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.
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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!
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.
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.
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.
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