They Make Me Sunny..., a photo from Varna, East

Photographer's Note

Well, hope it is not agianist the TE regulations and even though I call them my children we are not family members so hope I will pass by...;-D

Very fresh shot, taken today, while they were concentrating over a case study...
I owe them this smiling picture, as I startled them by taking another one without asking thus - while they were deep in reading and didn't expect me to do such a tricky job to them...:-)) At first thought to post it as a main one, but then was tempted to show you these wonderful smiles. The other one I am posting as a WS though... ;-)
These are the smiles that make me happy and eager to go on in my job - bright and warm, even when I am late for the classes and make them wait for me!
Please, meet them: one of my four groups of students for this semester, studing Tourism, in their 4-th year now. Hope they will brighten up your day with their smiles too!

PP: there was a strong afternoon sun and this was the second one of two shots I took without flash. Used levels to adjust the light and sharpened very slightly. All comments for improvement are welcomed.

Rockyboy, Rinie_Hoff, nwoehnl, Ah_Thong, ChrisJ, Aegean, ma-tibou, Kenny10pin, Oldtree, Motrem, orme, mismet, Jeppe, supereira, rabani, kent_s, jrj, quegardens, andreineamtu has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Rockyboy (20598) 2004-11-05 17:32

I am amazed, Maria! Thanks to share with us a picture of your students!
About tourism in Bulgaria, I heard there was a big increase this year but unfortunatly only on the coasts of the Black sea, where lots of hotels are built... If I go one day in your country, I would be intersted to visit the mountains and your culture too. Hope I will meet them one day...;)

Now, when I look at their smiles, I am sure you are very sympatic teacher... The exposure is good and I think it's hard to do better without flash for an interior picture!

misha81 (332) 2004-11-05 17:40

i must say that this is very nice picture, nice shot, positive atmosphere ...

Jason_teale (717) 2004-11-05 17:48

Great shot, I like the angle that it was taken at. If I had to add anything to this great picture I would say that a nice fill-in flash or something might lighten up some of the smiles, but other than that it is great.

Rinie_Hoff (9340) 2004-11-05 17:51

This is lovely, Maria. Maybe they don't think you're their mother, but they DO all like you, all giving you this open smile.
I think I would take each and every one of them as a guide! I trust you're a good trainer, and that they learn a lot from you.
Thanks for sharing this part of your life with us.

nwoehnl (122) 2004-11-05 17:58

What a friendly bunch of young folks your class are, Maria. A charming moment from your daily life, and I think you did well handling the exposure. I like that everybody's face is visible, and the yellow curtains are an interesting detail. A lovely and uplifting photo, thanks a lot for showing it to us :-)

avigur_11 (22535) 2004-11-05 18:19

I like bothe versions, Maria. The "alert mode" guy is very funny on the WS photo, but this photo with the smiling faces is great. Aaccording to their smiles, I bet that you are their best teacher.

apazevedo (5469) 2004-11-05 18:43

It is good to see people smiling to us, Maria, and it is quite obvious that your pupils really like you. I can see friendship and complicity on their eyes and expressions, these are really natural and true smiles, I think. Good work!

digi-mom (1064) 2004-11-05 22:37

Oh, no! Everyone's already said everything wonderful about your photo. I want you to know that I love the smiles as well, showing not only happiness, but personal attachment to their photographer/teacher. A very important aspect of photography and learning the world, right? Thank you for sharing! :o)

randompics (961) 2004-11-06 0:40

you must be a very good teacher...all your students wear a very warm smile and they look very fresh and active..great shot..

RGatward (20108) 2004-11-06 1:39

A class photo, well, why not, it certainly counts as learning about the world through photography, and gives us a perspective on some aspects of HE there. Nice small groups you have, for one thing. Well handled tricky light here.

[2]

ChrisJ (171194) 2004-11-06 5:47

Excellent daily life shot, Maria. This could still be a bit sharper. I read a news item that some parts of Bulgaria are currently experiencing a mice plague. I hope its not in your district! Contrast is also slightly high, but the image has a warm sincerity, & is obviously not staged & artificial.

Aegean (2571) 2004-11-06 6:49

A very good metering despite the contrast light from the windows in the background Maria!...The group portrait is very nice cpaturing the smiles of your students and giving the overal feeling of the moment!

ma-tibou (4568) 2004-11-06 8:03

Bonjour Maria, joli moment de la vie de tous les jours moment d'amiti�, classe studieuse dirait-on?
Amiti�/ Martine.

Spoony (3539) 2004-11-06 8:14

Diferent and funny! ;)

Kenny10pin (19301) 2004-11-06 8:46

I like the smiling people, very good shot, it makes me sunny too

Oldtree (2457) 2004-11-06 10:02

Somehow I have the feeling that this class forms a nice group. A good atmosphere in the class (I can't better discribe it in english).
Almost all faces are visible and they look relaxed and in a good mood. I can understand that you enjoy this class.

Motrem (2392) 2004-11-06 10:28

I like this version with awake and smiling faces although I found funny to look at that ws where a single pupil seems not to work. The light is beautiful and faces exposed well in spite of the strong light arriving behind.
You are a good member of TE and it is very pleasant to see the environment in which you exercise.
J'aime cette version avec des visages 憝eill廥 et souriant quoique j'ai trouv� amusant de regarder celle en ws o� un seul 幨鋦e semble ne pas travailler. La lumi鋨e est belle et les visages bien expos廥 malgr� la lumi鋨e forte arrivant � l'arri鋨e.
Vous 皻es un membre attachant de TE et il est tr鋊 agr嶧ble de voir l'environnement dans lequel vous exercez.

orme (7219) 2004-11-06 11:18

An excellent capture, Maria. They look like a great bunch of people. I think you controlled the lighting very well, considering the fact that we can see the sun burning through the curtains. The 'hard at work' workshop photo is also good. Well done.

mismet (1254) 2004-11-06 15:44

Well,this took me back to my university years..(not so long ago actually :))They are all smiling to their bright future.I think you managed the light very well here.Also very good angle in my opinion.Very nice photo.
M.Ismet

Jeppe (18654) 2004-11-06 15:53

Oh very lovely sight - and thanks for the inspiration Maria - I will concider the some kind of shot with my "children" :-)
A fine pose they gives you and the almost backlight shot gives a fine atmosphere.
Thanks and all the best to your students.

clodreno (0) 2004-11-07 3:46

very nice image maria..
Very nice to make us enter your "private" world.
It's kind of refreshing, and they all look very sympathics .
A friendly crowd.. nice.

supereira (9576) 2004-11-07 4:09

Very good shot!I like the composition and the framing.Great colors,light and sharpness.Nice small groups you have!Great job!

Hanssie (11022) 2004-11-07 6:07

So now I can see for what you have had a lot of work the last weeks. That's nice !
Happy boys and girls, so I think, they have a kind teacher too....
They know they are on TE now ?
Funny photo, Maria !

centurion (0) 2004-11-07 7:39

I thinka Maria, your likeable stundents are a mirror view of you. They are so radiant and happy, and I think their nice mood make the point in your picture. I like it.

manny (22032) 2004-11-07 8:35

Hi Sunny...a picture close to my heart. It is so nice to see students smiling and very behaved.

Anyway, you did well here. The light is not distracting. The colors are well-saturated. I wish I can do the same with my students...one of these days.

kent_s (1911) 2004-11-08 3:27

Against the rules or not. Eitherway I'm happy to have seen your "bunch-of-children". When I see their happy smiling faces I know that if I visit Varna someday I'm in good hands. Thanks for sharing

jrj (34843) 2004-11-08 8:12

Seems to be a great gang Maria. Maybe most interesting is that you expose a very fine contribution in the 'daily life' series. Always interesting these kind of shots, telling it's own story by all details included.

quegardens (1469) 2004-11-11 10:48

This shot fits in well with one of TE's mission ; that of introducing us to peoples of other worlds different than ours.And it is comforting to know that smiles cross all borders to convey a universal appreciation of sharing the same planet.
Are the boys forced to sit in front becasue they misbehave with the girls behind?
You managed very well to bring out the fascial expressions despite the intense light in the background windows...but then of course, it was a very sunny day! :-)

rabani (9645) 2004-11-13 10:12

I don't think this is against TE standard. I am a Malaysia and I don't know how a Bulgarian looked like, and I need to know how. What is so special about this photo Maria, is ALL of them is smiling. Even the one who is trying not to smile is just as funny. I believe Trekearth is not only about culture, geography and history, but also, most importantly, the people.

faubry (35447) 2005-02-22 16:08

good group portraits, i like this smiles! yhanks for exchange!
if you want you can exchange letters between others students fron Yakoutia? DO YOU WANT?
see my site

www.objectif-monde.org
soon francine