Photographer's Note
I join the discussion of Kasia, Paul and Gert about real or fake sadhu. kasi and Paul wrote interesting notes, I have no story to tell. In Varanasi, there were a lot of people whom I could call sadhu. When I saw a strange personage, I just took a picture.
I have some photos with the guys similar to those Kasia and Paul have shown, posing but not given any money from me. I choose three photos that maybe show real sadhus. But I can't tell.
This one had skin covered with something grey. There was a big assembly, you can see people in the background. He just sit down and looked at them from a distance.
The guy in the first Workshop was walking in front of me along the ghats, looking very strange. I went fast, passed him turned around and took the picture very quickly. I posted the photo of his eyes earlier. I found them very impressive.
And the guy in the second Workshop was just sleeping. Were they real or fake? And which would you choose for the main picture?
NickVu, Royaldevon, jhm, ikeharel, pierrefonds, jean113, worldcitizen, CMJC, COSTANTINO, jemaflor, mcmtanyel has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
Silvio1953
(220637) 2022-01-20 3:53
Ciao cara Malgo, great portrait of fantastic guy, fine details, wonderful bright colors, splendid light and excellent sharpness, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio
PaulVDV
(62804) 2022-01-20 4:06
Hello Malgo,
Welcome with your sadhu pictures.
The grey thing on the skin is ash. Smearing ash all over the body hastens the spiritual process.
Ashes that are made out of dead bodies from cremation ground simply hastens the spiritual process much more quickly.
There are different kinds of ashes used:
ash made out of dead bodies from cremation ground;
ash made out of burnt woods;
ash made out of cow dung.
Some of the fake sadhus I saw were also smeared with ashes. So it remains difficult to know who is real and who is fake.
Maybe Varanasi has less of the practice of tourists taking pictures of the sadhus than the popular temple in Kathmandu where I was... I don't know.
The panther-like sadhu looks very weird.
Perhaps the sleeping sadhu is the most authentic? :)
Best regards, Paul
Royaldevon
(85606) 2022-01-20 4:47
Hello Malgo,
I cannot imagine how you can tell the real from the fake. Maybe asking for money for photographs is a clue!
For your purpose, these all look very convincing, sharply revealed.
The one in the animal print looks quite scary, his eyes look bloodshot as well as staring.
My warm regards,
Bev :-)
jhm
(211734) 2022-01-20 5:16
Hello Malgo,
I would remain by the main picture, but it's very difficult.
I read that Paul, he is a knower.
I can only look at to the picture and give my opinion.
All three the picture are qualitative almost the same.
Excellent sharp and nice colourful, fake or real, I don't know
Very well done, TFS.
Best regards,
John.
pierrefonds
(113610) 2022-01-20 8:31
Hi Malgo,
You have captured well the concentration of the person. The point of view is showing the details of his clothing and of his physionomy. The light is bringing out the colors. Have a nice day.
Pierre
jean113
(27639) 2022-01-20 8:59
Hello Malgo, three interesting pictures, I think that your main choice was the right decision. It is well composed with some good detail.
The man in the first w/s looks quite intimidating to me, you were brave to attempt a shot.
Paul has explained the use of ash very clearly, it all sounds dreadful to me!
Thanks for sharing.
Kind regards, Jean.
worldcitizen
(15958) 2022-01-20 10:25
Hello Malgo,
I have no sadhus to share, but I like this side view of one you saw in Varanasi. His face paint and hair accessory are especially interesting. Take care!
lousat
(138623) 2022-01-20 11:18
Ciao Malgo,surely the second WS with the sleeping man is the most attractive of the 3, which however are really beautiful. Probably you would understand the difference between true and false only with the request or not of money to photograph them. I remember the fake Masai in Kenya, which tourists called "plastic Masai" ... of course they can only be photographed upon payment. Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano
CMJC
(5095) 2022-01-20 13:12 [Comment]
ifege
(46985) 2022-01-20 22:01
Hi Malgo
There is a chance that they are real. I can't say that I saw any sadhus, real or fake in the 2 fairly short Indian visits. 3 good photos.
cheers
Ian
COSTANTINO
(115563) 2022-01-20 22:30
Hello dear Malgorzata
have a nice new week
original version
an impressive capture I could
say for me personally....
you are very lucky to
have experiences like this one
you chose the man from the
best chosen point of view giving
us a different view
greetings for the presentation
regards
Costantino
jemaflor
(146312) 2022-01-20 23:26
Hi Malgo,
Interesting photo well framed with the leg and foot in the Fg, good effect with this orange color, perfect sharpness, interesting note about these sadhu ... good Ws too, tfs.
jmdias
(114296) 2022-01-21 9:32
malgo
the main post looks like a photo of art, a painting, etc.. amazing. the other images are nice too.
curiosamente eu permaneci 3 semanas na índia, todos os dias andando nas ruas e "NUNCA" vi um sadhu. perguntei ao meu guia e ele me disse que eles estavam por lá, mas não os via. é como ver as capivaras no brasil, é um animal muito comum, mas só fui ver capivaras na natureza na viagem deste ano, não vi esses animais nem mesmo no pantanal, com milhões delas por lá.
um abraço
jorge
GyurMaster
(24672) 2022-01-21 13:11
Dear Malgo,
I'm not trained enough to decide weather it is a real sadhu or not, but your photo choice was obviously good. This is the best among them.
Best Wishes,
Gy.
BennyV
(34746) 2022-01-22 4:13
Hello Malgo
Don't expect any views on sadhu's from me. India is that one big blind spot on our travel map. We'll get there once we've stopped having to work, the wife and I tell ourselves...
A fine ensemble of picture from I'd sected the extra portrait picture in the WS because it is so close, confrontational, almost threatening by the look of it.
Cheers & keep travelling
Benny
mcmtanyel
(67681) 2022-01-22 21:18
Hello Malgo,
I don't even know what a sadhu is, let alone distingish a real one from a fake one. Interesting fellow, nice colors all around the frame.
Regards,
MT
Photo Information
-
Copyright: Malgorzata Kopczynska (emka)
(157280)
- Genre: ¤Hª«
- Medium: ±m¦â
- Date Taken: 2009-11-07
- Exposure¡G1/21 seconds
- Photo Version¡GOriginal Version, Workshop
- Date Submitted: 2022-01-20 3:31