"The sharp knife of a short life

I've had just enough time..."


- "If I Die Young" The Band Perry


I see Beauty in many things. And like the ghosts that only speak to you if you notice them, they tell me wondrous tales. With my camera and my thoughts, I captured these as faithfully as I can to share with you. And by doing so, they gave me the reasons. And though the thousand reasons may not all be sweet and some indeed bitter; they are still reasons to live. Come to think about it, that is Life, isn't it?

Tuesday 27 November 2012

The Face of An Artist



I've had just enough time to...   see the budding of a star

Taken outside the Ubud Palace in Ubud, Bali

On a leisurely stroll one morning passing by the Ubud Palace, I spied a group of young boys practicing their craft. To the tempo of imaginary music that only they themselves heard, they stomped and jerked violently. The sequence was not a graceful flow but a series of sudden violent movements and abrupt stops. The expressions on their faces were deadly serious and exaggerated as they played the characters of their act.





But it is more than an act. It is their religion and they are playing the Gods. They are not just performing a dance, they are re-telling the story of creation and they are honoring their Gods in the recreating of the tale. This went deeper than the passion for their craft. It is their faith and they are living it.

I suspect that it will be many years before these boys ever get the chance to perform before an audience. Meanwhile, they trained every day and showed a dedication stronger than any professional athlete. And what drove them is not fame, adulation or monetary rewards. It is their culture, their beliefs and it is beautiful to watch.



But even among them, one particular boy stood out. You will have picked him up just by looking at the photo. His divine expression, the sharpness of his moves and his total immersion into his character is mesmerizing. His talent is undeniable. He is the future star of the play. I hope one day to be able to return to Bali and watched a performance and recognized him there.



The Master



6 comments:


  1. Andrew 62
    cool character .....
    radiant personality

    ★ineedathis added this photo to his favorites.
    What a lovely shot of this boy! some people are born stars:-)

    ★ΞSSΞ®®Ξ added this photo to his favorites.

    Sunciti _ Sundaram's Images + Messages
    Very Expressive Face And Very Well Captured Expression. Well done my friend

    "Chuck"
    You are so true my friend. This young man certainly stands out from the rest. He is destined to go far I believe. Hope you and your family have been well. I have been away from Flickr for a while.

    ★ZUCCONY, Pagan Eyes, and onasill added this photo to their favorites.

    onasill
    :-) absolutly....this is wonderful....What a fantastic expression and well captured. My compliments Thou-san

    onasill
    Have a wonderful day

    henrhyde (gill)
    Beautiful portrait---such a great expression.

    ★oola * added this photo to her favorites.
    portraiture at its' very best

    ReplyDelete

  2. ★onasill added this photo to his favorites.
    This is just beautiful ~ He has put a smile on my face for the rest of the day.
    A magnificent upload amd quite enjoyabe. Thank you.

    onasill
    Have a wonderful day Thou-San

    Kathy_9
    So nice to see this!!

    ★oola * added this photo to her favorites.

    bloodybee
    love the scene!!

    ★henrhyde (gill) added this photo to her favorites.

    retnos2602 - out for six months
    The tall boy in black shirt will be a good dancer. Nice documentary!

    henrhyde (gill)
    Wonderful composition---what an emotional expression on the boy.
    great timing.

    MAMEDE HARFOUCHE
    KEEP SAFE AND STAY BLESSED, Thou.
    KISSES AND PEACE.
    الله أكبر * " ALLAH HU AKBAR! "

    ★prometheus_bd added this photo to his favorites.
    Fabulous capture!!
    This awesome image was seen and admired in..
    Flickr ♥♥♥ Friends
    Thank you for sharing!

    ★Geo_grafics added this photo to his favorites.
    Looks like a world of fun !

    Prozak2012
    Excelente imagen
    Te invito a que formes parte del:
    Grupo FOLKCLORE

    Kissingers
    Wonderful :-)

    oola *
    just love this little guy...

    ana_lee_smith
    Oh my, this one is amazing ...seeing the whole body's involvement in the activity & the different personalities within the group. Haha, your little guy is bug-eyed with concentration. And I love the boy in the black tee ...looks like a wild man *~* Thanks for the explanation of what it is they are are committed to, thou. Again, outstanding photo-op you came upon. Well done !
    ★ana_lee_smith added this photo to her favorites.

    ReplyDelete

  3. MAMEDE HARFOUCHE
    KEEP SAFE AND STAY BLESSED, Thou.
    KISSES AND PEACE.
    الله أكبر * " ALLAH HU AKBAR! "

    ★Geo_grafics added this photo to his favorites.
    Perfect timing !!

    Sai Achanta
    nice expression :) nice timing

    ★soniaadammurray added this photo to her favorites.
    Impressive!

    ★i_still_believe_in_u added this photo to their favorites.
    what an expressive little moment!!

    ana_lee_smith
    Priceless *~* What a wonderful moment you captured, thou. Such intense commitment to the activity at hand. He deserves his position front & centre !And how fortunate for you to come upon such a photo-op by chance. Delightful!
    ★ana_lee_smith added this photo to her favorites.

    ho.ge
    a great scene! yes, it is so - you have it, or you have it not :)
    wonderful expression of the boy!

    ★ho.ge and Steve Taylor (Photography) added this photo to their favorites.

    Steve Taylor (Photography)
    That is an awesome expression

    ★prometheus_bd added this photo to his favorites.

    ReplyDelete

  4. 娜 娜☂Nana
    What a lovely look! Love him expression! So Cute!!

    娜 娜☂Nana
    Wish you have a Sweet dreams and Nice week ! ^-^b

    ★zneppi --- ړײ) added this photo to his favorites. (
    What a great expression!
    A nice moment.

    ReplyDelete

  5. ★ana_lee_smith and october blue ( away ) added this photo to their favorites.

    october blue ( away )
    A wonderful shot ! How noble that these youths are movitated by their culture and beliefs to perfect their dancing ....rather than doing it for more trivial or egotisitcal reasons. I can feel how deeply immersed they are in 'feeling ' the dance , as well as perfecting the actual physcial movement . Fine image and writing as always , my friend ....thanks for sharing :-)

    ★Steve Taylor (Photography) added this photo to his favorites.
    They all look like they are playing their parts well

    ★娜 娜☂Nana added this photo to her favorites.
    Oh...Extremely Lovely Capture! adorable

    AsAbel1964
    That is fantastic! He seems to look right at you and yet is so concentrated on what he is doing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I recognize what exactly are you trying to carry out. I'm happy you have expressed your own private idea and view issue concerning this matter

    ReplyDelete

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