Monks on the Run
Quinghai, Province, China 2007
Young men love motorcycles and monks are no exception. I don’t remember watching them ride away with robes flying, but that would have been a good shot…if.
Loose clothing and motorcycles don’t mix. Remember what happened to Isadora Duncan? She was a dancer, popular in Europe during the early 20th century. She was fond of flowing garments and died because of them. When she was riding in an open car, her scarf got caught in the wheel. It tightened around her throat instantly and broke her neck. My mother told me that story and I remember watching a film about Duncan on television. The vividness of the scarf wrapping around the wheel made an impression on me.
Many years later, a Moroccan Berber man whom I knew, was killed in a similar accident when he was riding his motorcycle in the desert. His chech, or turban, unwound and caught in the rear wheel of his bike.
I hope this isn’t too dreary for a Monday morning. Let’s get on to the subject of photography, shall we?
First we’ll talk about the fact that I shot this as a vertical. In looking at it now, perhaps including more of the motorcycle would have been better, especially if the viewer is interested in motorcycles. Obviously, I’m not. It is my habit to shoot vertical if I have three or fewer standing people in my shot. It’s a way of directing the viewer’s eye to the subject by eliminating distracting elements…such as the brand name of a motorcycle. You must teach yourself to take verticals. It isn’t natural. Some photographers don’t use this viewpoint at all. But I’m not giving up on them.
I gave this a retro look. You knew that though! The coarse grain and the pinkish tinge bring out detail. We used to sepia tone our black and white prints in the darkroom for this same reason. If your colors are not what you want despite your bag of tricks, try black and white or try an Instagram look. The best software is Alien Skin’s Exposure 5. Thousands and thousands of choices to mix and match.