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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Fifty Six: The bus-bound travel image > Shock of color, Jhansi, India, 2008
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28-MAR-2008

Shock of color, Jhansi, India, 2008

Two things fascinate me about this picture. The blue sari and veil seems shockingly out of place in this barren, almost monochromatic landscape. And it seems as if this woman could be walking both backward and forward at the same time, an apt metaphor for the role of women in India's hinterland. I made this image from the side window of our tour bus, using a 35mm focal length and a shutter speed of 1/400th of a second. I needed that fast a shutter speed – not to freeze the subject’s movement, but rather to combat the rapid movement of the bus itself. When traveling with a tour group, I can’t ask the driver to slow down for my pictures at the expense of others in the group. So I must work with whatever I am given. And in this case, I at least had good light and a brightly colored subject that I could see coming towards while we were still some distance away. I began shooting in bursts as soon as I caught sight of her, and one of those bursts produced this image.

Leica V-Lux 1
1/400s f/5.6 at 7.4mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Phil Douglis01-May-2008 18:09
You make a wonderful point, Celia. I think that a "compensation" factor could be at work here -- the more severe the landscape, and the quality of life that goes with it, the more flamboyant the colors of the saris become. On the other hand, I saw colorful saris all over India, in big cities and urban areas alike. I think that vivid colors are simply part of Indian culture in general -- we see them on their trucks, building facades, and clothing alike.
Cecilia Lim01-May-2008 11:31
You're right Phil - this image is freakingly bizarre! She does look like she could be walking backwards or forwards! And yes, the touch of green foliage do echo her green sleeves nicely, which links her to her environment. But what I find interesting about this image is how vibrantly colourful she is despite her desolate surroundings. This says to me a lot about the spirit of the Indian people -In one of the most populous and poorest countries in the world, these resilient people never fail to embrace life with colour and spices to enrich their everyday lives, no matter how hard it gets. Here she walks in the hot sun, shaded by her sari over her face, for what seems to be a long way to collect water or food. But she takes it all in stride in her bold and stunning sari, which seem to echo her strength and determination.
Phil Douglis25-Apr-2008 19:34
Yes, there are flowering bushes here, Tim and there is a green field in the distance, too. Thanks for pointing out how the green sleeves pick up on the green leaves and green grass. I guess that this monochromatic tan landscape is not as tan as I originally thought.
Tim May25-Apr-2008 17:55
You speak of the monochromatic landscape, but I like the fact that there are flowering bushes in the scene and that here clothes are vivid echoing of those colors.
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