A snap

[Stagecoach]

I just read a comment regarding an image on a thread that without a title the viewer would not have any idea what the photo was about.

It made me chuckle because I took a snap a couple of weeks back and each time I look at it I still don't know why I took it, what it's about or why I like it



Grahame

[Shadowman]

Nicely done, title not needed.

[Dave A]

I like this image very much. I don't know exactly what kind of ceremony they are doing but for me it doesn't affect the fact that it's a good image and interesting.

Dave

[Tony Britton]

I think this is a lovely image. Beautifully captured.

Tony

[Mike Buckley]

I don't know exactly what kind of ceremony they are doing but for me it doesn't affect the fact that it's a good image and interesting.

Agreed. Even more important for me, the image is nice enough that it compels me to ask for an explanation of the ceremony.

[Stagecoach]

Nicely done, title not needed.

Thanks John,

[Stagecoach]

I like this image very much. I don't know exactly what kind of ceremony they are doing but for me it doesn't affect the fact that it's a good image and interesting.

Dave

Thanks Dave, for me I'm starting to think that it's the water trails that appeal.

[Stagecoach]

I think this is a lovely image. Beautifully captured.

Tony

Thank you Tony,

[Stagecoach]

Agreed. Even more important for me, the image is nice enough that it compels me to ask for an explanation of the ceremony.

Mike, I will make some enquiries with friends here and see if I can find out.

There was a group of about 20 people that arrived with a couple that were also carrying a plastic dustbin, that unfortunately is within most of the other group shots I got.

[Manfred M]

My guess is ashes from a Hindu cremation being scattered in the sea. The orange flower garlands seem to be a fairly standard part of the ceremony. Your mention of the dustbin got me thinking as the ashes are scattered in water.

You can see the same flowers here at one of the cremation sites at Patan, Nepal

[Stagecoach]

Manfred, Mike

I have been advised from those more knowledgeable than me that this is a ritual that is carried out at the end of each Hindu prayer session by many living near the sea. All the fruit, flowers offerings etc that have been used during the prayers are given to Mother Nature/sea out of respect, symbolic of the River Ganges (the holy river in India), rather than just throwing and leaving prayer offerings in a bin.

From the casualness, joviality, musical instrument and loads of selfie taking I was pretty sure at the time it was not the scattering of ashes of which I would not have taken photos of out of respect.

[Stagecoach]

and a B&W version........................

[IzzieK]

I like both shots, Grahame. Nothing was lost in the conversion apart from the colour but there is enough there to make it a nice and smooth b/w...the colour version is more understandable as per your explanation of the ritual. Both share the same story. What attracts me is the way the man on the right side is more so intent on the seriousness of the ceremony...the action of the woman is more usual like any other who would be there ...

[Stagecoach]

I like both shots, Grahame. Nothing was lost in the conversion apart from the colour but there is enough there to make it a nice and smooth b/w...the colour version is more understandable as per your explanation of the ritual. Both share the same story. What attracts me is the way the man on the right side is more so intent on the seriousness of the ceremony...the action of the woman is more usual like any other who would be there ...

Hi Izzie,

Thanks for commenting. The B&W conversion is something I rarely do (as with people shots) and was an experiment in trying to put the focus on the woman, I increased structure on her and generally emphasising the people.

As for the man on the right it was a bit of pure luck getting the final water trail from what would have been an almost empty pot

[John 2]

Nice conversion but I prefer the colour. Any image that arouses the curiosity must be successful at some level. I like this.

[Stagecoach]

Thank you John,

Yes I agree, curiosity is one of many attributes why we make and look at images.