Rubab Player
Bokhara Uzbekistan 2012
He may look as old as Father Time, but he was still spry as he carried his rather worn rubab to a ‘jam session’ with his friends. He was shuffling along at a good pace and Torie and I had to hustle to catch up and pass him. We covered all angles as we criss-crossed in front of him, trying for a good background and good light. I must have twenty shots of him.
He seemed to know that he was the center of our attention, but didn’t react. He glanced up in surprise and smiled a big smile when we gave him a few ‘som’ (the Uzbek money). He stuffed the bills into his pocket and continued on his way.
The early morning sun outlines his character-filled face. And a dark background like the storefront behind him almost always gives a portrait punch. His clothing, especially his hat (tubeteka), adds a sense of the exotic. Look at the heels of his shoes. They are smashed down making them easy to slip on and off. This is typical of countries where shoes are removed before entering homes and mosques. His instrument is held together with the Uzbek version of duct-tape. All these help the photo tell a story. So what if you have to point the details out to your viewers? It’s a way to tell your story, too.
I shot this with my D300 and I can see every whisker on his face. I love when that happens. I know it is sharp, sharp, sharp.
Like this old man, the old year is fast disappearing. I wish you all a Happy New Year!