Waiting for dirty shoes, a photo from Tirane, North

Photographer's Note

This is from the large Rinia Park in central Tirana. Although Albania has enjoyed a strong economic growth for the last ten years and is rapidly modernizing, unemployment and underemployment is still widespread.

This gentleman, forced to try to make a living from polishing shoes, was aware of my camera but decided to pose in his own way, by not looking at me.

By the way, the tent in the background was not for homeless or refugees. It served as a temporary "clinic" during the WHO World Blood Donor Day.

I didn't donate blood that day, and I didn't have my sandals polished, in case anyone wondered.

UlfE, annjackman, siamesa, patdeph, adores, bukitgolfb301, subhendu_bagchi, Kielia, skippy007, skippy007, RhodieIke, ourania, fritzi007, PiotrF has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

wolf38 (30) 2011-07-22 8:36

Hi Gert. Surely a true title. Cleaning shoes is an old service. Maybe the money sufficient to ensure the livelihoods. Shining shoes, yes, but you have to negotiate the price beforehand. The scene I like, because she is very much alive and vivid. Rgds, Wolfgang.

eldancer1 (36343) 2011-07-22 9:20

Very nice documentation of the daily life of an ordinary person. I like your pov and good dof with nice details. Well done, tfs.

UlfE (14641) 2011-07-22 9:36

Hej Gert,

I realise that you have posted a number of new photos from Albania since last time I visited your gallery. All of very interesting scenes and provided with useful notes. I love this one of a shoe polisher posing for you but at the same time pretending that he is unaware of your camera. What a dream situation for a photographer!The result was excellent. TFS and have a nice weekend!

Hälsningar

Ulf

annjackman (23019) 2011-07-22 10:02

Hello Gert,
Nicely seen. I do like the shoe polisher's pose. I am enjoying your pictures of Albania - I do not know of many people visiting this country. I hope he got some business that day. Very well seen and taken.
Best wishes, Ann

saxo042 (38078) 2011-07-22 11:53

Hej Gert,
I certainly didn´t know that you need all this equipment and utilities to polish a pair of shoes... I like the composition here with the man so clearly ignoring the photographer. Nice composition with the lines of his chair interacting with the lines of the balustrade behind him.
Hälsningar
Gunnar

siamesa (28231) 2011-07-22 13:17

Boa noite Gert

Shoe shiner... it's difficult to see some of them here.
Nowadays there are stores that do this. I think that shoe shiners have a special type of work.
Abraços
maria

emka (157280) 2011-07-22 23:37

Hi Gert, I have just wanted to asked about the blood and sandals :). haha funny title. He is waiting for my shoes, often dirty after long walks, but he waits in vain. I like this everyday scene, well composed. He is trying to look as if he didn't notice you. Excellent presentation.

Warm regrads

Malgo

dkmurphys (79209) 2011-07-23 0:37

Hi Gert,
I didn't know that this job is still in use. Here it has dissapeared after the WW2. Picturesque scene, well catch.
Enjoy a fine day.

agjika (3177) 2011-07-23 1:09

Hi Gert,
I see you have added another classic to your gallery, single person in his envrionment.

This is a first time for me seeing a man of his age doing the shoe polisher's job. When I lived in Albania this was almost exclusively the job of young gypsy boys that did not go to school. And they were good, not only would they polished your shoes but they usually used the brushes as drum sticks knocking rythmically on the wooden box and jugling them at the same time. The show was for a tip of course!

I am not sure about the title. You will find that people who are willing to pay to get their shoes polished do not usually have dirty shoes, they are just after that extra shine because they want to impress someone. And you can see that there is no shoe dirt around his work bench.

Nice composition and sharpness.

Thanks for sharing

Aleks

patdeph (35750) 2011-07-23 12:16

hello Gert
this is a nice documentary picture,with beautiful colors and light,and perfectly framed.Superb!
Regards
Pascale

adores (46979) 2011-07-23 15:40

Hi Gert!
Another great daily scene! The details are wonderful. I especially like his pose, the cigarette and the botle. Very well framed, with all those people in background!

abmdsudi (95869) 2011-07-23 20:28

Hi Gert
A Lovely image, a great slice of street life in good highlights and information with the angle really set off his pose nicely under shade. Detail is excellent, very crisp with brilliant surroundings this really makes the subject standout out. Well observed and the treatment of the image is subtle and does focus attention on the cool subject, and enough room space ahead of him, not a sight we see very often these days. He makes an honest living from shining shoes, actually a great job on the peoples shoes. A fabulous shot his expression is quite brilliant, a very nicely observed street photo and not only a great shot but a nice piece of social commentary. You have an eye for capturing 'moments'

It's a simple and honest portrait, which works so well, those who say it's a poignant portrait, and those who appreciate your heartfelt simple write-up. I can imagine much satisfaction getting this shot gave you. It's something very special, and whatever we say in our comments, we'll never be able to convey our thoughts and feelings about it in words what you have captured in an image. Thanks for sharing it with us! Congrats
Best regards

COSTANTINO (115407) 2011-07-24 2:10

Hello
I like this kind of shots
it describes a prefession of old
times,simple but interesting
regards
Costantino

bukitgolfb301 (54014) 2011-07-24 3:50

Hi my dear Gert, how are you?

I am surprised that there are still shoes clearer in Europe, even though Albania! Fine and a little humor shot by his relaxed expression and pose. Stable framework and well considered compsition are perfect as always and usual. Thanks for your sharing finest work and have a good Sunday evening!

Best regards,
Takero from hot Tokyo

Nard (6972) 2011-07-24 6:06

hi Gert
Nice daily life scene well captured. A good POV with the man and his tools in the shadow and the light behind.
Regards
bernard

lousat (138521) 2011-07-25 16:11

Hi Gert,i have many albanians friends in Italy and this man seems a sosia of one of that..eheh...a beautiful pic from a world that will be disappear beacuse the globalitation,excellent pic and very good quality too,i like it!Thanks for share,have a nice day,Luciano

subhendu_bagchi (26091) 2011-07-26 2:13

namaste Gert,
a beautiful daily life shot here. Like your composition here using a nice POV. The gentleman with his equipment of shoe polish is looking well with such green background. You light management is superb as ever. Great shot with fine depth and vivid colours. Tfs.
Best wishes.
Subhendu

Disabled_A (0) 2011-07-26 12:54

Hej Gert,

a simple composition but with a message to the viewer. There's something to muse on when you look at it!
such street daily life photos make me think that I still have a lot to learn in the process of becoming more observant and seeing more around me.

kind regards,
Elena

daddo (28748) 2011-07-28 20:54

Hi Gert. I see that you are drawn to Albania as you are there again. Well, he is in no rush in his shady spot. A good slice of life. i do get somewhat annoyed when I see these ubiquitous caps that have flooded the world. I have been trying to persuade my dad not to wear one- it just looks odd on an octogenarian in my opinion.Best wishes. Klaudio.

Kielia (24077) 2011-07-29 9:06

Dear Gert,
this is a wonderful contribution in the best spirit of TE! I read your note with great interest.
Excellent photo work, this wonderful impression is thoroughly composed, and the comments you have provoked are very interesting; I learnt a lot today. TFS!
Warm regards
Harriet

skippy007 (12510) 2011-07-31 18:07

Hello Gert, I like the casual pose on this shoe polisher although he was posing for the camera he still looks very relaxed & natural. Maybe he can earn enough money for his cigarettes. A well documented daily life scene. Nice work.
Regards
Santo

Angshu (56760) 2011-08-01 4:11

Hello Gert
A candid shot of the man...I wouldn't have guessed that he was aware of your presence unless you mentioned. But then again, sitting alone, he couldn't have but noticed! Men at Work can be a theme for this nice shot!
Best Regards
Angshu

RhodieIke (11752) 2011-08-02 12:19

Hi Gert, I love daily life scene's, like this one, super colours, light and him being natural, Well done, Cheers Iain.

Miguel82 (47110) 2013-05-17 3:25

Hello
This is an excellent portrait of this street worker and good document about this ancient job
Good sharpness, nice colors and exposition
Bye!

ourania (51103) 2013-07-17 7:55

Hello Gert,
your attention to daily life and human character got something nice and interesting out of this quiet and idle scene at a park of Tirana. I think that the streetwise gentleman collaborated in his own way and maintained a very natural pose that is probably typical of the way he spends the day waiting for a client. The background is lovely. It's interesting to see that the gentleman is alone in this part of the park while so many people are gathered in the distance. Your light management is superb, ensuring pleasant natural colours and great clarity both in the foregrouns and in the background. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a great evening,
Ourania

nikkitta (17070) 2014-02-27 14:08

Hola Gert
Just browsing your photos found this and subject and title made me laught, it applies so well at some squares in Latin Amerixa and Mexique (carp for homeess here)
Great the way he reacted at your photo,showing a good profile
Well done
Maria

Not donate blood, not to give work at the poor man, all is "Non politically correct"

fritzi007 (14698) 2014-04-30 14:41

Hallo Gert,
interessante Alltagsszenevom albanischen Alltag, wie gefährlich ist es dort noch?
Wirklich ein sehr gutes Foto, gratuliere!
Viele Grüße
Wolfgang

PiotrF (54246) 2017-08-23 12:51

Hello Gert
Interesting documentary picture from Tirana.
Good composition and quality.
Nice presentation.
Regards
Piotr