Gabor Gypsy
Bucharest, Romania 2012 A Gabor Gypsy, wearing the typical Stetson-type hat of his clan, enjoys a spring day in Old Town. He was quite friendly and easy to photograph. He looks prosperous, doesn’t he?
Here I’ve used the rule of thirds and placed him on the one-third line. This is an easy secret to make your photographs professional. His hat shades his eyes, but the light reflecting from the cobblestone street bounces up and illuminates his face nicely. Luckily, he had tilted his face upwards. Otherwise, I might have to think of it myself.
Young Kalderash Gypsy
A young Kalderash gypsy poses by the gate to his home. He wasn’t shy. The sun was shining into his eyes. I like his downcast look. It gives a completely different impression from the bold stare of the Gabor man. Isn’t it interesting how such tiny details can make such a big difference?
I’ve composed this photo pretty much the same way as the top photo. The man’s face is on the vertical third line but his arm stretches along the horizontal third line and repeats the line of the gate. This is all geometry and it’s a good thing.