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Watching the Dancers
Watching the Dancers
OmanOtter


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2008-03 (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Canon EOS-30D
Lens: Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Location: Bukha, Musandam Peninsula, Oman
Date: Mar 13, 2008
Aperture: f6.3
ISO: 800
Shutter: 1/100
Galleries: Candid, Wedding
Date Uploaded: Mar 31, 2008

Copy original. Save as PSD. Open. Increase saturation. Magic wand - decrease brightness (done 5X). Save. Flatten Image. USM. Save. Re-size. USM. Save as JPEG.

Statistics
Place: 295 out of 500
Avg (all users): 5.5342
Avg (commenters): 5.7500
Avg (participants): 5.4466
Avg (non-participants): 5.7442
Views since voting: 725
Views during voting: 224
Votes: 146
Comments: 12
Favorites: 0


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AuthorThread
04/10/2008 01:30:07 AM
Originally posted by colorcarnival:

I wish you had included a story with this (even tho now I have scrolled down and read your comment). It could have been a cultural learning experience for some of us :) I gave this a 6 during the challenge because I thought there was something interesting going on because of the men all looking in the same direction. So the title helped me understand some but without the title, I don't know what's going on. I loved the perspective and the natural lighting of this. I also think it's funny that one of the men down the line is sneaking a glance at you. I like this mostly because you are showing something that I have never been witness to in life. Thanks for doing that.


Thanks; although I'm not sure how you would go about including a story in a challenge. What I find most difficult about taking pictures at Omani weddings is that I'm the only person taking pictures and I'm a stranger. At both of the weddings I've been to, I only knew one person - and it wasn't even the groom (or bride). So there I am, a foreigner and a stranger and taking pictures of people who don't know me and I'm the only one doing it! It makes me a little uncomfortable. I'm sure I could do a better job if I wasn't self-conscious and could take my time.

Message edited by author 2008-04-10 15:59:13.
04/09/2008 11:24:44 PM
I wish you had included a story with this (even tho now I have scrolled down and read your comment). It could have been a cultural learning experience for some of us :) I gave this a 6 during the challenge because I thought there was something interesting going on because of the men all looking in the same direction. So the title helped me understand some but without the title, I don't know what's going on. I loved the perspective and the natural lighting of this. I also think it's funny that one of the men down the line is sneaking a glance at you. I like this mostly because you are showing something that I have never been witness to in life. Thanks for doing that.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/09/2008 11:09:17 PM
I haven't read what the others have said yet.
There's a lot of potential for this scene because the subject matter is interesting. A better shot may have been made by stepping out a few feet (probably onto the plastic - which would have been rude, no doubt ;-)), and concentrating on just a few of the gentlemen.
Too bad about the knee and the leaning wall. ;-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/09/2008 12:16:41 PM
I agree with impilot, I think this needed a much tighter crop. The colors are rally nice, and the expressions are good. The plastic (?) on the right side is very distracting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/08/2008 08:22:41 PM
I think this really needs to be cropped to remove the blown out upper right corner. At that point, I then looked at cropping the bottom to remove the knee. Yes, you loose the sword, but to me that is the only significant detail. I find that crop much more pleasing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/08/2008 06:15:44 AM
You've had the excellent opportunity to witness occasions that the rest of us will never see, and I really appreciate you sharing what you've captured with us. I like looking at this - to see the range of faces and expressions, the slight variations in dress. I read your response to Sara's comment and appreciate the additional information. I'd already guessed the guy with the sword was the groom (that and the black robe gave it away) and since I'd seen shots you've done of Arabic weddings before, was not surprised by the lack of a bride. Love the low evening light and the way it lights the faces. As for DPC score, Surf points out some things that might increase the score - you may want to try a different crop, a bit of shadows/highlights to see what you get. But I do like this - I like the use of photography to simply share events and peoples, and this does that nicely.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/08/2008 03:02:25 AM
Hi Sean, here's a critique for you...
It's a pity this shot relies on it's title to explain what they are doing. The photo itself makes me wonder why these men are sitting there. There's a range of people and expressions, but they look a little bored. On the RHS, I would crop off the end of the row, and remove the blown-out highlight in the background. The backlighting gives a nice rim-light to define some outline points of each face. Some shadow adjustment in photoshop would help to bring up the rest of the faces to see their expressions better, and this would really help the viewer connect with the subjects. The overall photo looks a little crooked, and this might also be helped by cropping the RHS, so the eye has no reference to know it's crooked. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/08/2008 12:29:42 AM
Originally posted by SaraR:

To my very western eye, this is a truly interesting photograph. I love the mixture of expressions you have captured, and the exposure of the white kandooras is spot on - the only negative is the brown trousered knee that has crept in to the left of the frame.


Thanks Sara. Yes, I agree about the knee, but couldn't do anything about it. I haven't heard the term kandoora before. We call them dishdashas in Oman. This was taken at a wedding in the very northeastern tip of Oman - on the Musandam Peninsula on the shore of the Strait of Hormuz - in a small village called Bukha. Because that location is (like Alaska) geographically separated from Oman proper, and because of its proximity to the United Arab Emirates, many of the people there dress more like Emiratis than Omanis. The groom (in black) is dressed in traditionally Omani attire - note the turban - as are a few of the rest. Most of them, however, are dressed as Emiratis. Some of them, in fact, are Emiratis. Many of the people in this area have left Oman for better economic possibilities in the UAE. In any case, it was fascinating to get to be a part of this wedding.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
04/06/2008 02:53:58 PM
To my very western eye, this is a truly interesting photograph. I love the mixture of expressions you have captured, and the exposure of the white kandooras is spot on - the only negative is the brown trousered knee that has crept in to the left of the frame.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/04/2008 11:54:57 PM
Energy/Range/Story: 6/6/6
Composition/perspective/manner: 6/6/5
Aesthetics/Technical:6/6
Presentation: 6
Total:5.9
Vote: 6

Remarks: Perhaps due to one viewers unfamiliarity with both setting and subject(s), the image holds a photojournalistic interest. I'm looking forward to the dancers. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/03/2008 09:50:44 AM
Nicely done, Just need to see the dancer somewhere (title) we have no clue at what there looking at.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/01/2008 11:08:18 AM
I would've loved to see the dancers as part of the composition,
is it Bahrain by any chance?
Regards,
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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