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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Twenty Four: The Workplace -- essence of a culture > Swamped, Belem, Brazil, 2010
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26-DEC-2010

Swamped, Belem, Brazil, 2010

Most photographers prefer to work in good weather and good light. However bad weather can offer advantages to photographers as well. I saw this man treading water during a rain-squall next to his boat at the mouth of the Amazon River. He was holding a tool in his hand, and seemed to be hard at work on his boat as the surging waters of the Amazon delta seem about to swamp him. It is an image about not only work, but also risk. The job at hand may be simple maintenance, yet given this situation, it may not be as simple as it seems. This image is all about man's skill and persistence in the workplace, while dealing with the force of nature itself.

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Phil Douglis28-Mar-2011 19:47
You often see the human value of hope expressed in my images, Tim -- which says as much about your own positive outlook as it does about what may be going on in the picture. Now that I look at this photo again, I also see it as a rope of hope, but also as a symbol of protection and safety as well.
Tim May28-Mar-2011 18:54
I am happy for the rope that he is able to hold on to. The rope of hope.
Phil Douglis17-Jan-2011 19:26
This man does express considerable perseverance, Carol. As for the promises here, Iris tells us that the name of the ship is "Promise of God," which must mean that somebody is looking out for this fellow.
Carol E Sandgren16-Jan-2011 22:10
The name "promesse" seems to indicate that this is the worker's promise to his job.... he will carry out his task no matter what. Perserverence has always seemed to me to be a very good quality in people who live in cultures such as this.
Phil Douglis16-Jan-2011 00:08
Tnanks, Iris, for translating the name of the boat he is working on. It certainly adds a spiritual dimension to the image. And thanks, Vera, for noting that there is still a large part of the world's workforce that rely on basic skills, rather than expensive technology, to do their jobs. Glad you find my images from this cruise to be of value -- most of these photographs were made in your own country, and your pleasure with them tells me that I have been successful.
Iris Maybloom (irislm)15-Jan-2011 22:38
The rough sea and the wind and the rain lashing at this man and his boat have made his job is all the more challenging and dangerous. His boat's name, "Promessa de Deus" (Promise of God) perhaps provides some protection for him as he battles the elements to get the job done.
veraferia15-Jan-2011 13:45
The concept of work changes. We live in an industrialized world. But we still have the other side of the coin.Excellent capture of this man´s skill in his work.
I´m very delighted appreciating the images of this wonderful cruise.
Phil Douglis14-Jan-2011 21:27
Thanks, Celia -- as always, you lucidly articulate the point I am trying to express with this image. We see moments such as this and often take them for granted, yet they can be, as you note, very challenging and full of risk. And yes, the boat was tilting in the swells, as the wind and rain lashed at him. Yet the situation does not seem to faze him. Note how lightly he grasps the rope -- he plays the situation like a musical instrument.
Cecilia Lim14-Jan-2011 21:22
The simple task that this man has set out to do seems like a monstrous one, given the scale of the elements around him that he has to contend with--the boat is huge and the waves almost engulf him. You capture a moment when the swell is high and when the boat looks tilted, suggesting how hard it will be for him to do his job steadily, when everything around him is moving. I definitely get the sense of how challenging his task is through your eyes.
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