Bride's Hands, a photo from Madhya Pradesh, Central

Photographer's Note

By tradition women's hands and feet are decorated with elaborate designs using henna, a dye made from plant leaves.

Married women typically wear red and white bangles on their wrists.

Dressed in a colorful sari and bedecked in jewels and flowers the bride makes a eye-dazzling display.

eleparc, kikidi, hispic, Valentia, aella, marthival, Yaanas, Svillegas, dziki_rysio_997, fkokol, olirey, captainsgirl, ondrej, Aliine, kyzer, v_vicky has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

tropicdiver (0) 2003-03-11 19:56

Perfect composition and really nice color, Bob. What a catch. :-)

Porteplume (4036) 2003-03-12 2:16

So sharp, so bright, so beautiful... This is Photography!

kentokyo (559) 2003-03-12 2:35

Colours are really crisp in this picture. I really like the description you have given. thanks!

Really curious to see a full shot!

Darren (6823) 2003-03-12 2:49

This is a very nice shot. what I like most is how you have captured the complex colors, but yet at the same time, the colors are subdued and tasteful. Nice idea on a different type of shot.

adam (860) 2003-03-12 3:08

Great capture, all the colors from the flowers and clothing, and interesting designs makes this one really memorable.

CedarBough (74) 2003-03-12 10:05

HOLY CRAPOLA BATMAN THIS ROCKS!!!!!!!!! Yes, I know, I just shouted, and that was rude, but I am so excited about this shot, that I wish there was someone at my house at just past midnight to look at it with me, well, other than my cat who is purring, but it might be because he is happy to sit on my lap.
I have seen many shots of hennaed hands, and they always hold them out for the camera, these hands, caught in the natural gesture of lightly cupping the garlands, look so sweet and pure and candid, yet the colors and focus and exposure are all perfect. PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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amadej (1285) 2003-03-12 14:36

Wonderful! As well as ronners B&W version!

maja (90) 2003-03-12 14:55

Great colors, perfect, beautifull!

DLPrice (91) 2003-04-09 19:01

I can't really add any more about this than what has already been said, but DAMN, this shot is awesome!!

philip_coggan (11) 2003-04-15 9:06

Yep.

I went to a wedding in Bangladesh once. The groom was Shia, from one of the handful of Shia families in the cuntry - he'd almost given up hope of finding a wife when his mother told him his wedding day was at hand. No pre-nuptual peeking of course, not even a photo. Come the big night, he gets to lift the veil which has covered the girl's head - she's beautiful! You never saw an expression that said Relief! so powerfully. (And her father was rich to boot).

kckuddes (276) 2003-04-16 9:23

Excellent photograph! I love the colors.

Luko (14000) 2003-04-19 16:34

The colours and composition are gorgeous. Shows why sometimes color photo is superior to BW : that's a no less no more stevemaccurrylike pic.
Sharpness is very good and appropriately softening getting nearer to the right arm elbow, which prevents the eye going outside of the frame.
Best technical feature in this photo IMHO is that everything is on the same density value, no highs and lows, which creates a sense of being surrounded with colours.
Though I'm a newbie, I would state it easily as one of the best pictures of this site, i'll put it straight away in my favorites.

stevechong (117) 2003-04-20 8:00

Amazing details! The colors are superb!

Skorj (581) 2003-04-20 10:00

Tremendous observation... with great framing.

gringofil (0) 2003-05-12 4:04

Your best work to date, Bob. Shot of a lifetime...

Bayleaf (1484) 2003-05-28 10:07

There's nothing I can add, but I can't look at this photo without expressing how wonderful I think it is.
Brilliant!!!

dovi (1068) 2003-06-02 1:41

Well more then perfect is what comes to my mind, wanted to add my modest 2 points and smile :)

TheDunno (1030) 2003-06-23 8:15

I missed this one when it was originally posted. I can only join the ranks of admirers. Wonderfull!

bullybeef53 (3365) 2003-10-20 15:38

I am absolutely speechless . You captured perfect color and detail . Fantastic job !

catherine1108 (530) 2003-12-22 23:09

great color and unique sight, love it~~

light (865) 2003-12-24 9:39

So beautiful photograph, so many detail, colors, elements, so beautiful and delicate, as sacred and intimate. Very good quality, composition, area, etc .. thanks for shwaring India!

eleparc (24063) 2004-03-26 8:04

Bob I must have missed that photo! It is just GREAT! excellent! amazing! words lack to describe my feelings right now;-) I love just everything, the colors, the light, the composition, the DOF, the crop, the subject, everything! Grand Bravo!
added straight away in my favorites!

Valentia (1522) 2004-10-19 11:33

Superb. The photo along with the note sum up, for me, what this site is all about.

aella (117) 2004-11-23 11:05

What a gorgeous image. It's hard to make wedding pictures that aren't clich�, but I think you succeeded here. I love the warm palette and the tight framing.

Is that an engagement ring on her left hand? I thought they were a western tradition?

Karthik (306) 2004-12-06 7:17

Beautiful Shot Bob, In true indian spirit :)

ash_parikh (2266) 2004-12-21 4:31

A very good photo. Good details of the sari, mendhi and the flowers which shows the indian bride. And the colours adds life to the photo.

msadventure (632) 2005-05-17 19:19

Ahhh! Here it is! I'm in awe!

Paker (2650) 2005-05-17 19:25 [Comment]

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marthival (257) 2005-05-17 19:56

Congratulation, Great photo with a good composition. The lightening and the DOF are great. Very nice you deserved the front page.

Mike

oochappan (4880) 2005-05-18 4:39

Indeed Bob
a very deep nicely warm colored detail of ths bride's hands where the center of the bouquet is jumping out in clarity to a reholded colors around.
A very good photo and I like the subject.
You deserved all the attention for a cover.
Thanks for putting it in spotlights to discover this post.
Greetings
Henk

everlasting (19680) 2005-12-11 16:17

Beautiful detail of these intricately painted hands. Rich colours.

fmfelman (118) 2006-01-06 17:02

Wonderful detail in your photo, Bob. The colors are magnificient, as most others here have noted. It almost makes me sad that I never went in for the henna-dyed hands and feet when I lived in Bangalore.

Garnetgirl (76) 2006-01-18 22:40

An absolute feast for the eyes - rich colours and so sharp I think I could reach out and touch it. Congrats!

Albrecht (11283) 2006-01-19 5:38

Hi Bob
Wonderful detail and great colours and compo.
Well seen and captured.
greetings ALBRECHT

Svillegas (1169) 2006-01-19 5:57

Hi Bob
Wonderful image, great composition.
Sonia

futureuniverse (136) 2006-04-13 13:34 [Comment]

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partha (14023) 2006-04-17 21:54

Excellent documentry shot. I like the saturated colour tone and the way it is cropped is nice enough.
partha

fkokol (1636) 2006-06-02 16:16

Great colours and wonderful picture..
Congratulation :)

Figen

gabrielpat (7163) 2006-06-21 6:39

what a beautifull picture!! difficult for me to tell it in englich;sorry.anyway so many people have said all about your shot.very prcious hands!! great!!

adorken (16) 2006-07-22 16:05 [Comment]

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olirey (193) 2006-08-05 20:52

I saw your "Takin' a Break" picture which show us that you have can detect significant details.
Here this is a masterpiece. You could have shot the bride from head to feet and her painted hands full of flowers would have been unnoticed. These details tell us much more about the wedding traditions in that part of the world. Thank you !

captainsgirl (3450) 2006-09-13 15:22

wow...what a beautiful photo. The vivid colors just jump right out at you. I can't imagine how long it must take to decorate her hands and feet...thanks for sharing this.
Donna :o)

ondrej (211) 2006-12-03 15:31

Amazing! First photo I add to my favourites. Well done.

hanneso (0) 2006-12-03 15:55

Just beautiful!

Keep up the good work!

faubry (35447) 2007-06-24 11:15

wonderful picture... strong colors, superb... soon
francine

Aliine (2669) 2007-06-24 12:01

Hello,
So beautiful hands...
Great colours, details and composition.
Regards
Aline

kibele66 (3087) 2007-10-08 6:56

Wonderful shot!
In Turkey we also use henna(kına)for the brides hands and there is also a special ceremony called Henna Night(Kına Gecesi)prior to wedding ceremony among the female members of the families and friends.
A very nice shot of a tradition with perfect and amazing colors.

Best wishes
Sibel

v_vicky (1037) 2008-06-18 4:12

Magnificent colours and composition Bob.
Excellent shot.Bravo!!

Regards
Vicky

nazirbadar (234) 2009-08-24 8:30

Hello Bob ,
I live in India and so very often see this type of scenes,but until I saw your picture ,Idea never struck my mind that such can be so wonderful picture.
Thanks for giving me an idea which ,Now I am going to try myself.
Regards
Nazir

Maggi (24) 2011-10-09 7:54 [Comment]

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