Your hands have so many capabilities. They can express emotions, complete actions, serve as a way of greeting people, and more. Hands are a part of our everyday lives, whether we realise it or not. So much can be observed through the hands and through my photographs, I have tried to capture peoples’ hands and how they augment expressions and emotions.
Photo 1: Hold on Tight
When you care about something, you don’t want to disappoint. You don’t want to give yourself away freely. You clutch that care like a sense of self-preservation and don’t want to let go.
There is timidity.
Fear.
Holding back.
But eventually, you know you have to let go.
To take that risk, even if it means potentially sacrificing yourself.
I find it hard to trust people. No one wants to make that sacrifice.
Though this may only appear to be a man serving us our food, there is more depth and understanding to be found in the retracted arms of the man.
The slight fear visible in the man’s eyes and scrunched eyebrows, though he is shielded by layers of safety – the pot, the apron, his glasses.
Perhaps it’s too much to ask society not to care as much. Caring is empathy. You can hardly achieve much without empathy.
Let’s rephrase that.
Let society care. Let society have that fear.
But also, let society get hurt and learn to let go even when it’s hard.
Can I ask this much of society?
Composition:
This image captures a man handing us our sticky banana rice snack after he has finished preparing it for us. Utilizing the rule of thirds, the man’s nose lies on the first third line as the banana snack lines up with the bottom third line. The photo also has a clear focus on the food in the man’s hands, as well as a pot in the foreground, the man in the middle ground, and the screen in the background.
Mood:
When reviewing my photos for the first time, this one caught my eye as the man looks somewhat scared to give us our food, although we bought it, and this is what he does for a living. That little detail created a sense of irony in my eyes; however, as the audience and I may look at the image for longer, we may ponder whether or not the man actually had a reason for that timid expression on his face.
Photo 2: Sleight of Hand
Photo 2: Sleight of Hand
“A magician never reveals his secrets.”
This is a cliché of magicians used to indicate that the performer is not going to explain or show the technique behind their trick. My dad and my uncle used to have a single ball, and somehow move the ball between them on opposite couches. It befuddled me. This summer, when I was in Canada, I begged them to tell me what I believed the “long overdue” demonstration and explanation was. They refused.
I always disliked that cliche.
I was the child who needed to know.
I still am.
So many different angles I could have taken this photo from, but this one enticed me the most.
The cards in the man’s hand are fanned out but cannot be viewed by the audience. The man staring intently at his own cards, focused. The plucking of a single card from the deck makes the viewer feel a connection where they will see the card, but never do.
Never do as a magician will never reveal his tricks.
Never do as my dad and my uncle, who will never explain to me.
Maybe it’s better this way.
Composition:
The man in the picture’s head is placed directly on the third line, which draws attention to his entire body in frame. He is also somewhat framed by the foreground of the other man sitting in front of him. There is a contrast between the man’s skin, the cards in his hand, and the black jacket he wears. This contrast draws attention to the brighter elements, such as the cards and his face, which are in focus.
Mood:
This scene sets a secretive mood where the audience is unaware of what lies behind the cards of the man. In turn, this makes the viewer more intrigued as we have to use our imagination to figure out what cards he may hold or simply try to accept that unknowing.
Photo 3: Tired Eyes
Lack of understanding.
Boredom.
Discomfort.
I see all of this in this one man. He did not know why we were there. Why were we at his home? Why did we go out of our way to talk to his friend while he sat there?
Waiting.
Waiting.
No phone, no chair. Just sitting.
Waiting.
Thinking.
During my ARC trip to Cambodia, we interviewed a few people to understand more about the culture and their lives in the village. For every person we interviewed, we had an individual helping us translate both our side and the interviewees’ sides of the conversation. Coming up with new questions on the spot, I too was thinking.
Thinking, observing, seeing.
I saw the man sitting there. I questioned what he thought of us being there as I challenged the preconceptions I had about him.
He did not know why we were there. Maybe I didn’t know either. He simply sat there, resting his face in the palm of his hand.
He sat there.
Thoughtful.
Curious.
Present.
He was what I was not. He is.
Composition:
This composition is quite simple, with a few layers and a main subject. The slight depth in the photo, with the orange chair in the foreground, the man in the middle ground, and the rural background, provides a sense of context to the reader. The photo could contain more layers to portray a greater depth of thought and create more ideas for interpretation. One issue I find with this photo is its blurriness, but otherwise, I have cropped the original photo to place the intersection of the man’s head on the first third of the line.
Mood:
The man staring off into the distance as I captured this shot creates a somewhat pensive and thoughtful mood. His distance and focus away from the camera entice the audience and make them wonder what he is thinking about, rather than all that they see in the image. Without context, this image simply appears to show the man as bored and uninterested in being photographed; however, understanding that there was a language barrier and possibly confusion in the air when we interacted with him.
Photo 4: Comfort Lies in the Hands
“This country isn’t like China,” my dad says, “you need to watch yourself.”
I saw this man sleeping. Peaceful. Not a care in the world. He was living his best life in the safety of the world, in his hand.
Reflecting on what my dad said, I realise that we live in safety, serenity, and comfort. Yet we spend our lives on our phones, indoors, ultimately missing out on the plethora of experiences we could have in life. To the average onlooker, maybe this man doesn’t have anything better to do, he is less fortunate, or he is just odd.
Is this truly the case?
The glaring sun showers him with warmth. The harsh shadows surround him like a cloak of consolation. His clothing absorbs the heat. Everyone passes by, merely a shadow in the luxury that he has in his life. To be able to enjoy the simpler things in life is something I strive to do. To feel that sense of comfort and safety. To just be presently me without caring what other people think.
Composition:
This shot was taken from a somewhat high angle and has very high contrast. The harsh lighting and shadows that the lighting creates help add depth to the photograph that may not have been possible without the light circumstances. For this photo, the aperture is a decently low number which resulted in high focus on the man, but a blurred background. Additionally, I was able to position the man’s body on the third line and his eyes on a third line as well, drawing attention to his face.
Mood:
This photograph creates a serene scene where a man is enjoying himself in the bright sun. The fact that he can sleep here without any worries in broad daylight highlights the safety in China. This helps the audience reflect on the good qualities of society where they create a civilization where people are happy and safe. The resting of the man’s head in his hand reassures the audience of the sense of calmness portrayed by the image.