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Sib Baht
Sib Baht
Mark of SRQ


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Best of 2004 (Advanced Editing III*)
Camera: Canon PowerShot S60
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Date: Oct 15, 2004
Aperture: 8
ISO: 50
Shutter: 1/40
Galleries: Emotive, Photojournalism
Date Uploaded: Jan 2, 2005

 I wasn't going to enter this challenge, because I was sure I didn't have anything worthy enough. But I looked anyway. I found this one, and knew I needed to enter it.

It was taken in Bangkok, Thailand about a week before the poverty challenge was announced. For my poverty entry I had said that that was the first photo I took after the challenge was announced, and it was. I also said it was difficult to take pictures of the homeless, and that I passed by many before I got up the nerve to take that photo. Those statements are still correct even though I did take this one before that.

When I came across this guy I wasn't setting out to take pictures of the homeless. I was just walking with my camera. This guy was different than the others. He, for lack of a better way to say it, put on a performance. He wasn't in that position at first. He, dramatically, threw himself prone on the ground like that and kind of wormed his way down the sidewalk, in an attempt to attract attention. Which didn't seem to work on these people. It was instinct that made me get out my camera and take this picture.

I cropped, and as you can see did a selective desat, leaving the man and his bowl in color. I also upped the contrast slightly. I might haved used curves and levels and what not, but I don't remember. I might have tried, but I don't really know how to effectively use those things yet.

I'm not expecting a good score because of the subject matter, but I don't care about that. I think it is a powerful image that needs to be seen. There will be some who see it that way and will score it accordingly. But many will not like it, mostly because of the subject matter, but also because it is not a very clear, clean picture. But I think that adds to it. I didn't purposely make it like that though.

"Sib Baht" means ten baht. Baht is the currency of Thailand. Sib, means ten. It appears that there is only a 10 baht coin in his bowl. Roughly 25 cents U.S.

I am curious, though, how this would have done in the poverty challenge.

Statistics
Place: 372 out of 530
Avg (all users): 5.2457
Avg (commenters): 6.4615
Avg (participants): 5.1933
Avg (non-participants): 5.4198
Views since voting: 952
Views during voting: 509
Votes: 350
Comments: 13
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 Comments Made During the Challenge
01/27/2005 06:20:57 PM
Sad shot, nicely captured. Bumping up one.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D70
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
 01/26/2005 11:32:35 PM
An excellent shot of humanity. I love the color desaturation around the him. Excellent work and a powerful image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-1D X
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS USM
 01/24/2005 10:34:55 PM
what an interesting, evocative image. i hope that it isn't getting lost in the shuffle of this huge challenge, and that it is getting the time it deserves. good luck with this, and all the challenges yet to come!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon Coolpix 3200
 01/23/2005 09:59:58 PM
Sad scene! But never be afraid to sugar coat relaity! 10+
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D300
Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon
 01/23/2005 02:55:08 PM
Great capture! Love the crop, angle, and the selective desat isn't too much on this one. Very nice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R5
Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM
 01/22/2005 03:28:41 PM
I can imagine what Sib Baht means by your photo. Very sad to see just a single coin in his bowl and people just walking by as to ignore him. Excellent portrayal of the human condition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-50D
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 01/21/2005 08:31:44 PM
This is a really sad image (which, I'm sure, means succeeded in your aim), not sure I like the viewpoint here, makes the image appear very condescending and de-humanising, on the other hand I guess that is somewhat reflective of what happens to people like this guy.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens
 01/18/2005 09:12:42 PM
One of the few selective desats that works for me in this contest.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
 01/17/2005 07:43:07 AM
I might have scord this better if I knew what the title ment....But alas without a name this photo lacks a bit of appeal.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D70
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED
 01/16/2005 09:58:25 PM
Powerful image. Like the fact the image demonstrates the non-caring nature in most of use with the blur of motion as they ignore the gentlemen.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-50D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
 01/16/2005 04:21:19 PM
Nice use of selective color. Sad image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2005 07:27:35 AM
Good. De-saturation really necessary for this I wonder? I'm quite certain it would have had impact anyway, and this feels like you're slapping me round the face with it - not trusting your audience to see for themselves. Still a fine photograph, nevertheless.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-10D
Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon
 01/16/2005 12:26:16 AM
The DOF gives good feel of motion to the people walking, the desaturation brings out the main subject well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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