A L O N E . @ . K U M B H A, a photo from Uttar Pradesh, Nord

Photographer's Note

The confluence of India's three holiest rivers, Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, more commonly known as the Sangam was a virtual sea of humanity during the sacred Hindu festival of Ardh Kumbh. At sunrise, hundreds of thousand gathered for a holy dip, strongly believed as a sure way to wash off all sins. But among the multitude, what caught my eye, was this western woman, who somehow managed to find a secluded corner and looked at peace with herself, all alone. She sat on the river bank witnessing with interest a ritual so foreign to her. I did not wish to break her tranquility, instead captured her from a distance.
Kumbh Mela is the festival of wishes. People from every religion and caste are present in the festival in one or another form, saints and sacred performers from every caste are present in the festival. The fair ground takes the shape of mini India. Different types of language, tradition-culture, dress, food, way of living can be witnessed in this festival where millions of people reach without any invitation.

sothy81, sunilshukla, bhorerpakhi, cyrrhus, mattosborne, ALIRIZA, singuanti, ribeiroantonio, eza1701, pablominto, pierrefonds, tcht, veve, syd1946, japiey, prezntime, Serendipity, jhm, keribar, kseng76, Henryk_Bilor, riclopes, robertosalguero, emjleclercq trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

sothy81 (9646) 2007-04-28 9:30

Hi Sabyasachi, nice cpature with her great facial expression. Very momentous. The colors also interesting with white and red. Specifically, her face is fulll of faith... something special in there. IMO, it is a little bit not sharp. THe perspective is just amazing. Sothy

sunilshukla (844) 2007-04-28 9:34

How did she find a place, dat is the mystery! Class of it own in terms of portraiture. The red shawl is a stand out from the da dram bakgrnd.
Sunil

bhorerpakhi (559) 2007-04-28 9:46

This ofcourse is your area Sabya Da. As usual another successful portrait, amar sobche bhalo legeche onar mukher avibyakti ta. Thiki bolechen, ekum santir protimurti.
Poulomi

mattosborne (85) 2007-04-28 10:04

You are one of the best in the business mate, and I look in your gallery to learn something about your wonderful country. I would love to visit your country someday, perhaps with the cricket team. I hope they win the cup today. The contrasting colored cloth and her skin tone looks very good as does her expression.
Cheers
Matt

sabyasachi_d (415) 2007-04-28 11:01

u r really a genious of potrait photography. well done. but where r all the pics from ur manas sarovar trek?? i remember seeing the pics in ur office

sabya(tukai)

melmcree (18) 2007-04-28 11:44

Nice colors in her clothes and she seems to be thinking about something quit intensely. Very nice portrait.

mesutilgim (0) 2007-04-28 12:09

Hello Sabyasachi
Agaian a very nice portrait job. Wonderfull !
Very nice compo.
TFS and have a nice weekend
MESUT ILGIM

photographer123 (6248) 2007-04-28 12:28

hi..
sad portrait...good shot but I think it need some sharpness...anyway well done...subir

ALIRIZA (16423) 2007-04-28 12:48

Hi Sabyasachi,
Very nice portrait, good POV. Great work my friend...
Have a nice weekend...
Ali Rıza

faubry (35447) 2007-04-28 12:59

very beautiful close up portrait with good capture expression, bravo soon
francine

carper (96) 2007-04-28 14:01

a very nice shot, Sabyasachi
the pov is nice, good details in the face good ligh, the dof is good, an eyecontact with the camera was be wellcome here, good photojob and a good weekend.
gr. jaap

scalerman (26900) 2007-04-28 17:05

S: where is this lady from, I wonder? She doesn't look Indian - but she does betray a visage of sadness. Could you sharpen more or would that be overdoing it?

regards,
c

singuanti (15250) 2007-04-28 21:56

Hi Sabyasachi. I was thinking she didn't quite fit in. Seeing this makes me wonder what her story is in regards to how she got there and what she hopes to find. It's perfect how you have just her and nothing else to emphasize her being along. Well done Sabyasachi!

ribeiroantonio (22730) 2007-04-28 23:57

This is an excellent work. With her head covered she looks very respectful and at the same time very emotional. As usual, it is another wonderful portrait which we already got used to see from you. Congratulations.
Antonio

jjcordier (79299) 2007-04-29 2:06

Excellent portrait, tout en délicatesse. Quelle tristesse dans le regard! Tu as su parfaitement transmettre l'émotion que tu as dû ressentir au moment de la photo.
Amicalement
JJ

Silvio1953 (221563) 2007-04-29 3:54

Hi Sabyasachi, fascinatng portrait of this woman with intense expression, splendid light and colors, excellent focus and sharpness, very well done, greetings from Italy, a great week end to you, ciao Silvio

eza1701 (3345) 2007-04-29 4:10

Hi Sabyasachi,

Another excellent compositition with the off-centre composition which works really well. Your title fits the subject perfectly.

Best regards,
Paul.

pablominto (53746) 2007-04-29 5:29

Hello Sabyasachi,
A pleasant portrait, expressing some sadness I think..?
Wonderful light resulting in great colours and details, good skin tones...
A well composed presentation, where simplicity rules!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Charo (51290) 2007-04-29 7:04

Hola Sabyasachi,
Simple pero maravilloso retrato, la cara de esta mujer expresa muchas cosas.
Eres muy bueno con las fotos de las personas.
Excelente trabajo.
Saludos cordiales
Charo

pierrefonds (114422) 2007-04-29 7:54

Hi Sabyasachi,

A nice portrait if this woman lost in her reflection or dream. The phoro has a good composition, sharpness and nice colors. Have a nice day.

Pierre

feather (51130) 2007-04-29 11:14

You captured her in a refective, almost sad, mood. Great DOF with nothing to disturb in the bg. It would be interesting to know her story as she is not in western dress.
Kath

Cormac (26565) 2007-04-29 11:23

Fantastic shot! The close in crop gives this a feeling of intimacy, and the emotion is clearly communicated. Excellent!

tcht (7565) 2007-04-29 11:28

Hi Sabyasachi
a fine close up...you picked an excellent subject and this pic is also very emotional..she seems to be quite sad. interesting to find a western woman there.
Cheers
CheukHin

veve (4189) 2007-04-29 12:33

Hi Sabyasachi,
A wonderful portrait of this woman!
Excellent details in the face!
Superb colors and fine contrast red white!
Great job!
Best regards,
Veronica

syd1946 (1167) 2007-04-29 12:44

Hello Sabyashachi,
The expression in her face is so sad...You are an expert in portraits Saby but in this one you made a great,very great work!
Wishes,
Thomas

ninaL (21348) 2007-04-29 14:25

Hi, Sabyasachi.
I like this simple but wonderful portrait.
You caught an interesting expression of this woman...thoughfull ? Sad ?
Best regards. Grazyna.

japiey (10163) 2007-04-29 19:00 [Comment]

Show Comment

prezntime (3946) 2007-04-29 23:52

Hello Sabyasachi.
A little different shot from you...well, in my eyes. There doesn't seem to be a smile and the colors are subdued. Not that there is anything wrong with that, just noticing the differences...maybe there aren't any and I'm just dillusinal 8?}
Even from the side, her dark eyes are piercing. One can just see some brightness in the gentle curve of her eyelids. An extremely well done use of DOF, another fine portrait for you friend.
Regards,
Chris.

cuneyt-sb (6576) 2007-04-30 2:26

Hi Sabyasachi
Very good portraid and very nice model , she looks sad and unhappy. Good DOF and POV
TFS/Kind regards : ) Later

brevbrev14 (140) 2007-04-30 10:31

Hi Sabya i likea lot the contrast of colours here white and red..
Very good portrait and contrast!
ciao!
Valeria

jhm (211736) 2007-04-30 13:38

Hi Sabyasachi,

Again a nice portrait with a very well model, the headscarf gives a nice contrast, and pose is very well, perhaps not 100% sharpness, this is a small detail. Thanks for sharing.

Best regards,
John.

batalay (41261) 2007-04-30 14:56

Hello Sabyasachi,

There is a wonderfully tranquil feel about this woman, a pilgrim perhaps, deep in thought. But there is also sadness and melancholy. You really are the master of portraits on TE.
Warm regards,
Bulent

Graal (103040) 2007-05-01 3:27

Hi Sabyasachi,
another interesting portrait, well quality and good note. I like it. Good work.
Gr., Aleksander

AiresSantos (56155) 2007-05-01 4:08

Hi Sabyasachi,
Lovely portrait with great colours and light. Excellent focus and very well framed
TFS and greetings from Portugal
Aires

WepWaWet (3798) 2007-05-01 8:09

Hello Sabyasachi,
A very beautiful portrait work.Nice colors and wonderful captured.
Regards,
Seref

keribar (43841) 2007-05-01 12:29

Hello Sabyasachi,

Nice picture of this sad, very sad lady. But by reading your very interesting story I can uderstand why she looks like this
Nice POV and very good DOF in the back - Best regards from Istanbul * Izzet

hay_kes (31439) 2007-05-01 18:09

Hi Sabya,
Very beautiful portrait photo.Great colours and details.Well done.TFS.
Best wishes,

hAyAti

barrufeto_77 (28888) 2007-05-02 5:25

Hi Sabyasachi.

A nice picture. I suppose this woman is wishing something. Maybe peace, who knows.

Anyway, a great capture! Excellent background.

Tc, Oscar

cbrman (21685) 2007-05-02 7:17

Hello Sabyasachi,

Un très beau portrait au couleurs très naturelles !
J'aime beaucoup l'expression indefinisable de cette personne ! On ne sait pas vraiment quel est son sentiment au moment de la prise de vue ! Un cadrage qui donne plutôt l'impression qu'elle pense au passé ! Etrange !

A+

Dominique

prumod (8300) 2007-05-02 8:57

hi sabya...
you've captured her expression nicely... the background really supports her expression!
greetings...

Brian (3) 2007-05-04 1:35

Hi Sabyasachi
Looks like you caught someone off guard.. She looks very dissapointed in my opinion. Almost sad. Great capture.

kseng76 (144) 2007-05-04 3:12

Again you have come up with a gem of a portrait..the soft lighting blends with the mood of this woman..great note to go with..
3 cheers
kaushik

Henryk_Bilor (20803) 2007-05-08 15:48

Hi Sabyasachi
Nice face with tired eyes... Good capture witha nice depth of field and colours.
Regards

Angshu (56760) 2007-05-11 7:50

Dear Sabyasachi
Your specialty, but more of a candid shot. I see sorrow & melancholy in her eyes, hope I'm wrong..Not as sharp as I would have wanted maybe because of the long zoom...but on second thought the softness works well here. Good use of shallow DOF to isolate her
Best wishes
Angshu

ahmetgedikli (25609) 2007-05-11 14:03

Hi Sabyasachi,
Super portrait, great expression... Beautiful colors, fine contrast and good depth.
Have a nice weekend...
Ahmet

riclopes (35577) 2007-05-19 5:56

Olá Sabyasachi, beautiful candid portrait of this western woman that seems lost in her deep thoughts, with a very serene expression, considering the 'sea of humanity' happening in front of her eyes. The contrast with the WS image is big. Well done with the isolation of this foreigner human element.
Have a nice weekend,
ricardo

robertosalguero (292) 2007-05-25 0:26

Very interesting face. She seem absorbed in her thoughts, perhaps in problems. Good capture of this face. Her natural semblance is very intriguing. Thanks Sabyasachi.

Roberto

emjleclercq (15778) 2007-06-26 17:43

Pretty face, but a rather sad and lonely visage. But otherwise a very nice portrait.

All the best,

Emmanuel

mirarer (4751) 2007-11-09 18:07

Hi Sabyasachi,
Excellent capture.
Regards,
Mirari.