me you see, grringo boy!..., a photo from Quiche, Nord

Photographer's Note

on a big, thursday market day, I ran into this lady in chicicastenango. she seemed so familiar, but i could not tell where and when i would have seen her before. heh, i should have known better: she is a trek-earth model...

half a year later, the same place, the same church front, the same butcher stands, the same stone fence to lean her back against, just a different gringo shamelessly pointing his camera at her...

chichi: a treasure chest of characters, life stories, expressions, colors, smells, and, of course, merchandise...

bostankorkulugu, Gerrit, maglex, belido, avene, dareco, parbo, bakes888, fulvio52, plimrn, jorgi, gunbud, noborders, al-Farrob, Floydian, pboehringer, jurarafal trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

bostankorkulugu (42866) 2008-12-04 9:58

i prefer your version of course kris... a more dynamic and cheerful portrait this one is... i like that smile, and that finger pointing at you... and me of course:)... good job my friend...

korkut

Gerrit (62042) 2008-12-04 10:02

Hi Kristaps,
a good and joyful portraitv of this remarkable old woman.Excellent quality and background.
Regards, Gerrit

maglex (1980) 2008-12-04 10:17

Hi kristaps, I like this happy and jolly version of her. A very happy moment looks like it. A very interesting coincidence and very observant of you to think the other one was posted a year ago. She's the Trekearth model from that part of the world, small world as they say. Thanks for sharing...Alex

belido (19934) 2008-12-04 11:03

Hi Kristaps,

I know exactly the meaning of "gringo"...it always comes with the question "what are you strange guy doing here?"...very funny one. I would not try a b&w version for this one. It's good enough in colors to enhance the idea of a happy moment for her and for the boy behind the camera. Very good one, good timing to catch her pointing at you.
Abraço,
Carlos

jasmis (58653) 2008-12-04 11:29 [Comment]

Show Comment

avene (12675) 2008-12-04 11:47

yes, square format works really well, especially with the wall that adds an element of precise geometry, while the finger poking at you is deliciously random and would never be categorised. the timing is perfect, as are the colours. and, above all, the interaction is there. good one.

best,
K.

Waylim (25436) 2008-12-04 12:50

Kristaps,
What a charactor she is, I love it, the expression, the fun spirit she carries. Excellent details especially on her colorful outfit and off course all the line on her face. Pity the color of the wall is not of something dark to contrast here hair, it kind of all blending into the background. Great work regardless. Thanks my friend.
Way

giorgimer (35017) 2008-12-04 13:34

Hi Kris,

very nice shot, with a lovable mood. Excellent moment capture, beautiful details.

Well done!

Gio

tomescuc (3291) 2008-12-04 14:28

She's really used to pose, that is clear. A character. Dynamic and well framed.
cheers,
Cristian

dareco (17136) 2008-12-04 16:52

This makes me smile! Such a great capture, love the expression and pose. Excellent colors and detail. TFS

parbo (11092) 2008-12-04 17:35

Hello Kristaps,

She already rolled the banknote in her hand. I like your perfect timing for capturing meaningful, funny expression on her face. Splendidly sharpened and detailed with powerful lights. Fantastic! Congratulations.

Best Regards,

Ertugrul

bakes888 (18499) 2008-12-04 23:50

Hi Kristaps. Wonderful moment and well captured. You have timed this shot beautifully. I love the humour that comes through in this shot also. Thanks for sharing.
Have a good weekend, Paul.

fulvio52 (8314) 2008-12-05 0:23

Hi, Kristaps.
Dynamic and cheerful, a real living portrait. And I agree with Kristine : the square format is absolutely perfect for this one. Great job! Have a good day, I'll see ya later,
Fulvio.

baba_flies (8829) 2008-12-05 2:58

Hello Kristaps! No kidding :))) I mean this market is probably not THAT small and you found her. Now she is here, with us, twice or even more, who knows, and if she only knew. Yeah, the square format is a really good move, an elegant modern approach that I like a lot. I think she did not mind too much, actually she seems like having a little fun herself. Great portrait! Enjoy your weekend, snow? It will snow here but higher up. Barbara.

Greg1949 (9011) 2008-12-05 5:09

Kristaps, you are growing exponentially as a photographer. Composition is great as usual but your dancing around the bright exposure of white hair against the white wall AND NOT OVEREXPOSING ANYTHING is just fantastic. This is a "WOW shot, great work.

I to prefer your version, yours is much more alive and animated, did you have to pay her?.

Greg

Polonaise (5802) 2008-12-05 9:40

Kristaps, buddy mate

It would be just wonderful if you would switch more towards photography from, let's say: registration.
In another words: Try to offend me with something that is dirty, sweaty, out of order, and it has as little useful information about the world as possible !!!

:-)))
In other words: Hit me with a photography !
There is no cursing, no dirty words in your photography. No touching...No smelling...
That awful long lens and the lack of contact...
(I've chosen this photo because at least, in here - the woman is interacting with you..)
But - that's not enough in the people's photography...
Not enough nowadays, that is... Not enough in the world of billions of cameras in everyday use...

She is there posing for the tourists.

Try to use that situation to your advantage.
She will be more than willing to do ..Well..Whatever you ask her to do...
She will allow you to come closer, shoot a dozen of photos from every corner possible. wide angle...Closeups.. Hands... The face
Why not rudely block the other 'photographers' and their cameras...
Why not for the precious several seconds ( or minutes) have her to your own disposition ?
The light over there was not to your favor. Deep shades ( her eyes !!!), sharp contrasts, burnt bricks of the backgrounds...

Rule the word brother, and try to be as offensive with your photography as possible and as often as possible...
At any occasion...

Love, man... Love and women !

.................

[workshop] [compare] +

plimrn (21344) 2008-12-05 20:09

Hi Kristaps,
I really like this portrait; good sharpness and light management, especially with the bright BG but most of all I like the interaction between the two of you. Clearly she found you charming gringo. I'm truly amazed that you were able to find that same woman out of all the TE photos.
HLJ, Pat

jorgi (3810) 2008-12-07 2:55

Hi Kristaps,

it is one most charming portrait. I even like square format despite the fact that I usually cannot handle them (yes...even those in my own gallery...)
The bright white background does wonders to her hair that merges with stones of the wall so perfectly...makes her a part of this place. Wonders to her skin that stands out from the brightness as an opposite...a skin of warm and sunny environment. Wonders to her clothes...colourful as her attitude towards you...all together in one excellent harmony.
The WS proposition in my opinion destroys the charm and her beauty. She just looks scary there, now that all the warmth and vividness was taken from her.
If I was her, I would definitelly prefer the way you see me. You make her look more alive and beautiful.

My best,
Jeri
PS: thank you. I try to move on...

gunbud (34066) 2008-12-08 17:34

Hi Kristaps,
Beautiful joyous portrait of this beautiful old lady with such a warm heart seen in her wonderfully linned face.
Very clear colors and fine sharp details to this winning portrait.
Regards, Tom

bantonbuju (51815) 2008-12-10 1:23

ah! exceptional!
the woman and the dof used...

creative portraiture - this is!

best, j.

noborders (1010) 2008-12-10 15:12

Hi Kristaps, your photo is much better (IMO) than the one you refer to in your text, of course George's WS is splendid but anyway I really like the original with her expression and her interaction with you, it makes the photo really special - a toothless beauty having spotted you, how lucky you are !

OTOH, I find her a bit too centered and the square format (again, IMO) is maybe not ideal. But a great shot nonetheless !

Bravo and best regards,
Cath.
(PS : very happy about the news that you wrote in reply to my enquiry, hope that you are happy with your new job - as for me -- spending less time on TE these days but enjoying a short visit once in a while !)

al-Farrob (691) 2008-12-10 15:13

Well, I read with interest some comments and have nothing to add. Excellent photo.
Thanks for sharing

coco (30439) 2008-12-18 1:46

Hi Kristaps.

It's a pity what happened to Polonaise. Even you disagree with him, who else ruled this place in his way? Who else speaks like him?
The difference is: the sais what he thins and, you can be sure, a lot of times he was right.

The photo is nice... and George, is right too.

Floydian (30970) 2009-01-06 11:38

Hey Kristaps,

You make me smile with such images. Only for this one the trip was already worth going to make that journey. What a lovely woman, what a great smile, but most of all what a great timing with her arm stretching towards you....wonderful.
Great shot, perfect timing, i like it a lot.

Take care,

Henk

pboehringer (770) 2009-01-24 17:59

Kristaps,
do you live now in Guatemala? How often do you get there a year? I am pretty sure that I have already seen other posts over the year from there in your gallery.
Anyway, fantastic moment with a pristine interaction between the toothless lady, here bright smile and pointing finger towards your unkown sized lens. Lovely, a true NGM quality.
Peter

jurarafal (265) 2009-02-17 15:28

was she laughing just because of see you kneel down or you said sth faunny to her?

As I'm also panasonic owner (dreaming about getting an EOS 5D..I love the comparsion of the two photos' quality.

goodfellow (195) 2009-02-18 3:27

Great shot of her. In my 15 years of going to Chichi, I have photographed her every year...

presidente (1122) 2009-02-18 12:38

very nice portrait of this old woman.
Excellent light balance and color.
Congratulation for the moment you catch the shot!
Andrea