Kids Gone Bad

Critiques [Translate]

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• allanbarredo (7765)
• [2007-02-27 3:34]
• [+]

Very controversial and a very good social commentary :p. Saludos sa PP ni X! este Oggie pala hehe. Parang photo na ito ni kuya a hehe

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• Freddie (6323)
• [2007-02-27 6:57]
• [+]

Hi OgGie!
Nice tone and lighting. A vivid picture of everyday life in the street of MM. Great POV and DOF. Very well done!
All the best,
Freddie :)

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• pemi71 (2621)
• [2007-02-27 7:40]
• [+]

Hello OgGie ,
It is really a very good shot of a interesting boy by a good artist...
Very nicely done and great story.

tfs

Petar

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• cunejo200 (17809)
• [2007-02-27 7:57]
• [+]

Hi Shogun, This is one of your best portraits. Kudos to you for the image and to Xavier for pp. Indeed there are many poor children in the Philippines, and it's a shame. I share the sentiment in the Note, let's all help if we can. Greetings! Danilo

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• graemann (5154)
• [2007-02-27 8:05]
• [+]

A di makatiis bwahaha. Galing bro. Love na ni kuya yan hehe.

Ang lufet mo talaga dre. isa kang kakaibang nilalang. PAra ka ng si kuya hehe.

TFS.

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• wenqing (11857)
• [2007-02-27 9:52]
• [+]

very good journalitic work oggie :)
love the tones and colors in this photo
excellent street photography :) well done

Tropicana Award :)

koh

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• John_F_Kennedy (10374)
• [2007-02-27 10:06]
• [+]

Interesting note.
Very spectacular and expressive photo!
Achim

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• Bramcote_Mike (1906)
• [2007-02-27 13:03]

Hi Shogun
The title fits the picture. We do have this problem that is likely to remain for years to come. These kids need education and proper jobs and good homes or shelters.

You have captured the social issue well in your well taken photo. Well done.
Mike

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• Silvio2006 (42987)
• [2007-02-27 14:41]

Hi Shogun, wonderful portrait of this smocking (it's bad!) and very expressive children, useful note with great story, splendid colors, very well done, ciao Silvio

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• Juliet (13698)
• [2007-02-27 16:19]

Hi Shogun,
WELL DONE-- great note, the photo was well seen. Very expressive and BRAVO on the commentary. Julie

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• bombilla (1950)
• [2007-02-27 17:06]
• [9] [+]

It is a controversial photo, as someone pointed out. For me, its controversey lies in the the conflict between the intentions of the photographer and the effect of the photo. The intention to document a social problem in the hopes of changing it by raising awareness is a noble one. Would that were all to take such a photo every day, rather than just trying to please our own senses.

But, the problem with the photo, for me, is that it takes the social problem and turns it into a conventionally palatable work of art, a beautiful object to be consumed. The boy, even though he is smoking, or perhaps because he is smoking, looks good to me. He looks radiant almost. He's glowing, he's wearing a mischeivous smile, he's got a limpid light in his eyes. If I look more closely I see he's wearing rags, his fingers are filthy, and, yes, he's smoking. But still, the overall impression I take from this is of a beauty. The beautiful colors, the gorgeous light, the skin tone, the proportions of the composition, the frank gaze of the child.

Okay, sure, one could say those things are ironic. Maybe. (I don't think that's your intention Shogun, but let's, for sake of argumentm, say it is.) Maybe it's ironic that we like the photo, that it pleases us visually, and that it is a photo of a wretched impoverished kid. Maybe it's a kind of trick photo, designed to trip us up and play with our expectations. That's a critical point of view, yes. But that is also primarily an intellectual point of view. It is an artistic point of view. It is not a point of view that inspires action.

I like this photo because it is a deft portrait of a beautiful kid that captures his humanity. That is what is great about it. And it is unassailable from that point of view.

But as a call to action about the plight of kids -- the desperate, urgent plight of imporverished kids in our world, in your country and mine -- I think it's a failure. It leaves me with no anxiety. It doesn't compel me to get out of my seat and say "enough." It doesn't show the ugliness that we need to see to shock us out of our complacency.

So, that's why I think this is a controversial photo.

Best, -Hugh

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• hydroxycut (3559)
• [2007-02-27 21:08]
• [+]

ayun! Lumabas na din! :D Ganda note bro! :D malayo na naabot mo kaibigan ibang klase ng komposisyon mo! ipagpatuloy naten yan sa linggo hahaha! :D

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• daynaken (1289)
• [2007-02-27 22:49]

This is such a sad reality, this goes on everywhere, our children forgotten pushed aside. So many may have a 'home' but are they any better off? How can parents toss their kids out on the street like this....This sad shot was composed very well, good light and clarity. Good focus on the child, the BG is BG. Well done. TFS
Dayna

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• u2y (1172)
• [2007-02-27 23:07]

excellent color and texture, oggie!
TFS

francis

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• Timothy (1942)
• [2007-02-28 5:05]
• [+]

Hi Oggie!

Ang lupet nito bro... amazing quality both aritistically and technically. TFS

-Timothy

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• Muscovado (491)
• [2007-02-28 5:32]

Hi OgGie,
Reality indeed bites, but how can we share compassion without seeing adversities?
Great portrait... keep on!
Czaldy

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• donron (382)
• [2007-02-28 5:51]
• [+]

Hanep talaga...ika nga nila TACK SHARP.

A superb portrait, sir...the sheepish grin trying to come out, the dirt-darkened hand, the smoke being blown away. The texture comes out nicely.

Malupit.

- Ron -

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• voyagenation (2100)
• [2007-02-28 8:37]
• [+]

Hi Al!

This is a masterpiece. Colors are right on the grid. Skin tone is brillianty lighted and the
reddish background is a great combo to his yellow shirt...shirt nga ba? or towel.

isa kang alamat!

Mabuhay!
Raul

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• anducina (8259)
• [2007-02-28 15:10]

Very impressive portrait. Excellent, picturesque...emotional. Great colors and clarity.

TFS,

Andreea

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• kokos101 (27696)
• [2007-02-28 15:24]

hello oggie!
wonderful catch and excellent pp work, i like it.
tfs
zoran

pt

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• perryhooter (27345)
• [2007-03-02 7:17]
• [+]

Strong image OgGie!

But a true and sad reality. At the survival game , the easiest choice is often the illegal choice.

And once you enter this world, it is difficult to get out of it. The sad thing behind all these children. Where are the parents ? The kids turned bad, but it is really their fault? I would be tempted to say Parents turned bad ....

Begging for a lot of kids is a full time job. In many countries, they are begging to bring home money for the parents. I would rather see those kids in schools learning and get a good education to get a decent job and future, so they can themselves have a family, and take care of their kids. Unfortunately, it is still not accessible to all children in many countries.....

So young and already looking so old. But you made him smile.
And the kid here certainly does seem to enjoy is outlaw life.
How old will he live like that ? That is a tough question to answer.

Great portrait my friend.
Sincerely,
Robert

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• shelbeesmom (48433)
• [2007-03-02 8:24]

I've heard and it's terrible! Super Shot Shogun! Amazing catch and pp work!
B-)
linda
pt

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• Konie (3006)
• [2007-03-04 5:14]

Hi OgGie,

I like this one for it has a story. It shows well the folly of the youth, proud to show off yet not knowing the trap they are getting in. Nice colors and sharpness too. TFS.

Konie

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• Nikofan (270)
• [2007-03-12 16:07]
• [+]

Hello!

Very impressive capture!
I can see his future and...I don't like what I see!

Bernard

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• Serabi (1641)
• [2007-03-24 18:22]

Interesting...Very well captured...Exposure, lighting, composition right on the spot.

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• noborders (724)
• [2007-04-05 2:21]

It's a terrible - and great photo, if it is controversial it is a good sign as more people will think of the problem !

2 years ago, I visited www.virlanie.org in Makati = Manila, it is an ONG that cares for pregnant girls, street kids, families evicted from their dwellings by developers etc, placed into different little houses scattered in an area : about the street kids, if they agreed to remain there, they could not leave the house without permission because so many of them were coming there only for 2 or 3 days before leaving, and returning sometimes months after for the same amount of time.

I had lunch with the kids and one adult in some of these houses, the kids seemed OK and busy with school, but they seemed scared by their former lives and not all seemed joyful... so, reinsertion is not so easy, like another big problem in the world : child soldiers, and their difficulties to readapt to a normal environment !

Of course, the least that we can do with them not to look at them with disgust or contempt (as I have often seen), but respect them as much as the other people in the street ; often, if we smile, they'll smile back, if they are not too far away in their dreams...

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• touristdidi (6469)
• [2007-12-28 11:33]

He is street wise and probbly charming. It makes his situation no less the sad. I have found that people just often complain about pictures, because they only want pretty pap. nicey, nice! I have actually received death threats on a few pictures, including one of a cow eating garbage in India, and a burned man in Veitnam. Heck, I got followed in India by 2 men discussing my complaints about bus drivrs threatening me because I refuse to give them $30 or more for bags that are free on the roof of a bus. One even said how will he live without that money, th etrip is often less than a dollar itself. I even got threaten becasue i had a pic of a catholic church in vietnam, and someone said there ae none there now.... this is a good pic, and their are plenty like him in this world today, and it is good to see all sides of the world.

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• lavan (3446)
• [2008-02-27 2:05]

well taken
good colors

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• matcom69 (16)
• [2008-06-25 2:01]

Hi Shogun,
Nothing can I say, except its a superb photo and a well versed story behind it, though some young generation in most poor countries carry the same story.
Congratulation...

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• AleksaSrbin (17810)
• [2008-07-10 11:36]

Excellent work my dear friend!Wonderful portrait.
Bravo maestro.
Regards.
A.

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• Jeweller (204)
• [2008-08-05 14:35]

Great shot. Good composition. Beautiful colours and nicely processed.

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• werdir (3170)
• [2008-11-15 16:06]
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• Clanyi (1836)
• [2009-07-28 23:13]

Hi OgGie! Beautifull work and capture, good sharpnes and colors. Well done, even when so sad ist what you wrote abput this childs. Best regards. Excellent portrait any way. Csabi