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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Twenty Two: Black and white travel photography – making less into more > Portrait Two, Hoa Phong Lan Handicapped Children’s School, Dalat, Vietnam, 2007
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27-DEC-2007

Portrait Two, Hoa Phong Lan Handicapped Children’s School, Dalat, Vietnam, 2007

This child was another who was unable to emotionally respond to our visit. I made photograph after photograph of her, and unlike most of the other children in the class, who were clapping and smiling with pleasure, she remained half turned, as if she was lost in a world of her own. Once again, the color version of this image was filled with distracting detail. Her light blue sweater dominated the image. As soon as I converted it to black and white, the distracting color was neutralized and our attention becomes focused on her distant state.

Leica V-Lux 1
1/50s f/3.7 at 88.8mm iso100 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time27-Dec-2007 21:39:42
MakeLeica
ModelV-LUX 1
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length88.8 mm
Exposure Time1/50 sec
Aperturef/3.7
ISO Equivalent100
Exposure Bias-0.33
White Balance
Metering Modemulti spot (3)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Programprogram (2)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Phil Douglis20-May-2018 22:19
Thanks for expanding upon my own interpretation of this image, Merri. You have three things working for you here -- first, and most importantly, you have the picture itself before you. You have read my own explanation of how and why I made it. And you obviously have a more profound and insightful understanding of autism than I do. With such a context, your comment becomes far more informed and most likely more accurate an interpretation than mine could be. Thank you so much for this explanation. It adds considerable content to this image and to our understanding of it.
Merri 19-May-2018 22:53
A beautiful image of this child, definitely enhanced by monochrome. Although the only evidence I have is the photograph, I strongly suspect this child is autistic. Unless they are extroverted by nature (most are introverts), autistic children tend to be very uncomfortable with attention and direct stares, even from people they know. Additionally too much visual/ auditory stimulus can be physically uncomfortable so autistic children appear not to engage. Despite this, I believe she WAS paying attention to her surroundings and the activities in it. She was just processing it all in her own way.
Phil Douglis19-Sep-2008 01:51
Thank you, Carol, as well -- monochrome was the only choice for me. The color in the image ran counter to the story it attempts to tell.
Phil Douglis19-Sep-2008 01:50
Photographs can bring us face to face with realities we may have never confronted before, Jenene. I made this image so that others can feel what I saw before me. Your response is both thoughtful and kind -- such caring can only lead to compassion and knowledge.
JSWaters18-Sep-2008 05:50
I'm rendered helpless by her disability. I want to hold her and affirm that her world will be right, comfort her and make her life better _ I'm not sure I have the power to do that.
Jenene
Carol E Sandgren07-Sep-2008 20:22
A glimpse into the life of a thoughtful, pensive girl afflicted with a handicap. YOu are right, I think to have this image converted to monochrome, to emphasize the one thing in this image that conveys the thought..her expression.
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