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ctfchallenge | all galleries >> Challenge 156 - Irony >> Challenge 156 - Exhibition > Home Sweet Home
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14-MAR-2008 deseng

Home Sweet Home

Mumbai

200803 110

Canon PowerShot S3 IS
1/125s f/3.5 at 21.9mm full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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ctfchallenge02-Apr-2008 07:45
You have explained it better than I have - Debi
Rod 31-Mar-2008 19:13
I think what Debi has just explained is what most more affluent people miss, there's no reason this lady doesn't live a reasonably happy life & may even pity us lot running around as we do like chooks wiv our heads cut off trying to earn enough money to buy things that only give us momentary happiness. When you are part of a norm no matter how poor, you can be very happy. It's when the rest of the country leaves you behind in the economic race to the top that the trouble begins. I'm afraid in this global world we're now living in leaving people behind is becoming the norm.
I think the title & picy is just great for here & hope to see lots more like this from Debi.
Canon DSLR Challenge31-Mar-2008 17:13
Thanks Penny and Mikey - Debi
Canon DSLR Challenge31-Mar-2008 17:11
YB - I am not seeking fame or fortune when I post these pictures. If you had seen my earlier postings in the Box challenge, I had mentioned that while I regularly see and photograph such scenes, I rarely put them up for the challenges. But the irony of their living conditions and what they are forced call home, made this topical. What is the bigger irony is that I know this lady is definitely better of than those who sleep on the streets. In a poor country, they are not in the fringes of society bit a part of it. She is married, her husband is working, her clothes are fashionable and there is a pair of jeans hanging on the hook. She has a TV in her house but in a place like Bombay these road side shanties is all thats there for housing for low income people. There is a fine line between exploitation and journalism, but as you can see I had taken the picture before the contest and did not go out to take the picture just because it will make an impact - Debi
Canon DSLR Challenge31-Mar-2008 17:03
Unfortunately, it is true that this woman probably does not feel as uncomfortable with her surroundings as we do while looking at them. That is a fact, and not one that we should take lightly. We all should think more about what we have and be happy for what we can do for others - whenever and however we can. Thanks, Debi for the reminder.
Beautiful photo, by the way, too. Penny Street
ctfchallenge30-Mar-2008 21:11
"The fact that this makes some feel uncomfortable is merely a reflection of the vast differences in wealth, from one culture to another, or one class to another" - that isn't irony.

"If one feels sooo uncomfortable when viewing this shot, one could always give it all away and join the "have-nots"." - now that is irony :)
YB
ctfchallenge30-Mar-2008 20:24
This Challenge topic begs the posting of such picys, and takes the photographer more toward photojournalism than most of the topics we address. The fact that this makes some feel uncomfortable is merely a reflection of the vast differences in wealth, from one culture to another, or one class to another (therein lies the irony). The fact is that well over half the world's population lives like this. Most of us who can afford a digital camera and computer to process their picys, just don't. If one feels sooo uncomfortable when viewing this shot, one could always give it all away and join the "have-nots".

Personally, I applaud Debi for posting this shot and I feel it is entirely appropriate for this Challenge. No one said it had to be funny to qualify as irony. Thanks, Debi.

Cheers, -mikey
ctfchallenge30-Mar-2008 20:02
Its not a question of whether such a shot should be taken, rather the appropriateness of the context it is exhibited.
I must admit I felt uncomfortable when I saw this shot - it appeared not to be used to bring the attention of viewers to the living conditions, but rather exploitation of the situation sole for the purpose of the Challenge.
YB
ctfchallenge30-Mar-2008 15:48
Debi, fully agree with you - tragedy is part of irony. And fully agree with you that pictures like this can/should/must be taken. And this particular picture is really good one. The only problem is that the irony here is not in the picture but in it's presentation. Sounds like the author makes irony about. I know - this was not you intention, but this was my first feeling when I saw this picture and read the title.
Probably I am the only one who got this feeling.
Regards, Konstantin
ctfchallenge30-Mar-2008 07:13
I think tragedy is a part of irony. If we only took pretty pictures, that would be an end to photo journalism. - Debi
ctfchallenge30-Mar-2008 03:12
Agree with the comment below. The shot is good, without any doubts, but the irony here - the tragic one - is not in the picture but in a title, Or, better, in THIS title to THIS picture. I also feel a bit uncomfortable with this.
Konstantin