Marigolds Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Marigolds were first discovered by the Portuguese in Central America in the 16th century. They introduced these flowers to Europe and India. Marigolds are now widely cultivated in the sub-continent. In Delhi, which is one of the centres of the flower trade in India, flowers are brought in from all over the country. A major centre of marigold production is the Calcutta region.

Marigolds were well known and valued by ancient people in South Asia. Their golden colour was considered to resemble the colour of the Arya, or honourable people. It was used to demarcate special spaces like pavilions and to line sacred fire-pits or kunds in which ceremonies were performed.

The bright orange and red colours of marigolds are seen everywhere in daily life of the Indian sub-continent. They are mainly decorative plants and the flowers are used in all kinds of ceremonies including weddings. They are made into garlands and are offered to the gods and honoured guests, or used to decorate the biers of the dead. They stud cowdung balls which are used to decorate rice-powder drawings. In folk-art of eastern India they are dried and powdered to produce a yellow colour used to decorate village homes. Essential oils are also extracted from marigolds for perfumery.
-info from plantcultures.org

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akg, InasiaJones trouve(nt) cette note utile

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akg (153) 2009-08-24 9:43

Hello Wanda,
nice colourful composition of the flower shop and surroundings. This necessarily brings a slice of India!
I like this.
TFS, abhijit.

aadilj (17950) 2009-08-24 21:43

Nice vibrantly colourful shot Wanda with that verve and crowd of an Indian street. You do this so well.
btw...is that a new image on the profile? Its worth posting as well!!!

InasiaJones (20637) 2009-08-25 1:57

Bonjour Wanda!!!

Perfectly calibrated shot in terms of exposure. Excellent street scene where everyone fits in the frame (I hate it when you see half-people cut by the frame).

These street scenes is something you have in common with Caleb (although both of you have your own style) and it's one of your most natural and spontaneous way of working.

It is also one of the reason I have been attracted by your work since the beginning, because I really like the feeling of "being there", watching a whole scene pass-by, without the impression of intruding. This approach isn't something I do very often, but I like the result very much. You have an excellent eye to isolate an interesting "photographic window" within a global scene.

You didn't told me if you were able to fix the problem with the 5D - white balance - but after PP, your colours looks perfectly natural.

When I will wake up, there will be only 3 dodos left... :-P)

André
XXX

Waylim (11025) 2009-08-25 11:54

Hi Wanda,
For some reasons, I feel a lot of love and sensitivity in Andre's comment.
Okay, back to this photo. I do love the very casual daily life scene, very unintrusive. Not one is looking as if you are an invisible observer, which is the way I like the daily life scene, spontaneous and natural. Marigold is among one of my favorite flower, it is not elegant like orchid, not beuatiful like roses, not classy like iris, but cheerful with brillant colors and it is so common where I grew up, and therefor it is very nostalgic and sentimental to me. I grow them here in my new home to remind me of old home country. Lovely shots. Thanks so much.
Way

dvlazar (6488) 2009-09-03 18:19

A nice scene from north india.
THe flower markets are always buzzzing with atmosphere and people.
Good daily life...
DAve