Girl from the Cave, a photo from Bamian, East

Photographer's Note

This young girl is the eldest of four children living in a cave near to the Buddhas of Bamiyan. During the day she and her brothers and sisters are left to themselves while their parents are working.

It's clearly a very harsh life and it's difficult to see a way out. How can these children ever expect to live a good life? Without money or education they are likely to follow in their parents' footsteps. A vicious circle of poverty handed down from one generation to the next.

Let's hope that Afghanistan can develop enough to give everyone, including the poorest, some hope for the future.

To see another picture of this girl with her sister, and for more information, please click here.

joso, serenadanesi, weswang, fireflyz, don_narayan, Bien, AmiBe, nwoehnl, sarju, coco, cengiz, oochappan, Mistral, rahul__rahul__, pauliner, lu_muratori, rcrick, amino, niphredil76, unche oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

joso (2417) 2005-10-31 14:10

A stong portrait, with very good note.
To remember us how good we have it, with a roof above our heads, warm, and full stomac...
To remember us that about two million people dies yearly from starvation...
To remember us
that
that
that
that

János

dsidwell (9783) 2005-10-31 14:23

This is nice, Jonathan. I like the pensive look of the girl, and the tones work nicely bring interest to both highlights and shadows. With you, I also hope that Afghanistan can provide for its future soon.

serenadanesi (944) 2005-10-31 14:27

Hello Jonathan,
very nice portait of a nice young girl who do not have a nice live. I hope that the situation can change.
very interesting note.

mrcrow (3993) 2005-10-31 14:38

perfect shot..not quite candid but not imposing on the young persons intimacy
you got the eyes and not the background
the hand is beginning to go oof...
really good use of dof and colours tonally go well..
the red skin the green cloak

actually with a 38mm at f4.2 its incredibly portrait
i would have though a longer lens on a f 2.8 setting would do this..but that is 35mm lengths

alita (477) 2005-10-31 14:42

Hallo Jonathan,
a beautiful portrait of this girl, very emotional and touching
congratulations

fireflyz (2097) 2005-10-31 19:08

Hi Jonathan,
Very beautiful and powerful portrait shot with a sad story behind those eyes. I don't agree with thanking god after seeing these photos that we have this or we have that! She and millions more like her are a part of "WE"! I find that selfish. Thank you for sharing these photos of afghanistan. These people have been destroyed by foreign policy and interference of two superpowers and eventually by the fanaticism, which was the fruite of those interferences. TFS..

adrost (2378) 2005-10-31 19:24

Really nice face and green shawl.
Itd my fauvorite.
Thanks.
Regards.
adam

Taninha (29) 2005-10-31 20:31

This is one of those pictures that touch me deep inside.

That is a beautiful child that should have the chance like all others in the rest of the World...they should have the right of being children and to be happy.

She has a strong expression..an old expression...to old for a litlle girl like her.

Congrats for the composition.

don_narayan (2014) 2005-10-31 21:52

Hi Jonathan. this is a wonderful portrait. great note as well.

Cormac (26565) 2005-11-01 0:24

This is your best portrait yet! The lighting is just right, giving the face a glow, which is enhanced by the dark robe framing the face. Great detail, and good expression too. Really impressive!

Bien (4745) 2005-11-01 1:23

Hi Jonathan, I very much appreciated the previous portrait of the same girl and her sister, but I think this is great too. Although I can still sense some pain on the girl's face, she already looks a little less distressed, and I appreciate that emotion. The way you captured it, makes it also a hopeful portrait, the light is really excellent. I'm also very impressed with how that light reflects the green of her scarf on her eyelashes; I have never seen anything of the kind, and it's simply beautiful. Thank you, Sabine

DarkoG (8) 2005-11-01 3:08

Excellent portret

and touchy story. Unfortunatelly this storry is reallity of majority on this planet.
Afghanastin is a really sad place, made worst by stupid politicians, and wrong interpretation of religion.

But, maybe photos like this help us all to make a small contribution in fighting against kind of people that cause this kind of trouble all around the world.

Congratulations on your photo.

DArko

AmiBe (6042) 2005-11-01 5:04

Hi Jonathan,
excellent portrait, I like the light on her face.
Good focus point and DOF as well.
She seems very pensive...
Well done

Gdouble (0) 2005-11-01 5:23

Hi Jonathan,
Your series on Afghanistan are a real history and economy course. This nice little girl hold all the hope that you speek about in your interresting nota, in her glance.
Great shot. Until now it's the one I prefer.
Guy

ALSOM (6616) 2005-11-01 6:44

Hi Jonathan,
this is a lovely portrait. So many feelings, unfortunately sad from this face. Thanks for you note added great value to your capture.
Great colors and pov.
Thanks, Al.

gebala (0) 2005-11-01 9:14

hello Jonathan, what a beauty photo, this girl is amaizing and this green colour,another exellent portrait, i really like them, well done

have a nice day,

rgs

weswang (18247) 2005-11-01 10:45

Hi Jonathan, A detailed portrait of the young girl. It looks that she may have some problems with her skin or it is lack of water in her area. It is hard to believe that the hand is so rough looking to a young girl. It looks that the life is tough there. Good capture and nice texture.

nopoint (878) 2005-11-01 11:09

What a powerful picture of a child and a hard life. You can see the skin of the child has been burned by the cold and dry air. There are so litle to offer in those range of mountain. to maintain the bare minimum is a luxury up there...Kiet

nwoehnl (122) 2005-11-01 14:38

A touching portrait, Jonathan, a great add to your Afghanistan series that gets even more impact from your heartfelt note. The girl's look is so well captured, and the simplicity and humbling conditions of her life are well illustrated by the simple frame and the telling details. Well done, a true TE posting.

sarju (5324) 2005-11-02 0:58

Hi Jon
very good study again .... I am really admiring these photos that you have brought from Afghanistan
about this photo I like the fact that there is nothing flimsy about this girl ... she seems to be so shaped by the landscape/environment around her
regards .... sarju

coco (30439) 2005-11-02 9:21

Hi Jonathan.
I could say a lot things about this one. But only I am going to say: that's what means TE.

Regards.

(my english is not very good and I hope that the meaning of what I want say would be correct)

cengiz (3593) 2005-11-04 16:36

very nice portrait meaninfull eyes
very emotially perfect done
cengiz

oochappan (4880) 2005-11-07 19:24

Excellent portrait here Jonathan,
I like the deep green cloth contrasting her face so well detailled, don't know what happend to her hand, a good shot to pull full attention on their situation.

Fevzi (123) 2006-03-10 17:01

Excellent portrait! Cracked skin on her hand gives away how harsh her live is.

futureuniverse (136) 2006-04-08 5:42

Hi dear Jonathan,
very very great portrait
i like it
thanks for sharing
regards

veronika (6058) 2006-04-08 5:56

Jonathan,

this is very nice picture with beautiful colours and lights on girls face. Reading your note, i became upset, the situation there is really bad..
anyway, thanks for sharing!
veronika

sergio1 (12152) 2006-05-02 5:18

Hi Jonathan
Very interesting protrait. I like the expression and colours. You have a good work.
Sergio

ilgar (556) 2006-05-17 15:06

woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow thanks

fullyarmdvishnu (48) 2006-05-17 15:06 [Comment]

Show Comment

Mistral (15416) 2006-06-20 16:23

Hi Jonathan,
it's a nice and touching portrait (also due of your note).
Excellent focusing and PoV.
I like a lot your Afghan gallery...
A smile
Luca

pauliner (32) 2006-08-29 18:32

A very beautiful portrait, Jonathan. Perfectly lit and perfectly framed. There is also an irony here which adds an additional dimension, in that the robe pulled so closely round her face gives her a Madonna like appearance. You manage to make a social comment with just one beautiful shot. For me, this is what photography is about. I wish I had your talent.
Regards,
Pauline

faubry (35447) 2006-10-05 15:38

hello Jonathan, very beautiful portrait! i like how is her glance! very good cadrage
bravo
francine

lu_muratori (618) 2007-01-19 0:49

Hi Jonathan,what an amazing story.Poor little girl...Her hands say it all don't they? The composition of this portrait is just great!
Wonderfull job mate,
Luci

rcrick (346) 2007-07-12 0:43

Hi Jonathan, Very strong image and heartfelt, Regards Rick

Didier38 (710) 2007-12-08 12:40

Bonsoir Jonathan,

Trčs belle photo qui m'a beaucoup ému.
J'aime les photos qui font réfléchir, et ta note est trčs bien, souhaitont que l'ętre humain évolue et que la misčre diminue dans ce monde.

Didier