Day four already! Taking up this challenge has got me thinking about my photos as more than a record of where I’ve been, what I’ve done and who I’ve met. Looking at some of my photos has been a tad frustrating – I’ve wished I could step in to the image and move the lens a little to the left or right , for the sake of a better line. Sometimes, I wish my focus was just a little sharper, or that I’d mastered the flash a bit sooner. Actually, that makes it sound as if I’ve got it mastered – I don’t! Not at all! But at least I now know that it pays to remove the glare protector when I’m using the flash. (Yes, that’s the reason, I haven’t included any flash photography in this challenge!)
Today’s two photos are of two different women with very different attitudes to their work and the camera.
This young woman didn’t have time to stop or look up. She might have shredded a mountain of bamboo already but there’s a mountain still waiting.
Woman shredding bamboo at Luang Prabang morning market
This weaver kept her children close by. Weaving is slow and laborious work but for her, that day, there was time for a laugh.
Woman and her family from near Luang Namtha enjoying a joke
Pommepal from gypsy life: Taking time to see the details invited me to join the Black and White 5 day challenge. Check out Pommepal’s photos from day four. For her it’s all about people, too.
There are only two rules for this challenge:
1. On 5 consecutive days, create a post using either a past or recent photo in B&W.
2. Each day invite another blogging friend to join in the fun.
My fourth nominee for this challenge is “Y” over at Priorhouse blog. She’s a constant source of encouragement about all things blogging. And when I first got my camera she gave me top advice. Advice, which now, I realise, was all about encouraging me to develop a photographer’s “eye”. Not only is she a photographer she often posts about music and art. In fact, she introduced me to the artist Georgia O’Keefe, who somehow hadn’t made it on to my radar until “Y” posted a series early last year. Thanks again for opening my eyes, “Y”!
Categories: Laos
Jill's Scene 
Well I thought I left a comment and a like here – but neither were here when I came back – but Jill – a red jacket huh? I bet that photo looks way different in color – but the b & w version also makes me feel the three large round dishes for her bamboo – the contrasts throughout are so rich. and what I thought I said originally (is it a comment that went to the lost sock world) well the joke capture really grabbed a nice mood ❤ ❤
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Oh, Yvette, I wonder what happened. I’ve checked my spam folder and its not there – gremlins in the system perhaps? Thanks for taking the time to comment twice. In the first photo the light does fall on those three dishes and draws the eye to them, it emphasises the size of her job. In the colour photo that doesn’t stand out at all.
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oh well dear Jill – no pressure – but now I am really needing to see the colored version… 🙂
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Excellent subjects Jill. I was actually surprised at how well people translated to b&w, seems to put the focus onto the person. I love how you have got the composition in the first one with the produce all leading to the woman and her looking down completes the circle, I think it would not be so good if she looked up. Where as the second one you have caught at the precise right moment with the young central boy making eye contact and the others looking away, it is intriguing to wonder what they are looking at and laughing about.
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I was surprised about how well the portraits worked in black and white, too. Thanks for the very useful feedback on the photos. I’ve looked at them more closely. The family group photo is one of my favourites from the whole trip. They were laughing at John’s attempts to speak Laos.
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It is a lovely photo Jill and one I would cherish for the memories too.
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These are great choices for B&W. I really like the first one. I am guessing that the woman might have been lost a bit in the color version.
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Thanks, Dan. You’re right about that. Although, in the first photo the jacket she’s wearing happens to be red which saves her from being completely lost. But in the black and white version her face is more noticeable which shifts the emphasis of the photo from the market to her.
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