The other side of the gecko, a photo from Shan, North

Photographer's Note

I often choose an atmospheric image to depict the dreaded departure time. The dark side of the gecko is the one I would keep to remember when, early in the morning of a rainy day, we left the Inle lake to Heho airport then back to Yangon.

More than a single night, crazy geckos had kept us awake running on the ceiling of the room. The night of the geckos would see them dancing the night away and shouting their frantic "tchh-ch-cha-chaaaa" call.

Then the toads have had their fiesta on a lower tuned but nevertheless steadier pace... "pweh-pwah" 5 seconds "pweh-pwah" 5 seconds "pweh-pwah" (like the tap waterdrop torture... burmese way).

The sounds of nature is something we miss and can soon become weird when we're only used to soundcheck whether the fridge's door has been properly closed or if it's our mobile that's buzzing in that remote room.

Out through the painted window of the bathroom, that some banana tree leaves gently brushed day long, I could see a reflection of a rising sun... also the other side of the gecko. I envied my gecko companion who was still staying there for a time.

You certainly look at a gecko from the same angle : what would you expect to see from the other side? Me getting my luggage, perhaps...

don_narayan, KevRyan, nmess, Timmok, Galeota, rowanb, Proxilva, ktanska, fiedziu ha contrassegnato questa nota come utile

Critiques | Translate

don_narayan (2014) 2005-09-26 17:53

the texture and interesting colors give it a great artistic element. I like the gecko as well, the outlines are very good. a very different shot.

rbcy1974 (20758) 2005-09-26 18:02

Hi Luko, very interesting view. Great texture what are those pink dots on the water, raindrops? This picture has an artsy quality to it, I guess it is somewhat symbolic to you.
Regards
Daniel

designsoul (17843) 2005-09-26 18:03

Interesting shot, Luko, and your notes make it even more interesting to look at, it falls into the exotic category without being saccharine. Good shot and very nice touch of the sunrise.
I would still go to Myanmar...
:-)
sarolta

KevRyan (22956) 2005-09-26 18:06

Nice very nice Luko - I just get such a feeling from this image - something that is so different from where one comes from that presents a strong and parting image of where you are - it kind of spooks me in a strange but warm way - as if it is the first thing I will see again on my return - something that will carry that feeling in my mind as a simple parting image - I can just relate to this so much from trips to India - your words too.

"Out through the painted window of the bathroom, that some banana tree leaves gently brushed day long, I could see a reflection of a rising sun.."

Such poetry!

kev

umbrellaphotos (1901) 2005-09-26 19:45

A very creative photo. I like your composition and you did a wonderful job capturing the image.

Brian

nmess (2301) 2005-09-26 21:20

This is nice Luko. The painted glass and it's varied texture with the shadow of the gecko makes for a interesting composition. Good catch.

jinju (14265) 2005-09-27 1:41

Thanx to the textures of this surface, you achieve something interesting here. The gecko shot from a conventional POV would be quite boring. Here it becomes a strange shape, a cool iconic image.

gringofil (0) 2005-09-27 2:11

This is cool, Luko! Man, I would never think of you as a wildlife shooter, but this rocks. I really like the "vanilla" sky in the background and the textures (on the window...or what it is anyway?) are great and make this shot stand out even more. Perhaps getting the gecko off to the side a bit more would have worked even better, but all in all this is quite an interesting shot. Kudos for posting something this interesting. Well done, Luko!

jmdaoudal (82) 2005-09-27 3:37

Beau texte et très bonne sensation à le lire et à apprecier l'image qui l'accompagne à moins que ce ne soit l'inverse.
La photo est simple mais le petit reptile associé aux bruits de la nature et l'évocation de ces bruits sont bien soutenus par la couleur et l'humidité de l'endroit...
Je n'ai pas la traduction de Gecko mais ici pour moi c'est une salamandre.
J'ai l'impression d'avoir déja vécu des départs avec la même sensation et de constater que j'étais parti parce que les sons de la nature tropicale n'étaient plus là, ou d'arriver dans un autre "monde" parce que ces mêmes sons dominaient la nuit (toujours tropicale);
Compliments pour cette image et cette évocation.
Jean Michel

Timmok (802) 2005-09-27 3:42

Hi Luko,

Nice picture. I love the position of the gecko in the composition as well as the texture and colours of the door.

Well done !

Furachan (0) 2005-09-27 3:42

Tres belle evocation d'un depart, non seulement une tres belle image avec cette touche de rose tres importante...mais une note vraiment superbe, de grande classe!
A sec comme tous les matins...
Ps. Tu sais, je viens moi-meme de monter un gekko bleu sous le neon d'un club a Saigon il y a trois jours. Personne ne s'y interessait trop alors, selon ma coutume, je l'ai retire...Et maintenant je le regrette.

Galeota (10352) 2005-09-27 4:17

Je n'arrive pas à comprendre pourquoi la texture du gecko est similaire à celle du mur comme s'il en faisait partie. Peut-être un effet accentué par le bruit originaire d'une photo prise à 1600ISO. Je retrouve par contre une atmosphère bien particulière de certaines de tes images en lien avec le départ. Elles ont une dimension poétique et une beauté qui découle d'un "filé" de tristesse lorsqu'on lâche prise et on tourne le dos à ce qui nous a si intensément tenu en haleine. C'est ça le voyage. Partir.

Darren (6823) 2005-09-27 7:22

This is really odd Luko, but I really quite like it. I don't normally go into abstract (although that is not an accurate description here), but the textures here look so great and I think I like that while I know this is a gecko from first site, it looks odd enough that I try to put my own interpretation upon the story. Not sure what the reddish spot is, nor am I sure if it adds to the shot. I think what it really comes down to is that I really like the textures here; they just carry the entire photo for me.

rowanb (864) 2005-09-27 8:33

hi luko
like this a lot, very interesting point of view, nice colours too.

jcandeli (40) 2005-09-27 9:28

I like the idea and the simplicity of this photo. The color is also great but that damn red spot near the gecko is too distarcting for me. I like the weird grainy texture to that glass and of course the composition works. Almost rule of thirds. :) Anyway, I like it. but not the red spot. JP

Proxilva (2157) 2005-09-27 10:54

look at this creature Luko!! isn't she adorable??? the big head, the long tail, and not to forget the cuuutttteee 4 little toes on the funny feet...

happily about the company of the parisian photographer it sings it's best songs and dances to entetertain the crowd, like a streetcat in the darkest citynight...

and what does it get the next morning by sunrise? an angry, moody puplic packing his back and leave without saying goodbey....

Gecko vs. Luko.... 1-0

dolin (7369) 2005-09-27 14:50

Salut Luko.
J'ai lu ta réponse à Gal....et je comprends un peu moins la compo.
Assez impressionnant, on dirait une peinture.
L'idée est très originale...super bien vu.
C'est assez simple, mais ca en jète !
Bonne position de la bestiole dans le cadre et ce bleu donne un superbe effet.
J'aime bien aussi cet effet du à la tecture.
Bien joué
Fred

eleparc (24063) 2005-09-29 18:50

jaime bcp cette photo qui a vraiment une ambiance! un mood! sympa le gecko de poser pour ti, haha!!

Porteplume (4036) 2005-10-01 15:49

Je viens juste de rentrer de France, juste un coup d'oeil sur mes "Krenten in de Pap" favoris... ;o)

J'avais d'abord pensé à une étoffe bleue et que la p'tite bête se promenait dessus et que tu te trouvais au dessous avec ta caméra.
C'était "l'heure bleue" et comme Gal je trouve ça plein de poésie.

Tu n'aimes pas les cartes postales mais cette image ferait très certainement une magnifique carte de voeux, une impression sur soie par exemple... C'est tellement simple et beau à la fois!

ktanska (44492) 2005-11-24 8:15 [Comment]