Taipei

Photographer's Note

As I had mentioned a few days ago, I have recently had reason to look through my devotion in the time of SARS series. This shot fits in with that category as well, although not exactly like the others.

This was taken at Lungshan Temple during the SARS outbreak. Rather than praying though, this man is aiding the devotion of others by polishing candle holders and lighting candles within the temple. This is actually the fourth shot of him I have posted. Two were just his hands, one was a full scale shot showing him lighting candles. Here he is lighting candles again, this time taking shelter from the SARS virus. The Lungshan Temple area of Taipei was one of the hardest hit neighborhoods when it came to SARS, so it was really brought home for the worshippers here.

In this shot, what I like is not just the man, but the colorfull background of the outer temple.

Nobody oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

clodreno (0) 2004-02-28 4:52

very interesting image Darren. Your note is also worth reading. I lijke the image, even though I believe I would have cropped a bit of the top..Very sharp. Is SARS still a problem in Taiwan?
I already have done 2 WS..

manny (22032) 2004-02-28 4:54

This is a great shot. The composition is very good and the colors and patterns of the candles add an element of mysticism into this capture. The way the black backdrops the candle and the soft colors of the DOF, the man are quite symbolic. With some humor added (the way he clipped the sack? with his thighs) is also well-seen. Good work.

Josh69 (1437) 2004-02-28 5:08

Another excellent photo - although I prefer your images of people actually praying. A small point - the blue pen in his pants stands out too much, you could select the pen and desaturate it.

gringofil (0) 2004-03-20 10:00

Glad you found this one among your negatives...a perfect addition to your SARS series. The framing is just perfect here, Darren, I like the balance between the man and the candle holder. The temple building in the background adds a nice splash of color and makes the image that much more interesting. Excellent work!