Early Bird Gets the Worm, a photo from Cusco, South

Photographer's Note

First things first, I put the city down as Cusco but its not. The scene was captured during our 5 day trek through the mountains and valleys to Machu Picchu. We would camp out overnight in tents at very small local villages, so this is literally in the middle of nowhere. Or at least nowhere that I can remember :)

I do remember capturing the scene though. This was day 4 of 5, the photo was taken early in the morning after the most brutal of hikes. We had hiked approx 35km or 20 miles in harsh conditions and my feet were sore and i had many blisters. Still, I wanted to get some photos early in the morning before taking off again for another 20 km to end the trek.

Too bad the light wasn't in my favor, but all I can do is try. This was one of the local homes in the village, and it seems as if everyone was still sleeping while the dog was guarding the laundry :)

Hope you like it

rigoletto, No_One, tyro, Romano46, jhm, Royaldevon, adramad, Cricri, fritzi007, Gigidusud, jcpix, adores, aliabazari has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

rigoletto (34279) 2014-04-20 6:51

light not in your favour? no way! fantastic and original is the result: colorful clothes hanging on a dark bg, love it! overall composition, divided into two contrasting parallels with a diagonal is also the result of a good idea, quite effective is the inclusion of a sunlit hill, wide angle sky and trees...

2 more weeks to meet :)

No_One (4) 2014-04-20 7:00

Hi Craig,
Have you stumbled upon some remote clown college? These clothes are possibly the most colorful I've ever seen, and they do a great job of lifting the dark light in the lower part of the frame, its almost like two images, this and then the brighter painted skies above. There is something quite spooky about this sky, but again its balanced well by all the clown costumes! Very nice moment to capture, a unique view to say the least.
All the best
Noel

snunney (130965) 2014-04-20 7:02

Hello Craig,
An interesting set of laundry here. Like Rigoletto, I think the low light works in your favour. The line of colourful clothes looks superb under that dramatic sky. The dog is a bonus. All in all, a well presented effective daily life composition. Hope your feet recovered pretty quickly:-)

holmertz (83376) 2014-04-20 10:26

Hello Craig,
We should all be grateful to this dog for guarding the laundry. Empty washing lines would have made a far less interesting photo. I think the relative darkness in this backyard actually served you well by enhancing the colors. It's a very nice and simple picture telling us about the local conditions.
Cheers,
Gert
PS I guess you know all about the new visa regulations for Turkey?

tyro (29026) 2014-04-20 11:52

Hi Craig,

An interesting and colourful scene and an interesting note too - well done you for scrambling out of your pit so early to catch this scene - I'll bet you were still sore and aching from the previous day's hike. Funny how there don't seem to be any clothes pegs holding the washing on the line - is there no wind there?

A fine colourful view of an everday scene, well seen and well taken with lovely vibrant colours and exceptional sharpness and detail.

Great!

Kind Regards,

John.

dta (95576) 2014-04-20 12:28

Hello Craig ,
Despite of the difficult light conditions , you have superbly captured this wahing scene . I like the contrast of the couloured clothes with the dark wooden house , and with the hill in the sunlit . Th dog looks a little curious , may be the effetc of the wide angle .
As John say , it must be a place without any wind !
Regards

mesutilgim (115494) 2014-04-20 13:21

Hello Craig,
Perfect observede and captured !
Interesting notes.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

emka (139302) 2014-04-20 22:36

Hi Craig,
Wooow, 35 km in harsh conditions in high altitude? I would be dead :). You were very brave to have strength to make some shots after such a day. Interesting view of the laundry and I like the light. Nice scene.

Have a beautiful day

Malgo

Romano46 (18472) 2014-04-21 1:07

Ciao Craig
I panni stesi ad asciugare sono sempre un bel soggetto, tanto più, come in questo caso, che sono disposti in maniera da fare esaltare gli svariati colori.
In questi due fili le tinte ci sono tutte e con l'aggiunta di un cielo terso da alta quota e di una casa dal colore uniforme lo spettacolo è garantito.
Sei stato bravo non solo nel coglierlo ma anche nello scegliere un POV appropriato per valorizzare il soggetto.
Eccellente la gestione della luce.
Ciao e buona settimana
Romano

Nicou (188540) 2014-04-21 1:30

Hello

très très belle scène et iamge sueprbe vue quelle compo ce ligne qui pend en en double lignées quelle vue et la maison en fond sueprbe.
Bravo et amitié
Nicou

marabu61 (11587) 2014-04-21 4:01

Hello Craig
Now that was quite an ordeal to get to this remote village, it reminds me somewhat of my time in the army when we had to walk such distances in full combat gear in any weather trough the Swiss alps.
The laundry to me look like something out of the 70ties, so outdated the colors and forms seem to me, especially the blue and brown sweater to the left. But the colorful washing line provides a great focal point in this otherwise bleak scene, a bit like the colorful flags (or rags) in Tibet.
have a great day
Daniel

Sergiom (115702) 2014-04-21 5:36

Bonjour Craig

Si ce n'était de la maison très sombre derrière on pourrait se croire en Italie avec tout ce linge qui sèche à l'air libre. J'aime beaucoup le rendu des couleurs sur fond sombre.

Amicalement

Serge

jhm (191443) 2014-04-22 4:22

Hello Craig,

The dog is very difficult to see, through the black colour.
Every woman has hair own system for the cloths hanging to the washing line.
Your picture is attractive through the different colours of the cloths.
Excellent composition, with a good sharpness and clarity.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

adramad (62750) 2014-04-22 5:25

Hi Craig.
Very original and attractive composition, with pretty chromaticism that provides the variety of colors of the clothes hanging, nice contrast of the trees against the sky, an image with strong contrasts and colorful.
Very well balanced lighting and very good sharpness.
Well done.
Wish you a very nice day.
Best wishes.
Luis.

Royaldevon (64382) 2014-04-22 5:36

Hello Craig,

Your notes were interesting and so honest about the condition of your feet after such a long hike. I found myself sympathising that you still had a long way to go with very sore feet. What did you do coming back? Did you still have to walk or was transport provided?

The early morning light has worked well; it lights the clothes without, yet, brightening the b/g. (Hanging clothes is definitely tackled in different ways. I always hang mine upside down, pegged at the waist with the arms hanging down!) What a colourful array, we have, like puppets on 'Playschool', waiting to come to life! The dog is the contrast and the reality!!

Have a lovely day,
Bev :-)
I have just realised why the clothes are placed in this way! There are no pegs involved! Doh! It must be a place that does not have much wind or they would all have gone in no time! Maybe the dog is there to retrieve any that blow away!

Cricri (176) 2014-04-22 9:48

Hi Craig
Même fatigué, des cloches aux pieds, rien a faire la photo remporte toujours :-) et c'est pas mal du tout les vêtements donne de jolies touches de couleurs, le chien n'est même pas surpris de te voir :-)pas mal la lumière, la présentation , compliment pour ces longues randonnées....
Belle soirée
cricri

fritzi007 (14698) 2014-04-24 5:37

Hallo Craig,
beautiful photo with good color combination and very interesting report, congratulations.
(I want to be there)
Wish you a nice day
Wolfgang

Gigidusud (21669) 2014-04-24 7:34

Hi Craig,
I love this dark background that brings out the colors of clothes. A nice washing day guarded by dog :)I like it!
Have a nice evening.
Gigi

jcpix (14030) 2014-04-29 19:35

Mr. mac,

How are you amigo? I've missed some great stuff over the last week and a half, and this one jumped off your gallery tonight.

Awesome criss-cross patterns, chuck full of alternating light and fantastic colors...love that air dried laundry. Funny how something so unassuming can make for the best pictures. Who needs grand tourist attractions when you have an eye for this kind of scene? Love it! The dark wood and heavy shadow make for super contrast...those clothes almost come alive on their own. Scary thought, eh? lol

I suppose every clothes line needs a good guard dog too, and what dog doesn't need a good nap? :)

Hope all has been well. You're getting ready to take off again soon if I'm not mistaken, yeah? Have a good one.

Cheers from Az.,

Jason

adores (46979) 2014-05-28 15:56

Hi Craig!
It really seems a huge laundry:)! I like your low pov and the composition with the colourful clothes drying, the dog, the flowers and even the sun light on the mountain in background, telling us that the morning is starting. Soon everybody will be outside but now we can feel the silence. I like the light and the quality of the photo.

aliabazari (17242) 2014-11-20 20:52

Hi craig
Beautiful shot. I love it. Good composition and exposure. Regards ...