Child Labour, a photo from West Bengal, East

Photographer's Note

This little boy was in hurry to finsh his break fast (plain boiled rice) as he was supposed to leave at early morning for his work at a brick field. He was the only wage earner for his family and he would earn Rs 40-50 per day by carrying bricks on his head. Now Indian government is contemplating a law banning the child labours. Even they cannot be used as domestic helps. But will this solve the problems of these kids? Ground realities suggest otherwise.

You can see another pic on this topic here.

devimeuxbe, adam_k, zips, jaja1970, isabela_sor, prezntime, Click3, ramesh_lalwani, sayan, Pitoncle, cunejo200, jhm, Wanda1, atus, hitesh, Dragonheart, binita, indoka28, siolaw, lucasgalodoido, branley, axiotea, sssimon, rajhema, rajju, riclopes, Atousa, claudeD, noborders has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

archayati (0) 2006-10-10 4:13

Hi arjun,
Nice portrait.Very good composition.TFS.

Hayati

sayat (2949) 2006-10-10 5:55

Excellent capture of the child. Your notes are so touching too. The child worker problem is a huge one all over the world and I don't think it will be solved by fat politicians sitting in airconditioned offices.
Anyway, enough of politics now! I like the perfect light (early morning?) on the child's face. The blurred background is just great!
Best regards,
Sayat

devimeuxbe (58557) 2006-10-10 6:02

Hi Arjun
This is a very beautifull report on the life of this child. You get a great light here, tha face is expressive.
Very beautifull indeed.
Bertrand

ksvijayb (385) 2006-10-10 6:17

Hi Arjun,
Powerful one!
Your picture coincides with the news that India has tighten the laws and banned children from working as servants/maids & waiters in road-side cafe.
Although I doubt its effectiveness, it is the right way to go.

Regards
Vijayabaskar.

adam_k (600) 2006-10-10 7:03

Good portrait of this child - indeed his eyes seem to indicate some kind of being in hurry...

As far as the problem of child labour is concerned this one legal ban will not solve it so fast... it's a good step forward I think, despite temporary opposite effects which are of course very likely to happen...

This is a much broader problem and I think the main issue is among parents: as this is parents who allow or even often force their children to work instead of going to school and so on...

jasmis (58653) 2006-10-10 7:25

Fine portrait of the young boy. Smart compo, high quality. Interesting note. Regards.

rajju (1345) 2006-10-10 7:27

hi arjun,
what i like in this picture is teh facial expression of the boy.
thanks for sharing.
subho bijoya. how was puja days?

zips (1958) 2006-10-10 8:12

Well this portrait says it all.

You wrote " will this solve the problems of these kids? Ground realities suggest otherwise."

But people have to start somewhere. It's tough to determine who is using child labor locally I'm sure. Inroads are being made into the employmet of children by contractors to multi-national corporations however. A beginning at least.

Great Job.
Aloha, JB

muscovado (1572) 2006-10-10 8:35

Hi Arjun,
A very poignant photo with superb compo and quality.
Czaldy

roamermark (1592) 2006-10-10 8:43

Arjun,
I think the shot itself is very nice...it is a good subject and an informative note. I would like to see the original version because, if I may be frank, the post processing work is not good. It looks like you have gone for an artificial depth of field (which in itself is fine I guess) but it is clumsily done. In fact if one looks at the hairline or the knee of the boy the PP work becomes glaringly obvious. Better to stick with the original next time I think
Cheers
Mark

dhurjati (2709) 2006-10-10 11:48

Hi Arjun,
A good one no doubt specially on the eve of banning Child Labour .......this shot is indeed praisable!!
TFS,
Dhurjati

delkoo (68) 2006-10-10 11:58

hi arjun
that could be a nice shot but the post traitement left some marks around the head and shirt.
your note remind us the difficult condition of children working.

didier

agbonavita (0) 2006-10-10 13:10

Great photo Arjun...
Love the boy face expression. the colors, and sharp are good too.
Nice use of DOF resulting in a unfocus background.

Thanks
Andre

xavshot (69835) 2006-10-10 14:09

Bonsoir Arjun
excellen portrait avec une très belle lumière. J'aime bien la netteté contrastant avec le fond bien flou. Beau relief.
Xavier

isabela_sor (47748) 2006-10-10 17:24

Simple yet effective composition. I like how you treated this subject of child work...one can only hope it will be possible for this kid to combine somehow work,education,and joy of childhood...
Perfect portrait,perfect message,dear Arjun
Namashkar,
Isabela

prezntime (3946) 2006-10-10 21:42

hello Arjun.

First the picture. Very well done. The lighting is extremely well on the young man and the DOF is just right for the subject. I like the dominant yellows and browns contrasted byt the single blue barrel behind. It is interesting that his eyes seem more mature than a childs should...I could just be projecting though.

Now, the only solution to the problem of child labor is the creation of good paying jobs for the adults (obviously I here everyone say). True, but what will create those jobs? How much more money would there be to keep the streets clean and free of potholes if the star athletes earn regular salaries instead of outrageous sums of cash? How many more men and women could find a job if we decided to combine all of the excess wealth to feed the starving nations of the world? Simply put, too few people earn too much. The balance is tipped to one side. It is evident that there is enough to share when I pass by any supermarket in America and glance at the mounds of rotting produce behind the hulking facades. It takes the will of the people, once we become enlightened enough, things will change...onward.

Thanks Arjun,
Chris.

Click3 (1886) 2006-10-10 23:33

Arjun...a very "moving" portrait with beautiful lighting. Defocused background adds. Regarding the situation I agree with Chris...too few earn too much...that would not be so bad if a vast amount did not go to waste in the wealthier societies. From my POV this is a "time bomb" and gives "birth" to the Chaves´s, Fidel´s &...Ayatollas´s of this world.
Some day, hoping its not too late, politicians will come to grips with the true root causes & take the corrective actions.
saludos,
Robert

izmirli (3989) 2006-10-11 1:30

merhaba arjun
beautiful portrait picture.beautiful composition and note.well done.
best regards.
gürkan akçakır.

ramesh_lalwani (3213) 2006-10-11 2:39

Hi arjun
Very topical today's newspapers have stories about child labour and the law which noboby bothers.Nice portrait but I find your workshop is more appropriate
ramesh

sayan (2617) 2006-10-11 5:35

Hi Arjun,

A timely post from you. Nothing to say on the quality, it is really nice. Great shallow depth, nice expressions and good light.
Regards,
Sayan

prumod (8300) 2006-10-11 14:45

hi arjun,
this is an excellent shot... and i give 100 marks for the subject you brought... this is world! in this age he is a worker... how rough is the world to him! there is no childish expressions in his face! he is shouldering his family!
regards
pramod

Pitoncle (3745) 2006-10-11 15:38

Bonjour Arjun,
C'est un très joli portrait, très expressif et duquel ressort une immense sensibilité.
A bienôt sur TE pour de nouvelles aventures.
Gérard

cunejo200 (7281) 2006-10-12 7:28

Hi Arjun,
Sad situation of child labor happening in many countries. This image is thought provoking. A good daily life scene captured in a high quality image. Best wishes. Danilo

jhm (206453) 2006-10-12 8:25

Hi Arjun,

You did very nice work here through taking this young boy as worker in a brick field, I read your note with very pleasure, I think our boys in Europe have to read this! Very lovely daily life picture! Tanks for sharing.

Have a nice day,
John

Wanda1 (15142) 2006-10-12 12:46

Hi Arjun,
A great expressive portrait, but very sad too. Well composed and photographed. Nice and sharp.
Regards
Wanda

Buin (42580) 2006-10-12 13:07

Hallo Arjun!
An impressive and important picture. I hope this young boy will have the opportunity of a good life. I think child labour is a shame...wherever it happens.
Greetings from Germany!
Frank

atus (15878) 2006-10-12 16:01

Hello Arjun,
very well captured portrait shot to this little boy. His expression is very nice and you took the shot in a great moment. Unfortunately, there is a well known sad story behind him. Tfs and best regards!
Attila

hitesh (594) 2006-10-13 5:22

Hi Arjun,
This shot is hearttouching and reflects the pain of a poor family of India.This type of problems can not be controled by just imposing a law.Thanks for sharing.
Regards
Hitesh

ndb1958 (9289) 2006-10-13 15:55

Hi Arjun,
a good documentation and a beautiful image of the little boy. Good lightning on his beautiful face with these wonderful eyes.
I feel helpless to comment the conditions of the children.
Thank you for sharing your picture and your note.
nino

Dragonheart (8434) 2006-10-14 2:38

Hello Arjun,
Excellent capture, good lights, good contrast and sharpness. A sensitive photo and excellent note.
Well done
Thanks for sharing
My best wishes
Vivek

setenay (7706) 2006-10-14 13:52

Hi Arjun
Great portrait, affective and realist note.The child seems alive.Very beautiful capture.Congratulations.
Have a nice weekend.
setenay

chanjits (4460) 2006-10-19 21:02

Nice portrait of kid in his candid pose, with touching note, thanks for sharing.

Burberry1 (6041) 2006-10-20 3:55

Excellent photo and note. Perfect light and expression of this beautiful boy.

A.

barrufeto_77 (28888) 2006-10-20 7:14

Hi arjun.

An excellent picture. The face of the child is impressive.

A pity this things still exists...

Rgs, Oscar

oochappan (4880) 2006-10-20 21:23

Pleasant to see him eating, appropriate with his hand, so much more tasty, a good portrait with strong paricular colorsetting and good DOF to spot him out.
Happy Diwali to you and your family.
Henk

siolaw (38294) 2006-10-22 2:54

Hi Arjun,
A crucial topic for India s developpment... 50 a day is not much but many people get less if anything!
As far as pic is concerned, it has great light and colors, nice sharpness and well captured expression of that little boy eating his rice...
TFS
Laurent

pankajbajpai (376) 2006-10-22 10:11

very good shot. well captured. the problem highlighted through the shot is worth praising. nice pov. good dof.the expressions are captured well.
tfs
regards
pankaj

lucasgalodoido (27532) 2006-10-22 11:05

Olá Arjun!
Bela imagem, o efeito desfocado do fundo torna a foto muito mais interessante!
Parabéns e Abraço!

keribar (43841) 2006-10-24 1:50

Hello Arjun,

Just discovered this excellent picture: Congratulations for having caught such a good expression, a good DOF and a good composition.

Izzet Keribar

berek (50518) 2006-10-25 2:11

Hi Arjun,
clear and beautiful portrait. good focusing. have a nice day.
Burak
my overall evaluation -> ***

jemaflor (139713) 2006-10-27 6:29

Hi Arjun,
Good portrait, well taken during her meal ...Good focus with this blurry background;

branley (3681) 2006-10-28 11:59

Hello Arjun,

lovely image with a great expression on the boys face but looking closely there's not quite right about the pp, I see an area around the knee which looks a little artificial and not very well processed. A lovely image though and a fine note too.

Regards

Stephen

rosaline (0) 2006-10-30 13:49

Hi Arjun
Great portrait and a good moment of capture. I especially like the warm light that is shining across as it enhances the skin tones. Good everyday shot and good framing. Very well captured.
Aubrey

anjan (1086) 2006-10-31 7:16

This is undoubtedly a good work but the leftover PP marks around the knees and hair is really disturbing. It really ruins what cud hav been a very fine pic.
Anjan

hoorge (1434) 2006-11-04 23:40

Wonderful child potrait with innocense and sadness. A true daily life shot and definately a shot that teaches us something about life, humility, and compassion. Perfectly composed.

axiotea (21651) 2006-11-05 1:22

Hi Arjun,
That little boy is beautiful and your note very touching concerning the child labour...Of course I am against child labour, but I know when the parents are very poor, everyone have to work if they want to survive, because NO ONE will help them! TFS...
All the best,
Marilyn

sssimon (684) 2006-11-18 23:23

Hi arjun,
I agree with "branley" 100%. This picture is great and that child has clear eyes. I think you should send the original or re-workshop yourself your original to remove the area around the knee and the hair which looks not very well processed.
I would ahve give it a "2" if it would have been a bit improved.
By the way, I saw your other picture which look very good! You capture the feeling of India!
I guess the original is very very nice! :-)
Simon

rajhema (1873) 2006-11-30 6:37

Pity and touching Portrait. Picture is very sharp and delivers the emotion. You might of taken this picture without letting this boy know resulting to a natural pose.

TFS
Rajesh

riclopes (35577) 2007-01-11 4:17

Olá Arjun, great portrait of the kid having his breakfast. It surprised me to see so many kids working in India and it's really sad. I hope that the situation come to an end. Beautiful light, lovely expression and good use of the shallow dof. Very well done!
Best regards,
Ricardo

AROBN54 (11475) 2007-01-17 1:36

What a perfectly done portrait, Arjun. The light is perfect and the gaze so direct. The colors and detail in the foreground are excellent. Poor baby. This, and other pictures here of children in this kind of life, break my heart. Great capture! TFS, Shelly

Atousa (7131) 2007-01-31 11:17

Salam,
Very sad picture + Very touching note + good composition n sharpness= an impressing shot ,but who is to blame?
TFS
Atousa

claudeD (47754) 2007-06-17 12:19

Hello Arjun,

very good portrait shot of this little boy.I like it very much.Congratulations.

With regards from Luxembourg

Jean-Claude

noborders (1010) 2007-06-22 15:57

Great photo and excellent note, Arjun !
Bravo,
TFS,
Cath.

faubry (35447) 2007-06-25 10:57

superb light here on face, great reportage photo, it's so sad for children at work... soon
francine