An African Family

[GB1]

Well the father isn't here, but anyways..

Taken just down the road from the gate to the Kilimanjaro park (the Machame route) at a little store. The kids were super friendly. As always, C&C are appreciated.

G

[gahspidy]

Everything is great in this. . . except the woman in the bg hidden behind the curtain. The lighting is perfect, the pose of the mother and kids is great. . .lovely scene really, but the woman blocked by the curtain is killin it for me. If the woman in the bg just were not there at all, it would be stunning. Still very good, GB, i just can't get past the blocked woman thing . .

[Greg McCary]

I agree with Gary. The picture would be wonderful without the woman in the background.

[Frog]

Same as above except I wish it was the rag that wasn't there.
Is that Alaskan Amber?

[Overbeyond]

Yes GB I have to agree with the other members here; That bloomin curtain is surely in the way.
Otherwise all is well.

[Len J]

Woman in backround and middle child not looking at you are the only things keeping this from being a 10.

Exposure, composition, color are all spot on.

Len

[susaan]

I think the child looking at its mother does not take anything away from the shot,its part of "The Story"and both she and the foreground one are looking at the viewer- would be tempted to crop some off the top,maybe 1/2 inch-just my opinion-but its a great subject,well captured,and the curtain is just one of those things...Love it !

[GB1]

Jambo everyone.

One thing I learned in Africa is to take your pix fast before everything changes The pace of life and how people move just seemed different over there, making it hard to anticipate. So the distractions in the background etc just had to be tolerated. I wish they weren't there and I had composed them out, but better that than no shot at all (wow, love having an excuse!)

I personally feel that the kid looking at his mom isn't all that bad, but I can see where it might be fun if everyone was making eye contact. Susaan, I did try a crop there and it somehow felt cramped. You can try it too if you'd like.. see what you think.

Frog, I don't know Alaskan Amber. What's that? If it's the clothes, the Tanzanians seem to have a ragbag collection of cast offs from tourists. Some of the porters wore shirts of Super Bowl events about 15 years ago (Hmm..).

Thks for commenting. I am wondering if I can enter this shot in a contest.. not sure if the curtain is a downer.

G

[LeeIs]

Agreed with everyone with the woman in the back. that's where my eye hits first when i first looked at this. other than that. great capture.

[frleal70]

My eye hits the little boy in front first. I think it's a great pic. Nice work

[GB1]

Liban - Thanks for taking a look. I think we have some perfectionists here (a good thing), cause it is funny how most focus on the one issue and not on the positives of the kid's and woman's smile . All perceptions are different, it seems, but perhaps there's too much of a blank spot in the top center area, and that is why the back woman is what everyone sees? Hard to say. The kid is pretty low too, so hard to see him immediately. Thanks for commenting .. makes me wonder what I can do to negate that curtain and woman. A big time PS project

Thks too frleal. If only the kid were higher!
G

[LeeIs]

Hey G, no i think why the eye goes there is because the images load from the top down. lol.

So that's the first thing that loads on my machine. I think had it been on print it one might see it or realize it later. but in this format, the first thing i saw was that. But I agree all the good things overcome that once the whole thing loads

[Lori11]

Oh I like this! The little one in the front is adorable, those cheeks! :lol: I like the set up a lot. the woman in the back doesnt bother me, enough of her is covered, if half her face was there, it would be a problem. But then again, Im an outside the box person....I am loving your shots from this trip!

[GB1]

Liban -

Yep! I think the way the images load affect the way we see the image. I guess if it were a printed photo that things might be different.

Lori -

Thanks, and there's more to come. I took about 900 while over there but a distressing number of them were terrible, prob due to me not doing something right w/ my rented vibration reduction lens (should have did some test shots beforehand, but was pressed for time). The 'good ones' will be posted over the next few weeks

I think this little fellow is the most interesting character I photographed over there. He seems to have a Frank Sinatra smile eh?

G