Without a Face

[FrankMi]

Your thoughts?

[rpcrowe]

Frank, I really like this image It is a wonderful example of the area's culture. However, the subject is pretty well camouflaged (unintentionally, I am sure) against the blocks and shadows. Although those road stones are probably from Roman or at least Crusader times and, although the do add a lot to the image. I wonder if a closer crop (one that avoids the brick wall in the background) along with a TAD of extra contrast might not accentuate the main subject.

[Andrew1]

To me the shot misses identifying whether the woman is begging or praying. I can't tell just looking without clues so it leaves me with a bit of confusion on that aspect. Perhaps including more of the setting or something else in the frame to clarify would help but I don't know what that would be. Nice exposure and a good photo overall.

[Radu Dinu Cordeanu]

I'm seeing this people,here,frequently enough,they are gipsies.This position is relatively new in the begging field.Before was "on the knees"as a prayer position.First I saw both of these positions in Austria.Here they are more brutal asking money without such tricks.In West they are more softly.
About image I should place the subject on the top left side,with more space around her and I should take from a lower position.But never a single shot position and a single exposure.

[FrankMi]

Frank, I really like this image It is a wonderful example of the area's culture. However, the subject is pretty well camouflaged (unintentionally, I am sure) against the blocks and shadows. Although those road stones are probably from Roman or at least Crusader times and, although the do add a lot to the image. I wonder if a closer crop (one that avoids the brick wall in the background) along with a TAD of extra contrast might not accentuate the main subject.

I wasn't able to get the money pot in the image as it was (surprisingly) a little to far in front of him/her. The location in in the entry to the ancient Roman Forum in Rome so it is a location most frequently traveled by tourists. I'll play with the cropping and contrast to see how it will change the impact of the image. Thanks, Richard.

I always have a hard time emotionally when I see scenes like this as I can not tell what the real circumstances are. In our area, we see beggars hunched over at the roadside at stop lights but if you are there at the end of rush hour and happen to notice, they walk with no infirmities and get into brand new expensive SUV's parked a few blocks away. Sad. It calls into question all you think you know about being charitable.

[FrankMi]

To me the shot misses identifying whether the woman is begging or praying. I can't tell just looking without clues so it leaves me with a bit of confusion on that aspect. Perhaps including more of the setting or something else in the frame to clarify would help but I don't know what that would be. Nice exposure and a good photo overall.

As he/she didn't move or say anything, it was hard to be sure but there was a money pot just outside the image, the location was a tourist entrance not usually frequented by the locals, and there was no religious building nearby so I'm guessing that this is a form of passive begging.

[FrankMi]

I'm seeing this people,here,frequently enough,they are gipsies.This position is relatively new in the begging field.Before was "on the knees"as a prayer position.First I saw both of these positions in Austria.Here they are more brutal asking money without such tricks.In West they are more softly.
About image I should place the subject on the top left side,with more space around her and I should take from a lower position.But never a single shot position and a single exposure.

Thanks for the feedback Radu. This is a full frame crop so I can't expand or reshoot. Is there any way to tell if she is really unable to contribute to society and needs help to survive?

[rpcrowe]

I think that most people, if we have any humanity inside of us, are torn between our emotions and our artistic desires when we come upon a subject such as this. I have come to the conclusion that I cannot help the entire human race and, as you mentioned Frank, many of these people are frauds.

Sometimes, in some of the poorest locations, children are even maimed by their parents to look more pitiful and deserving. That is the lowest of the low! Also, in some areas of the world, giving alms opens you to crowds of beggars milling around you...

Before I retired, I worked in a non-profit agency that assisted people with disabilities enter or reenter the competitive workforce. I would frequently give my business card to people panhandling and suggest that they visit me at the foundation at which I worked to get a job. I never had one person take me up on this offer...

Additionally, providing money often enables some persons to continue with drug or alcohol abuse...

However, I do occasionally think that "There but for the Grace of God, go I"....

[Radu Dinu Cordeanu]

Thanks for the feedback Radu. This is a full frame crop so I can't expand or reshoot. Is there any way to tell if she is really unable to contribute to society and needs help to survive?

First of all I believe you must conclude how could you act when you will meet the equivalent situation-many shots,from many angles with the subject in different places of the image-.About that person she has very very low IQ and she is exploited by one of the numerous gangs.Here we see their palaces,their cars,their insolence daily.Here they have a "king of all gipsies" and an "emperor of all gipsies from everywhere"(all these as a diversion from '90s of former communists to minimize the stature of our Royal Majesty Michel The First the true king who is still alive and is here in the country)They have here Members of the Parliament,presidential counsellors, government counsellors and many organizations which take very much money from the government which disappears and this persons remain as you saw.

[speedneeder]

I agree with the camouflaged comment. Between the colors and the shadows, the woman is lost to the background for me. some more context as mentioned might be good, since I don't know what the woman is doing. That said, I do at least find myself wondering what the heck she is doing!

[Daisy Mae]

Maybe it is just me but the 'camouflage' aspect and lack of clear gender/purpose along with the prostrate position all serve to emphasise the invisibility of these people to Society .

I think it is immensely powerful...well done.

[speedneeder]

Maybe it is just me but the 'camouflage' aspect and lack of clear gender/purpose along with the prostrate position all serve to emphasise the invisibility of these people to Society .

I think it is immensely powerful...well done.

Yep, just you
Just goes to show different strokes for different folks

[Captured]

A bump in the road....wonder, if you tripped because of them- would they go on and sue you?
but on a more serious note- I would crop the photo, then soften/blur the image except for the begging hand- would keep it sharp.

[WJT]

i'm surprised that no one has yet commented on what a great photo this is. The shadow's off the fence and the stone pavement may camouflage this lady, but it also makes it a cracking shot. You have captured a scene which is very real and not set up.Only one thing Frank is I would love to see this in black and white and perhaps a little more contrast and definition, but I think this is excellent, and I do agree with Sharon.

[juliac]

I agree- I think it is an extremely expressive shot and I agree with WJT that it would be very effective in black and white.

[FrankMi]

Thank you all so much for your interest and comments. As I have neither the tools or skill to do a B&W justice, if anyone would like, please feel free to give it a go. Here are the three original exposure bracketed images if you would like to give it a try.

http://www.mediafire.com/?w5k1scui1iaaw7m

http://www.mediafire.com/?5ct725uy7dn9db3

http://www.mediafire.com/?8r58lps7hx106cj

[owenmorris]

I agree with Daisy Mae it is a very powerful image

[Daisy Mae]

it really is...thanks Owen.

[arith]

I think the shadows make the image; so maybe B+W. Certainly up to your usual standard.

Just had a go with the middle file using a red filter on my old pc before I go to bed. Just to give an idea.

[arith]

Or just use Topaz Detail with loads of large and mess around with color shifts from cyan to red, green to magenta and yellow to blue, adding a Sepia filter on color blend in photoshop.