When i was in Brazil i was waiting for a bus, then as i didn't have a clue what i was doing i missed it. So i went into there version of Waterstones to have a nose through some books. I found this book by a local photographer. Hes now my new favourite, and i wish i bought the book sadly it was in Portuguese. It was about one of the largest slums in south America.
Little bit of information on Rocinha:
"Rocinha, in Rio de Janeiro, is widely considered to be one of Rio de Janeiro’s largest, most densely populated and urbanised slums. The community has a population estimated at anywhere between 100 and 200 thousand inhabitants, who live crammed into a steep and rugged landscape of only (0.80) square miles. Within this highly dense community the majority of residents subsist in conditions of abject or near abject poverty, residing in small shanties stacked one on top of another, sometimes as many as tall as 7, 8, 9, and even 11 stories tall. Most houses in Rocinha have basic sanitation, plumbing, and electricity"
This is the book cover, its so unclear on this picture but in real life its really strong and there is loads of detail in the girls face. I really love this book you definitely need to get it and have a look through if you can! What i like about this image is the positioning and stance of the subject. They are not in the typical straight on pose and hands are in a weird arrangement. Again i really like the emotion on the subjects face, always really strong and powerful.
Shallow depth of field shows real detail in the eyes. I think that this is really important in this image because i think that it shows sorrow and pain. The subject is living in some of the most poor conditions in Brazil and i think that the poverty and hardship is shown in there eyes. Shallow depth of field can create a really strong image and i think that this is a great example of that. I also like the framing that the photographer has used. The way that he is really in the subjects face, you don't see hair, ears and even the chin is cut off. Really makes you focus and zone into the eyes.
I like this because sometimes you see pictures of people living in poverty and not so nice conditions, and i don't know about you but sometimes i think "well if they went to school and got a job" or "must be druggies" what is really judgemental but still it runs through my head. However how does a baby "deserve" to live like that? what has he/she done? i often think that people start off on a level playing field then get there self into these situations, this shows that's not the case, there are baby's living in places like this. Brings home the vastness of the situation. I also like the picture because of the fact there not looking at you, they are looking at the Favela, they too are taking the vast scale of the place in. You don't get drawn in by the sorrowful eyes or glum expression on there face. You take it in as they are.
This is by far my favourite image. Maybe because I'm obsessed with surfing? or maybe just because i really like the background, the way that you can see all the favela behind the surfers. Its really unusual because i would have expected to see the sea or something behind them. I just like that they are almost just stuck on some rock surrounded by shanti houses. I just really like it as an image.
I think that this is a beautiful image. The lighting really flatters the model and gives her a glow. Shes beauty in the midst of ugly rough buildings. I like how the mid depth of field again allows you to see whats in the background. It is clear just enough to be able to see what it is and were it is but not too much to over power the picture and take away from the soft gentle feel that the image has got.
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