Sulphur from Kawah Ijen, a photo from Jawa Timur, Java

Photographer's Note

Kawah Ijen sulphur lake, Java Island, Indonesia

info from wiki:
An active vent at the edge of the lake is a source of elemental sulfur, and supports a mining operation. Escaping volcanic gasses are channeled through a network of ceramic pipes, resulting in condensation of molten sulfur. The sulfur, which is deep red in color when molten, pours slowly from the ends of these pipes and pools on the ground, turning bright yellow as it cools. The cooled material is broken into large pieces and carried out in baskets by the miners. Typical loads range from 70�100 kilograms, and must be carried to the crater rim approximately 200 meters above before being carried several kilometers down the mountain. Most miners make this journey twice a day. The miners are paid by a nearby sugar refinery by the weight of sulfur transported. The miners often use insufficient protection while working around the volcano and are susceptible to numerous respiratory complaints.

Carrying sulphur there is one of the worst jobs I have ever seen.

UPDATE: see a photo reportage by Ulet Ifansasti from Kawah Ijen on BOSTON.COM - www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/06/sulfur_mining_in_kawah_...

Wanda1, Manamo, Catli, Curioso, Mistral has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

muunal (792) 2009-09-22 11:07

Magnificent documentary shot..Congratulations...

brandstaetter (15915) 2009-09-22 11:42

A great wide angle theme.. the yellow sulphur pops out, you waited for the best moment.
Saw a reportage some years ago in GEO magazine, hard work, fantastic place..
Cheers Christian

eversmile (11636) 2009-09-22 13:43

Hi Maciej

I love the contrast of colors more than anything here. The red shirt against the blue of the lake and the yellow of the sulphur glttering intensively... Even more dramatic with a wide angle. I just have a regret: no to be able to see much of the man's face. But I guess that even only breathing is a miracle, up there, so I consider that to take a picture is a tour de force!
Bravo!
Regards
Marine

artesia (959) 2009-09-22 18:21

Wow.. interesting picture/angle of the sulphur carrier!! I've seen couple of pictures/movie about this... this bound to be one of the best. It showed clearly how dangerous this job is and they got paid nothing..

It is sad for the miners

Congratulation for the picture

Warm Regards

Artesia

Wanda1 (15142) 2009-09-23 2:43

Hi Maciej,
Great use of your wide angle here to get which somehow also enhances the steep drop of the rock below the man and his heavy load, it looks treacherous. I think that these men have a tough existence and you have captured that feeling well. Nice combination of colours too. An interesting daily life man at work shot.
Regards
Wanda

johannes68 (3469) 2009-09-23 3:05

Hi Maciej,
very dramatic photo, working like this must be hell. Would be so easy to mechanize.
The yellow stand out very well, and the wide angle perspective makes the crater look even steeper than it is anyway.
Regards,
Johannes

InasiaJones (31566) 2009-09-23 4:04

Hi Maciej,

Call me superficial, as I should be more affected by the emotional side of your photo, but my head is spinning for the colour combination you have achieved.

What a stunning image with an impressive pallette! To see the mix of turquoise, yellow and red in there respective tonality, side-by-side, is a pure delight.

Then comes this wild angle, so vertiginous we almost feel attracted into a giant vacuum. This composition have a strong power of attraction, right in the middle, although your subject isn't centered, because of the convergence of the lines.

Light coming from the top couldn't serves you better.

It's a gorgeous image, surely very significant and of documentary quality, but the aesthetic is what strikes me the most.

Awesome.

Andre

BennyV (34780) 2009-09-23 6:16

Hello Maciej,

This is a really classy reportage shot. Great pov, looking into the depth and lovely contrast in colours of the man/clothes/basket vs. the background.
Very good photography!

Benny

yaya13baut (3344) 2009-09-23 8:19

hi Maciej,
a good testimony about this hard work, TFS for that.
as for the picture, it's well composed, we have the feeling to have followed the man during his climb. the yellow of the sulfur in his bags contrast well with the grey smoke.
Yannis

Manamo (3710) 2009-09-23 9:07

I don't know why, but I never realized you were on TE. I've been following you on flickr, but not here. I saw that one posted on flickr earlier this week...

What I like the most about this photo is that it combines visual and journalistic appeals. The colors are amazing. The place is spectacular. We can really feel the weight of the sulphur on his shoulders. I bet you stayed there for a while to shoot many man coming up and down?

I find the light on his face a bit flat. But the light was coming from high up over him so, there was not much you could do...

see you,
Marc

CLODO (45118) 2009-09-23 10:02

Hi Maciej
Where have you been to get such a living picture, well framed with the volcano fumes at the back, and the heavy load he is carrying. We feel it is hard because it's hot and the slope is very steep.
Thank you for sharing this reporter picture
regards
CLODO

borax (1732) 2009-09-27 6:32

Good action shot with nice colors.

krgrafika (26) 2009-11-26 9:07

Witaj Macku!
安ietnie z豉pane: kadrowanie, kolory, g喚bia. Wydaje mi si�, ze by這 publikowane gdzies w polskiej prasie kolorowej? A moze na 990px.pl?

marcocig (781) 2010-05-20 7:50

Great capture of a slice of life. The perspective (and maybe a bit of blur in BG) creates an impressive effect too.

M

azizbilgili (2111) 2010-06-08 3:09

Hi Maciej,
very dramatic photo, working like this must be hell. Would be so easy to mechanize...

Mistral (15416) 2010-08-04 14:49

Hi Maciej,
A perfect and powerful shot! After quite a year I still remember this incredible place and the genuine kindness of these people who made that very very hard job.
A smile
Luca

simplyoga (6506) 2010-08-26 19:57

Hi Maciej,
It's a hard life!
and you have successfully display the hardness of life in this picture.
Congrats!
All the best,
Yoga

HakanGunes (90) 2010-11-23 0:07

great, great, great, just great ... Congratulations.

tsopasonam (73) 2011-02-27 1:00 [Comment]

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jerome92 (6) 2011-08-04 5:20

I have been a follower for quite a while now.
You have a great eye and it is truly a source of inspiration for me.
Cheers mate.

mafegan (8626) 2011-11-04 4:14

Hello Maciej
What an amazing photo! The wide angle has really helped give this image a striking effect. Looks like a hard and dangerous job. Well seen. Cheers, Marlene