Feet Anchored, a photo from Provence-Alpes-Cote-dAzur, South

Photographer's Note

Pétanque (French pronunciation: [petɑ̃k]; Occitan: Petanca [peˈtaŋkɔ]) is a form of boules where the goal is, while standing inside a starting circle with both feet on the ground, to throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet (literally "piglet") or jack. It is also sometimes called a bouchon (literally "cork") or le petit ("the small one"). The game is normally played on hard dirt or gravel, but can also be played on grass, sand or other surfaces. Similar games are bocce and bowls.

The current form of the game originated in 1907 in La Ciotat, in Provence, in southern France. The English and French name pétanque comes from petanca in the Provençal dialect of the Occitan language, deriving from the expression pès tancats [ˈpɛs taŋˈkats], meaning "feet together" or more exactly "feet anchored".

We are now back from a short holiday in France and I took this picture in Cucuron. We went for a walk and an hour later I took another picture here. The same men were still playing!

jhm, jlbrthnn, boa, Budapestman, Sonata11, Royaldevon, Graal, tyro, ktanska, Kielia, macjake ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

lousat (138521) 2012-10-01 8:33

Hi Gunnar,people of the south of France and the ligurian coast is crazy for this game,a magnificent idea to dedicate a pic at this theme,great pic whit perfect timing and exposure for the best details,i like it!Have a nice week and thanks,Luciano

snunney (130967) 2012-10-01 8:39

Hello Gunnar,
Great capture of this petanque player. Captured at just at the right moment and well placed in the frame.

jhm (211734) 2012-10-01 8:40

Hello Gunnar,

Also in Belgium becomes much pétanque played, almost in all the homes.
You took these man on a very well moment, excellent pose.
Also the ball is presently splendid in image
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice new week,
John.

eldancer1 (36343) 2012-10-01 9:13

Great timing and good action shot. Nice catch of the ball in the air. Good lighting and dof with nice details. Well done, tfs.

serp2000 (47063) 2012-10-01 9:20

Good evening, Gunnar,
"Learning the world through photography" Good contribution to this conception! An interesting note and very good capture of the moment. TFS!
Regards,
Serghei

wolf38 (30) 2012-10-01 9:26

Hi Gunnar. I always admire the enthusiasm of these athletes. Even here in my hometown of Kassel I see the players happy. I like how you captured the dropping of the ball with the camera. Well done. Rgds, Wolfgang.

jlbrthnn (76043) 2012-10-01 9:32

Hello Gunnar,
This is a "sport" typically French, especially in the south of France. You captured a nice gesture, with the ball levitating above the ground. The light and colors are excellent. Bravo.
Have a nice day
Cordially
Joël

holmertz (101880) 2012-10-01 10:30

Hej Gunnar,
Jättesnygg bild. Mannen i röda tröjan är bra placerad en tredjedel från höger och det väl fångade klotet hänger i luften en tredjedel från vänster. Hans kroppsställning och höjda arm förmedlar koncentration och rörelse. Ljus, skärpa och färger är förstås också bra.
Hälsningar från Turkiet.
Gert

boa (8039) 2012-10-01 13:27

Hej Gunnar,
ni verkar ha haft en härlig semester(Syd Frankrike är en av mina favoriter). Bra fångat ögonblick, absolut i rätt ögonblick när kulan har lämnat handen. Jag gillar också ljuset och den iögonfallande röda tröjan. Bra foto!
Hälsningar
Boa

Ps. Jag blev inspirerad av den här bilden och mitt nästa bidrag blir nog ett foto med rött inslag:)

Fis2 (169589) 2012-10-01 13:46

Witaj Gunnar!
Curious scene, excellent moment.
Good frame and colors.
Well done.
Best regards
Krzysztof

Budapestman (82620) 2012-10-01 15:48

Hi Gunnar,
a superb photo of this interesting game, the composition is attractive, the timing is excellent, Tfs! Have a nice week! Kellemes hetet kívánok!
György

Royaldevon (85576) 2012-10-02 1:05

Hello Gunnar,

It is a great game to play, and to spectate.
I am not surprised to find that the participant is dressed in red. We may joke about you always finding someone attired in this way, but it does add vivacity to your photographs! A fine moment to take the shot; it reveals the concentration and the action. Your shot, as always, is very well composed, the focal figure strongly placed.

Have a lovely day,
Bev :-)

mjdundee (4663) 2012-10-02 2:18

Hej Gunnar,

Cool action shot. I like his concentrated view and the slight blur of his hand showing much fingertip senseitivity and his artistic body balance.
Well captured spirit from southern France. TFS
Thomas

rychem (72187) 2012-10-02 10:22

Interesting shot with the frozen flight of the ball, great timing, well seen
regards
Ryszard

chrisvek (7003) 2012-10-02 14:35

Hello Gunnar

Very nice shoot with superb details.Great lightning management.Also perfect POV.Well done!TFS

Have a nice day
Chris

Nicou (193806) 2012-10-02 23:21

Hlelo

Fantasitquem captage de ce lanceur de boule quelle compo à l'exellent moment la boule est partie poour le point et ce rouge, cette position avec la mais, sueprbe compo.
Braov et amitié
Nicou

Graal (103040) 2012-10-02 23:36

Hi Gunnar,
fine caught gesture here and moment. An interesting reportage, also complementary WS. Well comment and photowork.
Have a nice day.
Aleksander

tyro (30513) 2012-10-03 1:41

Hello Gunnar,

What an interesting note you have given us: I suppose that I actually thought that these games were much older than just from last Century - I thought that people had been playing these simple games for ages.

I like the pose of this man (wearing bright red, of course) as he throws his ball with a look of deep concentration upon his face. The ball, of course, is perfectly placed in the frame - you must have a very quick shutter finger to capture that moment so perfectly!

Lovely colours (especially red) and excellent sharpness - a brief moment in time perfectly caught!

And your additional photograph shows a much more relaxed atmosphere, the three men standing pondering the layout of the balls on the ground - quite a contrast to your main picture!

Excellent!

Kind Regards,

John.

ktanska (44416) 2012-10-03 4:38

Hej Gunnar,
His concentration gives a clear idea of serious sports. I don't know if that is a case, at least my petanque games tend to just fun with friends. Well timed shot. Red shirt brings colour to mainly grey scene.
Kari

Kielia (24077) 2012-10-03 9:02

Dear Gunnar,
what a nice document of a lifestyle! It is - of course - the red shirt that catches the eye, but the expression on his face is also remarkable. Very well seen and captured. My compliments also for the notes!
Warm regards
Harriet
By the way: I think that the photos on FB from your holidays in France are also very nice. That was a fruitful trip.

macjake (98256) 2012-10-03 11:27

Hi Gunnar
I've never played such a game, but i'd like to give it a try.
Its an interesting read regarding the history.
as for the photo, its perfect placement of thirds :)
enjoy your day
craig

abmdsudi (95869) 2012-10-04 2:18

Hi Gunnar
The expressive star of the ocasion is at right position in brilliant red. Very good exposure under shade and the obvious drawing attention in with his full concentration coupled by hint of movement is great, and timely shot. So close and effective whilst the eyes hover around. This is just to reflect the local daily life, well taken. TFS
Kind regards

clic (76) 2012-10-04 13:59

Hello Gunnar
Those magicians constantly challenge Earth's attraction on those heavy balls and, of course, they have laser measuring devices instead of eyes!
Thanks for showing this "frozen" action shot featuring the intense concentration!
Cheers.
Robert

Buin (42580) 2012-10-05 23:40

Hallo Gunnar!
Toll, wie Du hier den Schwung und die Bewegung einfangen konntest. Die Lichtflecken um den Spieler, den Du wunderschön im Bild platziert hast, machen die Szene noch interessanter
Zusammen mit deinem hervorragenden Kommentar eine "runde Sache"!
Grüße aus dem nassen Siegen - und euch beiden ein schönes Wochenende!
Frank

CanmoreKevin (2111) 2012-10-08 12:34

Gunnar,
Nice capture. I like the concentration and how the focus of both the player and the photographer really are on the ball.
Kevin

larsy (28) 2012-10-10 7:40

heter det boule eller kallar man det pétanque i Frankrike? Det kräver i alla fall koncentration.

jemaflor (146168) 2012-10-12 2:30

Hi Gunnar,
Taken at the good moment, interesting dynamic rsult, good angle too, tfs.

pajaran (114781) 2015-01-05 12:23

Dobro vece.
Lep pogled i trenutak, interesantan tekst o igri sa istorijom i opisom ...
Dobar trenutak snimka i kontrast, lepo pokazan igrac koji baca kuglu.
Dobar rad, lepo uhvacen trenutak.
Prijatno vece i sve najbolje u novoj nedelji koja je pocela, srecno.
Paja.

Good evening.
Beautiful view of the moment, an interesting article about the history of the game and a description ...
Good time recording and contrast nicely demonstrated a player who throws the ball.
Good work, beautifully captured moment.
Good evening and all the best for the new week which began, good luck.
Paja.