Past in the Present

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted March 24, 2010159 views10 comments

An hour after sunrise, the first warm rays of light fall upon the farmer and oxen working the field. It is hard work for man and beast, but if they had any complaints, they did not break the silence with it. We exchange a friendly greeting before continuing on our business. He has two more rows to plough before the heat becomes intolerable. As I press the shutter release, I am in awe of the striking synchronicity between the farmer and oxen. In the distance, mist rises up the hilltops in the valley of Pinar del Rio, before evaporating like silent offerings to the heavens above. Surely, this scene belongs more in the past than the present.

Pinar del Rio, Cuba 2009
Canon5dMkII, 70-200mm, f11, 1/100, ISO 200, hand-held
PS: I have to thank Charlie Waite for stopping the bus so I could take this shot!

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on March 24, 2010 at 10:09 PM

Winnie, it is nice to see you posting!

This is beautifully crafted. I think your perspective is wonderful in that it make the cattle/oxen loom up in the frame with their horns strategically located to show off against the white band of cloud. The man on the plow and the furrows in the field provide great 3-D effect. This would belong in the past except in those past days the photographic capture would not be this exact. Great work.

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Cordes on March 24, 2010 at 10:16 PM

Very moody scene. Looks like a '50's magazine print. outstanding!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 451 Posts, 3366 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Cartamil on March 24, 2010 at 10:50 PM

Awesome shot, wonderfully exposed as well. Gotta wonder how much the oxen like that ring in their nose...

Registered on November 15, 2007, 50 Posts, 601 Comments

Comment posted by Reno DiTullio on March 24, 2010 at 11:29 PM

Superb perspective, a beautiful definitive portrait and a great bw treatment, well done

Registered on November 14, 2003, 130 Posts, 1644 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on March 24, 2010 at 11:32 PM

IMHO, this is a powerful image. Even for me the B&W works. Thanks for posting.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on March 25, 2010 at 12:11 AM

I prefer this with a slight crop to remove the clouds in the top right corner but can see other reasons for keeping this as is. Not obvious to other viewers, is that the colour version features some gloriously warm morning light. I was undecided about the sepia versus colour initially but a dissection of the image with Charlie swayed Winnie to sacrificing colour for timelessness and definition between light/shadow and the elements.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Riggins on March 25, 2010 at 11:05 AM

What a wonderful capture. Really gives you the feeling of how hard this work is and the strength of the oxen.

Kevin

Registered on March 22, 2010, 7 Posts, 22 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Hartmann on March 25, 2010 at 8:30 PM

Bravo!! Artistic documentation

I like it all. Nice comp play on light, and subject. I could see this in Life magazine.