Salt of the Earth

Yunnan Province, China 2005

I’ve been scanning my slides and negatives. Yesterday I decided to scan some negatives of China. I’d developed the film back in 2005 and placed the negatives in sleeves but never made proof sheets. I must have looked at some of the shots, but I didn’t look carefully and I missed so many that I like…such as this one that illustrates a farmer’s dignity.

What first caught my eye was the sheaf of tobacco that he holds. The crinkled dry leaves lit by the soft light of a rainy day are beautiful. And they are sharp. My eye went to his face hoping for an interesting expression. Expression and sharpness are key in portraits.  His face is sharp: I can see clearly the wispy gray beard. His expression is proud yet sweet. He is a man who had survived war, famine and a life time of back breaking work, yet he stands straight, tall and with dignity.

I liked the background, too. the old wooden door with a curtain covered window above. No one builds those door windows anymore.  

This is the kind of portrait I’d search for when I spent long days in the darkroom. But I’m just as happy seeing it appear on my computer screen.