The Exile 2, a photo from Bagmati, Central

Photographer's Note

This is my second picture of Tibetan exiles. The Bodhnath area of Kathmandu shelters a community of Tibetan refugees from the Chinese occupation of their homeland. A huge chorten or stupa was built here in the eighth century by a Tibetan king. The area around the stupa has become a center for Tibetan exiles and for the practice of Tibetan Buddhism. Most of the monks and lay folk here have followed His Holiness the Dali Lama into exile. Like the old monk, previously posted, this Tibetan woman has been in exile for many years. She is walking around the stupa in the evening turning her prayer wheel and dreaming of returning , on day, to a fee Tibet. As one critique said of my last Tibetan post "I wish I could believe that a free Tibet will ever happen" I also wish that I could believe this.

bombilla, fleopold, AROBN54, PierreMorel, papagolf21, Davids, ALIRIZA, dareco, adores, TopGeo, riclopes, axiotea, touristdidi has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

sothy81 (9646) 2007-09-18 9:09

Very nice shot Kevin. I like this moment where you can see her glance with that innocent look. The picture is composed with nice light on her face. Well done. Sothy

bombilla (3406) 2007-09-18 9:09

Wow, what a dynamic, penetrating portrait this is. The intense gaze confronting the camera, the prayer wheel stopped in mid-air but exhibiting motion still, all against the glowing wall of the stupa -- all makes a strong impression of vitality, seriousness of purpose and a charged encounter between observer and observed. -Hugh

sacavem (18620) 2007-09-18 9:41

Hello Kevin,

Great portrait with amazing colours and the light very well managed.
Excellent details, very well framed and done
TFS and Best Regards, and have a nice day,
Filipe

fleopold (1375) 2007-09-18 9:46

Hello Kevin!
This is a very good and interesting documentation of life in Nepal. Well done.
Greetings from Austria!

AROBN54 (11475) 2007-09-18 10:03

What a stunning portrait, Kevin. I love the way you have caught her looking directly at you in the midst of her thoughts. The colors are wonderful, detail, even the bit of motion blur in the prayer wheel. A really good note, too. I am sorry for those forced to be away from the home they love for .. whatever reason. Well done!! Kind regards,
Shelly

Stepan (27210) 2007-09-18 10:28

That's well shot, at the perfect moment, in a good frame. I suppose it was not that easy and you did it well. The fact she looks at you while turning her personnal prayer wheel is excellent.
Stéphane

PierreMorel (1172) 2007-09-18 15:17

Hi Kevin,
Interesting portrait and excellent composition. I would prefer it more sharp.
Regards,
Pierre

vincz (19113) 2007-09-19 0:27

Very nice one around this great stupa. The flow there never stops it seems and you caught her spinning her prayer wheel. Good feeling of motion there.

papagolf21 (152607) 2007-09-20 0:54

Bonsoir, mon ami Kevin,
Cette femme faisant tourner ce moulin à prière est parfaitement mise en valeur.
Votre note accompagne parfaitement cette prise de vue. Tout est dit à travers son regard.
Très jolie réalisation.
Amitiés.
Philippe

Furachan (0) 2007-09-20 1:40

Good strong portrait, Kevin, with colors that really make sense to me as I sit here in a Chechire COunty Puclic library in Knustford ;o)
Hope to see you somewhere around December 22-23 in BKK, eh?
Cheers,
Francis

kensimage (8563) 2007-09-20 7:58

The lines in her face say that this woman shares your view--she is deeply sad and not hopeful, and has felt that way for a long time. I like your shallow-but-not-too-shallow DOF, so that the background provides context but doesn't distract. Regards, Ken.

ALIRIZA (16423) 2007-09-21 2:17

Hi Kevin
An interesting portrait and excellent POV. Perfect timing and good frame too. Well done my dear friend...
Have a nice weekend...
Ali Rıza

PixelTerror (0) 2007-09-21 2:51

Hi Kevin,
Just after having seen Vincent's one about prayer technology yours is a good complement, good framing and the little blur tells about the motion.
Have a nice day,
JEan-Yves

dareco (17136) 2007-09-21 7:02

Such an interesting face and expression. A very nice picture and a nice note as well. I would say a perfect moment captured. TFS

adores (46979) 2007-09-21 16:48

Hi Kevin!
Good portrait! I like the way you captured her serious expression looking at you and we can almost see the wheel moving. Well framed, good light a a good note also. Well done!

TopGeo (38220) 2007-09-22 0:32

Hi Kevin,
This is a very good portait and interesting theme. The colors are wonderful, detail, even the bit of motion blur in the prayer wheel. A very nice shot and a nice note as well. An important presence you give here, with excellent in this manner I like it very well captured and composed shot.Bravo Georgios

riclopes (35577) 2007-09-22 1:11

Great portrait, Kevin. Love the motion effect (seems a bit of panning, while your camera followed her movement...) with the blurred background and also the spinning wheel. The exile mood is very well captured on her figure and your note is interesting as usual.
ricardo

axiotea (21651) 2007-09-22 8:13

Bonsoir mon ami Kevin
A strong and touching image with good capture of the woman's deep expression, looking straight at you! Her prayer wheel in movement gives a dynamic impact to the image.
I wish as well that I could believe for Free Tibet!!!
Cheers
Marilyn

konok (2068) 2007-10-06 2:46

Nice and well composed portrait - I like the motion blur on the background.
TFS
Janos

touristdidi (8583) 2007-10-11 20:28 [Comment]