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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Three: Expressing human values > Wedding Celebration, Banathan, Laos, 2005
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Wedding Celebration, Banathan, Laos, 2005

At Banlathan, we walked into the middle of a tumultuous wedding celebration. Virtually the entire village turned out – most of them relatives and friends of the bride and groom. They feasted on rice, soup, Lao beer, and home brewed "lao-lao" liquor. We were welcomed into the festivities. This rural Laotian wedding was like a wedding anywhere. There was much dancing, and loud singing of songs, chanted to the beat of clapping hands. A wedding celebration itself is reaffirmation of friendship, love, and support, as well as expressions of excitement, joy and merriment. And perhaps a touch of sadness here and there as well. All of these are human values shared among these villagers at this moment. Using my telephoto lens, I shot right down the center a long table as the drinks flowed, songs were shouted, and hands clapped. Most of the human values I’ve mentioned are implied to a degree somewhere in this image. (The bride herself asked me to make a picture of her, and left her clapping guests long enough to walk with me to a village shrine where she posed for me. You can see the photo I made of her at http://www.worldisround.com/articles/139137/photo23.html


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Phil Douglis30-Jan-2008 05:22
You have just added one more important human value to the long list of those expressed in this image -- sharing. Thanks, Vera
Guest 30-Jan-2008 01:10
What strikes me about this image is that food and celebration go hand in hand, no matter what culture. They share what they have no matter how limited. And isn't sharing in itself a wonderful human value.
V.
Phil Douglis20-Nov-2005 02:51
And I want you to feel that rhythm, Kelly, and feel like clapping with them. This is a participatory image. It envelopes us, and calls on us to join in the fun and share the human values that this image expresses.
Guest 20-Nov-2005 02:23
wow, I love the clapping, wonderful rhythm of joy
Phil Douglis09-Mar-2005 18:43
You have an very special way of seeing, Clara. The narrow table as a cultural marker is a point that I never considered. But you are right. Guests at a western wedding would not generally be sitting as close to each other as these Lao are. And that brings us to the realization that Lao have an entirely different sense of community than we have. Thank you for bringing this up.
Guest 09-Mar-2005 14:58
The sense of community is very much emphasized by the crowded and narrow table. These people have another measure of human contact, much more close to each other, than us westerners.
Phil Douglis07-Mar-2005 20:31
Thanks, Tim, for this question. I have always maintained that images of value almost always acquire part of their meaning through the context in which they are presented. As both a writer and a photographer, as well a photo-editor and teacher of visual expression, I look at words and images as partners. I think publications that use images as superficial decoration or illustration, are doing a disservice to both their images and their readers. Likewise, photographers who just upload images without offering verbal context to deepen and broaden meaning, are also denying themselves a chance to express a whole idea.

There are also those who strongly believe that a picture should speak for itself. If an image is presented as purely an example of fine art, there is some merit in this. Let the viewer come to his or her own conclusions, without imposing any limits on the human imagination. On the other hand, I come from a journalism background. Most of my images are really a form of travel photojournalism. I use them here on pbase as teaching examples, as well. For me, captions and titles are just as important a means of communication as the image itself.

The answer to your question comes down to how we use expressive photography. An expressive travel image requires a different approach to using verbal context than expressive images displayed as fine art. Both this image, as well as you own Bridal Baci closeup picture, must be accompanied by verbal context if they are to be fully understood and appreciated.
Phil Douglis07-Mar-2005 18:51
Thanks, River. There is a lot of energy and love expressed here. That is what I saw, photographed, and hope you feel.
Guest 07-Mar-2005 17:23
Phil, I enjoyed this picture... it brought a different image of wedding that is so different from what we always see here in the States. I enjoy the picture, because even they don't smile much, I can see that peaceful and joyful expression on their face...
Tim May07-Mar-2005 17:22
As you so often teach, there is infinite range in expressive photography. We were both at this wedding yet each of us tried to capture the joy that we were a part of, in our own way. My picture Bridal Baci honed in on the well wishes of the people at the wedding as attested to by the strings tied around the bride's wrist. While yours is broader and expresses more generalized human values in that weddings seem to be celebrated in similar ways across both the Laotian and our cultures.
I though wonder about expressive photography and context. Your caption adds to the context that this picture is at a wedding. As I think about my image, I realize that without knowledge of baci, or the caption to explain, the picture would lose some of its power. How important is explanation or captioning and titling to expressive photography?
Phil Douglis04-Mar-2005 17:54
You are letting your context for this picture influence your feelings about it. Such as the expression on the brides face in that worldisround.com shot. She is not sad at all. Laotians don't smile for the camera. Because she is not a smiling bride, you read sadness into this picture as well. Which is your privilege, but far from the facts of the case. These people are having a wonderful time. The food is not limited at all. It is what Mekong River villagers are used to eating. Once you know all these things, does it change the way you look at this image?
Guest 04-Mar-2005 10:20
Phil, for some reason this image makes me feel sad. The colour of the table, the limited food, that story of the bride that left her guesses to ask you taking her pictures… and her not very happy face… I want know her, talk to her… a strange feeling
monique jansen27-Feb-2005 08:59
Literally, a feast for the eye!
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