High five, Cuenca, Ecuador, 2011 by Phil Douglis

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20-SEP-2011

High five, Cuenca, Ecuador, 2011

I used a fast 1/640th of a second shutter speed to stop the action here, freezing the hands of both mother and child as they share high fives at a Cuenca bus stop. I had photographed this woman and her child for about five minutes with a telephoto lens from across the street, capturing many different moods and relationships. This moment was my favorite – it speaks of spontaneity, pride, and love.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
1/640s f/5.6 at 200.0mm iso160 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto

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Phil Douglis		10-Dec-2011 00:03
You are right about that, Iris. As photographers, we look for gestures that transcend nationality, age, and gender. Gestures that are truly universal.

Iris Maybloom (irislm)		08-Dec-2011 22:05
The language of the "high five" has become universal....it transcends national, cultural, economic, and generational boundaries as you expressively show in this photo.

Phil Douglis		14-Oct-2011 23:09
Thanks, Carol -- yes, I did make several bursts of this relationship. But you have to be deliberate in triggering those bursts to catch the moment you want. I saw the mother and child begin to interact -- the mother had been very passive and the child was squirming in her arms. As she raised her hand, I began the burst, and found this moment among the others I was able to capture here. You are right about the action itself -- I did not expect to see a high five from such a small toddler.

Carol E Sandgren		12-Oct-2011 21:55
Your timing certainly is perfect although I would imagine you made several burst shots of this scene. Children learn so fast it's mind-spinning! This moment you have captured is so endearing, maybe because the child is doing an action that is meant for someone older.

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