Timeslice from the past, a photo from Cluj, West

Photographer's Note

Less about a place, but more about the people belonging to it. In the crowd of the market, she seems not belonging there, into this "Man's world"...

Negreni - a village on the half way between Oradea and Cluj, in the West Carpathian Mountains. Where the valley of the river named Crisul Repede becames a bit larger, was place enough near/among the river to keep market.
I don't know if the tradition is continued till now, but there was once in a year a marketplace, three days long.
People - most from the surrounding villages, but also from over 100km - came with traditional products, most of them homemade. Also food, cereals, animals.

Cropped, "cleared" with Neatimage, a lot of work on scratches - old negativ
As WS, the sepia version. What do you think?

xln, erthmuffin, aralda, robob has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

clodreno (0) 2004-03-05 5:51

Nice shot Janos. I am really enjoying the grain in this one.. very well done. I am not sure about neat image. But in this case it's really good, Nice atmmosphere.

olli (2091) 2004-03-05 5:56

Great mix of hats, grey tones and backs of the old men. And the young girl in white with out hat adds a great contrast into the image. Excellent B&W shot with grain. I like this shot very-very much...

maciekda (19895) 2004-03-05 5:57

it would nbe a great shot if the girl's expression was less accidental, I really like the contrast between her and all those guys, the scene is a bit magical.
almost a great picture, ah! so close!

robbertjan (2906) 2004-03-05 6:06

Janos the grain is great in this picture. You captured the woman in the white very well. She is a great detail to this picture. A biggg smiley for you!!!

avigur_11 (22553) 2004-03-05 6:13

This is not the first shot from that place, Janos, but it is the best one of this series.
Although I like sepia, and you made a nice sepia composition, I think the b/w version is better. She seems not belonging there, that's right, but she makes this composition excellent. I like the way all the men looking at the same direction, there must be something interesting there, but we have to imagine what could it be. Excellent shot, Janos.

FrancisSanto (528) 2004-03-05 6:31

strong "old marketplace" feeling - with the special touch of the artist

summer89 (5422) 2004-03-05 7:07

Perfect photo, Janos.

You get very nice atmosphere, the composition is wonderfull. The white girl contrast is great. Very good note, too.

Well done.

merpb (2001) 2004-03-05 8:34

great image perfectly suited to the grainy B&W treatment.
The fact that she's looking away and down creates a wonderful tension.
Well done

Midnight_sun (1941) 2004-03-05 9:34

I like these shots of yours showing the market. She really does seem out of place. the way everyone is looking makes this shot interesting, the composition is very good, great shot.

Ebbe (9625) 2004-03-05 11:40

It is a funny situation Janos, the young girl in white and all the old(?) men in dark turning the other way. Well caught, nice grain of the fast films of the time, wish it had been a bit sharper but this kind of picture works in soft focus too.

I remember the Zenit, my brother had an SLR from them in the seventies and also in our school there were some for photoclass.

wtolyz (20) 2004-03-05 14:41

Excellent! Very emotional look...

lukasfoto (3078) 2004-03-06 6:30

WHAT A EXCELLENT PICTURE!!! old mans and one beautifull girl! Very well done!

jhonny_blue (4956) 2004-03-08 12:34

The grain gives a great harmony for your picture !
Beautiful !

mcreider (673) 2004-03-13 7:39

One of your wonderful b/w, depicting the disappearing world of the Eastern Europe

chagovets (194) 2004-03-13 8:03

Great grain texture, perfect contrast between the girl and all those men.. Just one small dust particle on girl's hair, did you leave it intentionally?

erthmuffin (1551) 2004-08-09 19:07

very well done! love the grain and the tones! she stands out in white against all their dark colors. great note, too.

aralda (1240) 2005-11-01 9:50

I like the dynamic in the image, and the contrast between the girl and the men. With her long dark hair and the white T-shirt she really stands out from the crowd.
The grain is nice. That's what TE can do to you: send you rummaging through your old photos (/strips of film). Thank you for sharing this one,
Raluca

zig (2456) 2005-11-02 7:21

The people are all scattered in all over the frame and their heads directions makes interesting patterns here. It was good to have her look at your side.

hantulaut (3441) 2006-04-02 21:13

interesting, like took from a "godfather" movie scenes.
good catch! :-)

cheers

robob (3648) 2006-11-02 11:32

Bonsoir Janos,
Une sacrйe bonne photo ! C’est vrai que le grain lui donne une touche trиs artistique. Bravo !
A bientфt, Robert

diegomach (531) 2008-08-18 20:30

Grate shot Janos, Es una gran atmosfera la que has captado, una composiion muy bien lograda.
felicitaciones