Preparing the Ring, a photo from Bukidnon, Northen Mindanao

Photographer's Note

This is part of a series of pictures of my stay in Miarayon, Bukidnon, Mindanao with the Tala-andig people: Miarayon and the Tala-andig

* * *

One of the main forms of entertainment in Miarayon, like in many impoverished areas, is gambling. The 'Big Three' here are card games, cock-fighting, and horse-fighting.

The ring for the latter is being built here in this photo. It's a mostly circular enclosure with a rectangular section jutting out of the back.

Here's how it works. You put a mare in heat into the ring with two stallions. Then have her trot around and get the boys excited. Now you sit back and watch em go at it. After alot of kicking and biting, the one who cowers off into the rectangular section loses.

Thing is, the winner doesn't get the girl. How unfair is that?!?

* * *

Oh, and strapped on to the man's belt is his "bolo." All the men carry around these long knives with them pretty much all the time (used as a garden tool, a wood ax, a construction tool, etc). This is sometimes a problem when they're drunk and have little arguments.

Galeota, eleparc trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

Galeota (10352) 2005-04-23 2:09

What an interesting collection of journalistic pics you've been showing us Alex. And that wide angle lens has really helped in changing completely your approach to photography, so it seems. There is such a sense of depth and wide field of view, which makes your photographs seem very special. I just wish the man on the right hadn't his head cut by the bamboo(?) stick. Well framed otherwise, and always a good conversion to b&w keeping contrast under control.

sohrab (7439) 2005-04-23 2:15

man!! this is a bloody good photograph
i hope you have a photograph of the even as well..
should have a short photoessay on this event
take care :)

softflower (0) 2005-04-23 2:42

Jolie photo Alex, l'utilisation du noir et blanc est particulièrement bien adapté.
Felicitations !
Nico.

eleparc (24063) 2005-04-23 6:06

very nice shot and excellent instructive note alex!
Eric

gringofil (0) 2005-04-23 9:39

Your compo makes this shot exciting. The B&W tones are nice, but, again, I kinda wish I saw this one in color. The other small nit pick would be about seeing more of the face of the guy on the right...it could make a nice triangle shape between the two men and thus catch the viewer's attention a bit more. Nonetheless this is just excellent as is and your note is superb. Good work, Alex.

Homerhomer (4080) 2005-04-23 20:57

I would agree with others that the only nit pick could be the face of the guy on the right, but that's a minor, other than that this is mighty good. I would also say that this is one of the stronger bw conversions that you have produced recently, it's simply very good.
...and at the end I simply wonder why such an image receives so little attention.

Peter

PS, thanks for your reply to my previous questions, been a bit busy so it's hard for me to keep up, but you talking about the diff in photo oportunities in Canada and Philippines made me feel a bit better because sometimes I just wander and wander.... and don't see anything interesting.....

joseelias (0) 2005-05-16 9:03

I love the contrasts in this one. The roughness of the atmosphere, the low light and contrasts create a very, very nice image. Also like the framing in this one, despite it’s quite similar to the “commute” second image. I think that the rich background, namely the textures in the sky, takes some “weight” from the man in the center so it adds value to the whole scene balancing it. Also like a lot the man crouching and looking at us.

The only doubt are the wires in the sky. They seem to be somewhat distracting… Maybe a good example to discuss the ethics of cloning out elements from a picture…