Smile of innocence
simplicity caught spontaneously...little boy happily playing with sand at the shore of the Arabian Sea on the occasion of Ganapati (The Elephant God) Immersion...
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simplicity caught spontaneously...little boy happily playing with sand at the shore of the Arabian Sea on the occasion of Ganapati (The Elephant God) Immersion
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Oct, 2018Views
137
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Awards
Top Shot Award 22
Elite
Outstanding Creativity
Peer Award
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Emotions
Happy
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo very spontaneously at Girgaum Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai, India in 2009. It was during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, the celebration of the elephant-head deity Ganesha. A group of street kids from the nearby slum were enjoying the afternoon on the occasion of the idol immersion and playing with the the beach sand. I was taking some pics of the happy group when this boy suddenly jumped in front of me gifting his pure, priceless smile; the photo got captured instantly. This was my first day in amateur street photography of humans, a day I hope to remember as long as I live.Time
This is probably one of my favorite images taken. This was taken at dusk, at the side of the Arabian Sea, with horizontal rays creating a dull golden hue around. It was magical.Lighting
The photo was taken in natural lighting around sunset.Equipment
I used a regular digital camera with a non-detachable lens, borrowed from my friend on that day. It has been a while and I unfortunately do not remember the make of the camera. The photo was taken hand-held without flash, in natural lighting.Inspiration
The smile of the boy was innocent, intoxicating and inspiring. The speckles of yellow sand on his face and head gave a very different dimension that I had never felt before. The sheer joy in his eyes opened up in front of me as an artist's lucky charm...like a human composition that I possibly always dreamt of...that moment to me was God-gifted!Editing
In this case, I have used Adobe Photoshop, assisted by the friend whose camera I shared. The RGB mode of the photo was changed to grayscale and some adjustments on color and lighting was done as post-processing.In my camera bag
At the time this photo was taken, I was a student and had no equipment normally in my bag to take photos. Today, I generally have either my smartphone or my Canon Rebel with me, to capture moments of lifeFeedback
Everybody has their own ways and passions. I would say observation, quick decisions and patience for the right moment are always key. For photos of children looking directly at the lens, having an unsaid rapport and acknowledgement goes a long way.
