I took this photo in Sangkhlaburi, Thailand in about mid-June of 08. The weather was hot and humid, the storm clouds rolling in. You could hear a pack of dogs barking as they came closer and closer. The way I walked became more brisk, but this is what caught my attention. The sound began to fade as I became entranced by the peacefulness this baby held in his sleeping ways. He comes from a family that can barely afford a bag of rice to feed the family for a week. He has no clue as to what kind of life he has been born into, nor what kind of world he will have to live in... striving to survive day after day, moment by moment. But my prayer was simply that He would come to one day know the only peace that surpasses all understanding... that he would feel welcomed into the arms of a Savior who wants the dreams he has to come true.
Comments
Praying with you. Thank you for sharing this powerful picture. It speaks volumes.
The decision to frame the image the way you did created some dramatic tension for me, with half of the child's body cropped on the right edge. There is a visual illusion of the child slipping out of the photograph's frame. Interestingly, the tension of sleep and the reality of the child's poverty are balanced in the image.
The image could use a little more contrast in editing, and if you cropped the original, I would play with framing to see how different ways impact the image's feeling. Keep them coming, your image and insight are a wonderful addition to Conversant's content.
Great work. Like Paul, I feel so conflicted while looking at this photo. As if I am not complete. I would love to see the whole photo if you have it. I think alleviating some of that "cropped" tension will bring a lot of relief to the viewer and create a more relaxed feeling. This child is beautiful and I want to see more of his face. I know that the setting in which he is living is a desperate one, but the theme of this photo can be one of peace. Despite the constant scarcity of food, water and money in this child's life, he still doesn't know of those problems and he is tranquil and at peace, sleeping not just physically but asleep to the situation that surrounds him. Once he wakes from his childhood slumber and discovers that the world he lives in is a harsh one, then the theme for that part of his life can be hope.
What an amazing heart and eye you have!
With you in prayer!
Blessing,
Kelli