Jose Cartas
October 2025 - Praying
About the Image(s)
Photo taken in the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, Vietnam. Founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, it was the first university complex in Vietnam. It is a place where students come to pray for luck in their upcoming exams. I was attracted by the deep emotion conveyed by the two young ladies, who are fully absorbed in their prayers. They didn’t notice me. The background and the smoke provide additional information to the viewer. It is a straight shot, where I simply cloned out some distracting elements. Technical specifications: 120mm. lens, 1/45 sec. at f/5.6, ISO 400, handheld.
3 comments posted
Hi Jose, I think that you have captured an intimate and intense moment in a very beautiful way. I like the way the young ladies fill the frame. The only thing I that comes to my mind is if those swirls of smoke could be slightly more visible. I tried to lighten them slightly in Affinity Photo by selecting "midtones" and applying a few strokes with the Dodge brush. What do you think? Posted: 10/16/2025 03:47:22
It works! Thanks! Posted: 10/16/2025 13:50:35
You captured a good travel image, with the intensity of the women reveled. I agree with Kristi that making the smoke more visible works. Posted: 10/16/2025 13:47:58