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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Fifteen: Making travel portraits that define personality and character. > Dislocated farmer, Shi Bao Zhai, China, 2004
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30-JUN-2004

Dislocated farmer, Shi Bao Zhai, China, 2004

Everyone in our tour group had a chance to talk at length with this woman who has lost her Yangtze River farm because of flooding caused by the world’s largest dam. She is very upset about her dislocation, but is facing the challenge with quiet courage and resolve. I photographed her at the entrance to her current residence, which stands on high ground within the town of Shi Bao Zhai. Thanks to the help of an excellent tour guide who accompanied us throughout China, I asked her if she would help me make this photograph. While leaving her home following our long discussion, I noticed a pair of baskets used by farmers to carry loads of produce on their shoulders. They were sitting on some old planks in the large sheltered entryway to the apartment building where she now made her home. I asked our guide to ask her if she would just walk over and stand in front of those baskets, symbols of her life as a farmer. She graciously cooperated, and just stood there looking at me, wondering what to do. I asked nothing else of her – I only wanted her to stand there in the glow of the indirect light illuminating her from the doorway to the building. The light, the baskets, and the honesty of her straightforward pose create a portrait that expresses aspects of both her past and future. The baskets are empty now, but the glow that envelops her suggests that she will come up with the answers to meet the challenges she faces.

Leica Digilux 2
1/100s f/3.4 at 10.2mm iso100 full exif

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Phil Douglis10-Aug-2006 18:22
Thanks, Adam, for coming to this image. This portrait is based as much on the expression of light as it is on the subject. The two become one.
Guest 06-Aug-2006 08:00
Beautiful image here Phil. Lovely graduation of light leading to the subject who is ideally placed were shadow ends & light begins. The light falling on the floor adds a diagonal. Baskets add a further point of interest to the shot. Super. V
Phil Douglis18-Apr-2005 03:08
I was struck by your focus on the stone here as metaphor, rather than the symbolism inherent in the light, Ruth.
I was concentrating so hard on reading the values conveyed by the interplay of light and shadow and the symbolic empty farming baskets that I had completely overlooked the role the stone floor and stone wall play in this image. I took the stone for granted. But you did not.

You have made me see the harsh, cold, unforgiving stone in a new light -- and yes, it certainly is reminiscent of the stone walls of the Three Gorges Dam that have displaced her and changed her life. That stone is everything her farm was not -- man-made, unnatural, non-productive. It represents the challenge she faces in moving towards a new life. The light takes over from there, and illuminates her quiet, confident strength. I consider this picture to be the most evocative environmental portrait I have ever made, Ruth. Now you give me even more reason to think so. Thank you for your insights.
ruthemily17-Apr-2005 22:51
you have linked me here from your photograph of the three gorges dam athttp://www.pbase.com/pnd1/image/31314620 , the project which has redefined this lady's life. i find the stone in this shot, reminscent of the new stone that has created the gorge. i am pleased the baskets are in the shot though, as it certainly does show resolve, and a determination for life to continue despite being in a new place. as humans of whatever culture, we interpret and define the space we find ourselves in. i feel reassured by this lady. she has a calming influence.
Phil Douglis13-Apr-2005 00:57
Thanks, Henk, for acknowledging the context in which this image was made and is being used. This kind of misunderstanding is very common, and you have given me a chance to restate the purpose nature of my presentation methods once again.
oochappan13-Apr-2005 00:39
You are right Phil, I forgot for one moment the purpose of your photo here as an example of an aspect of the total gallery. I was reflecting my impression as it was standing alone, so I must read the note first to see your intentention, not the other way around. Thanks Phil.
Phil Douglis12-Apr-2005 23:31
If this picture did not tell a story, I would not have used it as an example of a communicative portrait. You seem to have misread both the image and its purpose for being here, Henk. Animation was not the story here. Rather, quiet courage and resolve is the message. The light, her body language, and expression, in my view, are expressing this. This is not a street portrait. It is an environmental portrait, intended to define both character and personality. In my view, it does just that.

It also seems to me as if you are faulting this image for not expressing its ideas entirely on its own. You may be looking at this image out of its intended context. I intend none of my images to stand alone. My galleries are not designed to show off my own work as photographs. My galleries are posted here to teach, and for that purpose the words I write beneath each image are just as important as the image itself. Taken together, this picture and its caption does its job, and in both my view, and the view of all of the others who have left comments here, does it well.
oochappan12-Apr-2005 23:09
One tiny flawn here Phil, the photo doesn't tell the story, it gives an empty feeling alright and the impression that she is not happy, even the light and colors are not at all happy, the interaction between you and the person is weak, giving us the impression almost that she doesn't know how to pose, ok for all these impressions of the photo itself but in fact you are telling the sad story, animating the picture and that can be seen as a very strong point here but not the target of photographie that should tell the story on its own. Indeed you got the mood and make us wonder to read the note.
I have seen already some outstanding examples in your gallery and this made me stop but I will get to them enjoying first with a quick look to the others. BTW I am keen on streat portraits.
Phil Douglis27-Feb-2005 04:33
Thanks, Junwu. It was the quality of light that prompted me to ask this woman to pose for me. I often look for light first, not subject matter, and then try to find subjects that will fit the mood or meaning of the light.
Jun Wu12-Feb-2005 22:15
A masterpiece in many ways. The choice of lighting reminds one of classic Italian paintings. Feeble as she appears, the lady has apparent lost none of her dignity and determination after going through such a trying experience. All this is admirably captured through the lens of an accomplished photographer.
Phil Douglis12-Jan-2005 23:50
Thanks, Matthias, for this observation. How a subject relates to the space around it is part and parcel of an environmental portrait's message. I let the flow of light and shadow and the placement of those farming baskets dictate my vantage point. I asked her to stand next to that basket, and then I moved my frame to place her where I wanted her to stand within it. I like your interpretation of the light and shadow as well. I was thinking primarily of the symbolic meaning of the light that seems to gather around her. Thanks for also pointing out the significant role of the shadows behind her as a symbol of the uncertainties she has endured.
Matthias 12-Jan-2005 15:50
Impressive image. One thing that makes it special is that you put most of the space behind the subject. A conventional portrait would place the subject more to the right, so that the subject's look "governs" the image. This women is dislocated literally, in the image: not so many opportinities before her and rather dark ones behind she locates herself, still a little insecure, in a new, brighter direction.
Phil Douglis30-Nov-2004 20:11
Thanks, Filip, for your gracious comment on this image. I think the stiffness of her pose adds meaning to this picture -- she is a Chinese farmer, and she considered it an honor to be photographed, and I sense a bit of pride in that stiffness. You are right about the light -- it paints the scene with emphasis and lends a bit of symbolic meaning as well.
Guest 22-Nov-2004 08:11
This is just incredible. If photography is about the capture of the beauty of light, than you've managed to get it perfect right here. The way the woman is positioned in the frame with the basket balancing the darkness behind here, makes the image stand out from all others in this gallery. Her pose is rather stiff, but I know how hard it is for Chinese people to look natural if one points a camera at them, so this is really not a nit pick. The light falls perfectly on your subject making her the center of it all...the objects in the background and the little details here and there give us more information about what she does in her daily life. Excellent work.
Phil Douglis18-Sep-2004 20:03
Hi, Andres,

Thanks so much for your comment on this picture. I am delighted you found the story I was trying to tell to be in her face, because I think so, too. The light helps as symbolic context. And so, too, the empty farmers baskets help as context to, if you are aware of what has happened to her. And it is a National Geographic type image, in that it captures, in my view, the human side of an economic issue. That magazine deals with this kind of subject matter all the time, and they usually define it terms of human values. I am flattered that you see me shooting for them, but at age 70 I don't think its in the cards. Besides I have had long conversations about what it takes to shoot for that publication with several of its photographers, notably the late Galen Rowell and his friend, the great wildlife photographer Frans Lanting. Both told me how difficult it is to sustain creativity over a six month long assignment, and also talked of the frustration of seeing what they considered to be their finest images used poorly or not at all. But I am honored that you even mentioned me in the same breath, Andres.

I have been to both Chile and Argentina. You will find many of the images I made in those countries throughout my pbase galleries. You might also enjoy viewing picture stories on my trips there that I've posted on worldisround.com. Just click on:http://www.worldisround.com/home/pnd1/index.html and you will find them on the list. Enjoy.
Phil
Andres Harambour18-Sep-2004 15:07
Wow Phil, I love this photo, the lighting is awesome and the expresion on her face tells a whole story, I see you shooting for National Geographic any day.

Andrés
Phil Douglis12-Aug-2004 21:25
That's exactly why I post these pictures on pbase, Bryan. As tutorials. And your technique of "reading" a picture without looking at the caption can be very helpful. After you read the caption, you can compare your own perception with my intentions and benefit from both.
Guest 12-Aug-2004 21:01
Ahhh yes Phil... outstanding comment as always. I can now imagine this foto as it relates to a story and of course a story would provide the necessary caption. I had not thought about it in that manner. Usually I like to look at your fotos without reading the captions to test myself --- I use them as a tutorial if you will. Bryan
Phil Douglis12-Aug-2004 20:48
Thanks, Bryan, for this perceptive comment, which deals with the critical subject/context relationship. Without a caption, it would be difficult to know exactly what this woman does, or did, for a living, since the baskets are empty, nor is she holding a hoe or rake or wearing the traditional straw hat. None of these "farmer" symbols were available to me. As a travel photojournalist, very few of my pictures are structured to function entirely without context. That context is usually provided either by my captions, titles, or by information in any relevant accompanying pictures. If you choose to look at a picture out of its context, and without reading the caption, that becomes your choice. You then leave it to your own imagination to "feel" the picture, just as you did with my shot of the young girl basking in the sun. Photographs intended to stand on their own, without titles or captions of any kind, usually do not deal with specifics, but speak in more general, symbolic terms. This portrait, on the other hand, was intended primarily to work hand in hand with information provided by words. There is no possible way to for me to tell you that this Yangtze farmer has been dispossessed by a dam without using words. On the other hand, once you know what has happened to this woman, this image can involve you further by telling you who she is and how she feels. At this point, the empty baskets and the glowing light become all the more poignant. They complete the story.
Guest 12-Aug-2004 20:22
I must say I'm torn with this foto Phil. I have read your description and I certainly feel the harsh environment with the cold concrete (such thin shoes on a hard floor reinforces this feeling) and I feel her pride. However, and I know this is beyond your control as a photographer, I would love to see some 'clue' to her background such as food in the baskets or something that says, "I'm a farmer". Without your description, I don't think I would have understood her background or her plight. I sincerely hope you're okay with my honesty. Bryan
Phil Douglis11-Aug-2004 05:36
Thanks, Manny. I consider this image to be among my favorite portraits. The expression is indeed ambivalent, and no doubt due to fatigue and worry. Remember, all that she has worked for has just been taken away from her by the government. Her land will be flooded, and she will have to begin anew. The earth colors do speak of rural life in China, as do the empty baskets, planks, and the raw cement wall behind her. But the key for me is the way she glows in the light that envelopes her from the side. There is a hint of hope in that light and hope is really all she has right now.
Manuel Libres Librodo Jr.11-Aug-2004 03:49
I like the simplicity of this shot. The lighting is well-rendered and it creates a drama to the ambivalent expression of the woman. She's just tired, probably. The earthly colours make the image more powerful. It is a good shot, Phil.
Phil Douglis22-Jul-2004 00:22
Thanks, Wendy. Of all the portraits I took in China, this one affected me the most. This lady has been through a lot, and her story is not over. I was very fortunate to notice those baskets in the entry way as I left -- and also very lucky that this area was so handsomely illuminated by natural light. Our guide was extremely helpful in explaining to this woman what I wanted her to do, and why. And she was extremely gracious. I took advantage of all of these factors to make this shot work so well.
Wendy O22-Jul-2004 00:00
Perfect composition and exposure.
Phil Douglis14-Jul-2004 00:33
You are right, as usual, Anna. This picture is all about the light. Without the light, it's just somone standing there.
Anna Yu13-Jul-2004 20:22
That glow in her face is enhanced by the lighting. I like the play of light and shadow here best.
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