Preeners, Shanghai, China, 2006 by Jennifer Zhou

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03-SEP-2006

Preeners, Shanghai, China, 2006

Henri Cartier-Bresson said " You don't take a photograph, the photograph takes you." That's what happened here. I was photographing an elderly woman holding a fan when two young people walked into my frame. I saw the moment and made this image. When I first looked at this image on my computer, I saw for the first time the strange expression on the woman's face, and noticed that the younger people were interested only in their appearances. The gap between generations can be clearly seen here. The young people moved on, leaving this woman behind. They never even noticed her.

Canon EOS 10D
1/500s f/4.0 at 45.0mm iso200 hide exif

Full EXIF Info
Date/Time	03-Sep-2006 15:20:05
Make	Canon
Model	EOS 10D
Flash Used	No
Focal Length	45 mm
Exposure Time	1/500 sec
Aperture	f/4
ISO Equivalent	200
Exposure Bias	-1.00
White Balance
Metering Mode	matrix (5)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Program
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium original auto

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AnyPortTown		26-Sep-2008 11:57
I think she wants him! But really, she probably misses a relative who is about the same age of the young men.

Guest		30-May-2007 14:08
very good cought moment, well captured,v

Guest		27-Mar-2007 18:40
Some deserve to have luck, obviously.

Phil Douglis		07-Oct-2006 18:31
****The body language here is spectacularly incongruous, with two young passersby, each unaware of the other, using identical gestures to frame a wary old woman who watches the passing parade. It is almost as if each of the young people are trying to figure out why she is there. And she does not seem to care about either of them. It is an image rich in potential expression, leaving much room for the imagination of the viewer to pick up where you leave off. Jenene is right. Somewhere, Henri must be smiling.

JSWaters		25-Sep-2006 21:48
If this is not a visual definition of what Cartier-Bresson termed 'the decisive moment', I don't know what is. Jenene

caveman_lee		25-Sep-2006 16:48
Nice candid with good timing and composition. The similarity and contrast between the three persons are subtle.

Leo		25-Sep-2006 02:41
I find it become harder and harder to express my feelings towards your photos because you have managed to produce photos full of emotions and quality beyond my ability to manage English as my second language to commenting on them..

sevres babylone		24-Sep-2006 15:51
Excellent image. Good title. Street photography at its best.

Kal Khogali		24-Sep-2006 12:33
...as if life is a stage, and we are all players on it for your camera.....I borrow from Shakespeare ;-))K

Kal Khogali		24-Sep-2006 12:31
Is it actually humanly possible to react so fast to a moment? No...this is superhuman. It's why sometimes I think of giving up photography. Yes we need chance, but Jen, we also need vision, decisiveness and a feeling/empathy for the moment. So few have it....you do. What an image...what an image...K

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