Important green leaves Photo

Photographer’s Note

Betel leaves for sale in a market in Shillong, Meghalaya state. Betel plays an important role in the daily life of a lot of Indians. Pieces of the leaves are wrapped around slices of areca nuts and slaked lime (calcium hydroxide). Often some spices and maybe tobacco are added. The areca nuts stimulate salivation and colours the saliva red. After many years of daily chewing of betel, your teeth are also stained red.
Betel is used as a mild stimulant and is also regarded as a breath-freshener.
Meghalaya, situated between Bangladesh and the Indian state of Assam, is one of several small states in the remote north-eastern corner of India dominated by ethnic minorities. Most people here look distinctly "non-Indian". While in Shillong I had many reminiscences of Burma, from people's faces as well as the traditional architecture.

fanni, saxo042, bukitgolfb301, patdeph, Glint trouve(nt) cette note utile

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jasmis (50901) 2009-03-23 1:49

Important photo showing local market. Fine educational note.
Regards.

fanni (8811) 2009-03-23 2:05

Hello Gert,
I have never seen betel leaves in reality :) I thought they had a different shape.
Interesting, almost a documentary photo. I like the "action" captured in this scene. A true daily life scene! I like such photos :)
I gotta go to work now. Have a nice day!
Best regards,
Elena

saxo042 (16182) 2009-03-23 2:28

Hej Gert,
Very attractive colours and a very interesting note. I like this POV where you get a good line of heads along the picture. Did you taste betel?
Hälsningar
Gunnar

bukitgolfb301 (4907) 2009-03-23 4:14

Hello my dear Gert

This photo illustrates how chaos it is In India indeed, I like that atmosphere. I think your usage of wide focus angle was success to express the real situation.

Best regards and thanks for my sharing
Takero

vincz (19045) 2009-03-23 6:22

great composition with the coloured blanket in the front. It enhances the green of the leaces in a very nice way.

patdeph (18270) 2009-03-23 9:49

hello Gert
this is a very nice daily life scene,where the shawl of the woman in the foreground and the leaves bring some superb colours!This is very well framed,and thank you for your intesting note!
Regards
Pascale

molla (6891) 2009-03-23 11:03

Hej Gert,
I don't know why but there is something Latinamerican over this image, maybe the blanket over the womans shoulder. the leaves makes the image very flat in away I like a lot.
Anders

Glint (3052) 2009-03-23 15:40

Hello Gert,
here you have a frame filled with vibrant colour and lots of intersting detail.The top right corner is a little distracting but it would not have been easy for you to crop it out.
Bev

emka (22177) 2009-03-23 16:27

Hi Gert, Betel leaves - nicely packed. The women look like from Thailand or Burma indeed. I have never seen the betel leaves - only the consequences of its chewing - awful. Very interesting scene.

Regards
Malgorzata