1:49

Hej Gert,
nice title
their dress different
maybe their belief same
nobody is uneasy from dress and religion
they are child anyway
good composition
good observation
sorry my bad english
regards
Ozhan

scroller (3451) 2008-08-22 22:04

Hallå Gert,
In some way you are right but in anther not. To me it looks like the two "civilian" boys have some kind of uniform. It could be a school uniform or something like that but it definetly makes the image.
Ha en skön lördag!
/Stefan

Asiulus (1184) 2008-08-26 7:45

How accurate for this twin-dominated shot ;-)Good shot, a moment when things arrange themselves for you to capture - the only problem is, if we are fast enough to catch it...
Best regards
Joanna

kschanna (6) 2008-09-15 0:41

Hello Gert

What a unique opportunity, and the title you give is perfect for this shot. There is a humurous gravity about this shot.

Well done

Regards
Kamran

kevinos (7517) 2008-11-06 11:14

A very ordinary scene. It is a pity that you chose a time, when the faces were turned away from the camera.They are not different sides of life, but the same side, but at different times. Most boys ordain as novices in their 10tht or 11th year. They spend one "pansa" (three months) as a novice.All the boys of the same age group will ordain together.The other two boys look older. Probably the did their noviciate the previous year. next time the novices will be in school uniform and other boys will wear the chivorn..It is an important in culture for all boys to spend one pansa as a novice. Their life is not full of religion, they do have religious lesions, but they go to school,play games and live fairly normal lives.We should not read our interpretations into what we see. regards kevn

jmdias (116579) 2019-11-19 9:59

gert

yes, they serve the monastery for a season, if I remember something about...
nice details of the personages, curiously the monks are more similar with those found nowadays than the other guys.

take care

jorge

Miguel82 (47110) 2020-09-29 4:50

Gert, the two kids on the left wearing school uniforms contrast with the two little monks on the right with their orange clothes. They have chosen two different ways of life. Nice daily life scene. Fine colors, good sharpness, regards.

Silvio1953 (223027) 2021-05-22 8:58

Ciao Gert, nice scene with double couple, wonderful colors, excellent sharpness, fine details and splendid light, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

COSTANTINO (117884) 2021-12-11 22:51