Text and picture by Eki Qushay Akhwan
Being caught in the rain can be annoying if you are not prepared with an umbrella. But that does not need to happen in Bandung. For a small fee, these children will be more than happy to lend their umbreallas and escort you to your car or a near by bus stop. Locals call these children with umbrellas "ojeg payung" or umbrella taxi.
I took this photo in front of a book store on Purnawarman Street, Bandung.
Note about the photograph:
A photographer's quick reaction and alertness are very important in sreet photography. An interesting moment sometimes happens only in a split second. I had my digital point and shoot camera out when this scene presented itself, but I was not quite prepared to capture it. I tried my luck anyway. I think I did not quite miss the moment, but the setting and the shutter lag*) of my point and shoot camera made this picture a bit blurred and the highlight areas overexposed.
*) Shutter lag: The delay between the actual moment the camera shutter is pressed and the time the photograph is recorded. Point and shoot pocket digital cameras are especially prone to this phenomenon because of the time it takes for these cameras to charge the CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) and the slow transmission rate of the data to the circuitry of the camera for processing and storage.
Photo basic technical data:
Equipment: Canon PowerShot A510, 3.2 megapixel point and shoot camera
Shutter speed: 1/60 sec.
Aperture: F/2.6
Metering mode: Pattern
10 comments:
Ils ont des parapluie, et des pieds nus. C'est donc qu'il ne fait pas froid. Chez nous la pluie est souvent glaciale.
I think the high contrast and slight blur add to this shot. It feels raw and spontaneous, not in any way posed or anticipated, which is what I love about street photography. Their movement lends naturally to blurred edges, whereas a blurred picture of someone sitting still would just look like a poor photograph.
This is excellent work, Eki. Your images really linger in my mind's eye.
I truly appreciate all of your wonderful commentary about Bandung and photography. You inspire me to take more chances and try to capture more fleeting moments.
Enterprising kids filling a need!
Our word for umbrella is also payong. =)
Sounds very practical. I don't get caught out in the rain often so now I'm wondering if kids do that here too. I know that all sorts of services pop up during flash floods but I'm not sure about ordinary rains.
I think the blur even if not intentional plays well with the photo. Kids who will share an umbrella. When I think of how many times, I haven't had one, it would come in handy.
Not to worry Eki . You got it and we got it! I hate the lag that my old point and shoot had. My new fancy camera has a lag too, except it is my fiddling with the settings etc. Sigh....
very enterprising children...
the slight blur has enhanced the quality of the picture.
Thought this was a nice shot still.
One thing though, those kids run around barefooted on rainy days? Hope they don't catch a cold or cut themselves.
We also have these kids with umbrella here in Butuan, Eki. Its funny how we have so much in common-- Words, food and sceneries. ;) Like what hilda said payong is also our word for umbrella. But its cool how you have a name for these kids. :)
Street photography is all about reacting. The shutter lag delay(you explained that perfeclty)has actually enhanced the urgeny in the shot, the running fron the rain. It has real fluidity and conveys to the viewer the motion, rather than the stillness of the shot superbly.
As for the umbrella children again I find myself in awe of such a concept. You never fail to susutance my interest, and make me long for the next installment. The cdp is better than any tourist guide.
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