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Peanuts
04-23-2007, 07:35 PM
So I have been madly editing these for the organization I had travelled with, but have luckily had enough time to convert a small handful to black and white.
Unfortunately I was in Sierra Leone for only a week, so the stories behind the spontaneous portraits don't have the connection I wish I could have made - but I assure you, I have never met such enthusiastic and generous individuals in my life. Upon arrival in the village of Komancilia, 7 miles from the city of Kabala, there were over 150 students lining the road singing "welcome...welcome..", clapping, and several of the women of the village were dancing. (In my previous thread I had a few photos of the students who felt a little too close to the dancing)
As the day progressed we were presented with more then heaping portions of rice and groundnut stew (essentially spicy peanut sauce complete with goat - hmm.. chewy!).

Anyways, I would be very glad to hear your opinions, comments, and primarily critiques on these.

Thanks!

1. As I was sitting on a step underneath the shade of the school (35C heat - and they were all laughing about how that was nothing) a small crowd gathered. This one boys curious grin was hard to miss.
1/125s, f/2.8
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/463373381_1e7a6a56c6.jpg

2. As the majority of the other students were enthusiastically running back and forth ensuring that they were in as many pictures as possible, this one young man just stayed back leaning against the support of the school. Within 10 seconds of taking this image, he was surrounding by two dozen individuals - yet this time he was grinning from ear to ear.
1/250, f/2.8
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/184/463374789_4250d37258.jpg

3. Looks like the guys are going to be shared today! As the lesson was being taught at the front of the classroom - I was apparently the much more interesting subject. If I recall correctly, he promptly turned around after I snapped this image off, as you can see, his benchmate was standing and answering a question.
1/30, f/2.8 <--- apparently the favoured aperture of the trip!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/192/463370446_1226dfc398.jpg

oCyrus55
04-23-2007, 08:17 PM
Great shots, I love them all! The BW really gives these shots a good mood, you know what I mean? :)

terri
04-23-2007, 08:42 PM
Peanuts - these are beautiful, just beautiful! :thumbup: Like your title suggests, you've definitely captured some great faces- and the boy in #1 has some of the most expressive eyes I've ever seen.

Great work. :D It sounds like it was an amazing trip!

Antarctican
04-23-2007, 08:43 PM
Awesome shots!!! :clap: Love the b/w treatment. The expression in each shot, and the eyes of each boy, convey so much. Wonderful compositions too. Really well done.

newrmdmike
04-23-2007, 09:26 PM
nice work you have here!

Tangerini
04-23-2007, 09:32 PM
Wow wow wow! Beautiful!

StreetShark
04-23-2007, 09:40 PM
They are indeed great shots! Very nice work.

Peanuts
04-23-2007, 10:04 PM
Thanks for taking the time to comment everyone :)

Cyrus: Indeed, sometimes black and white is so much more expressive then colour - sometimes I wonder why colour was even introduced to film.

jimiismydaddy
04-23-2007, 11:02 PM
great stuff, those eyes in #1 pop out like theyre almost not real.

Mohain
04-24-2007, 08:37 AM
Great shots Peanuts :)

Puscas
04-24-2007, 10:19 AM
:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:







pascal

Peanuts
04-24-2007, 05:40 PM
Thanks for the comments :) Much appreciated.

Rayna'
05-04-2007, 02:21 PM
it's like being able to look into their souls. great job!

William
05-06-2007, 01:17 PM
Number 2 is incredible. Hopefully he's not amish because you definitely captured his soul. (that wasn't funny) These pictures scream blood diamond.