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The Children of Reality
Published: 2003-04-27 02:24:05 +0000 UTC; Views: 12861; Favourites: 261; Downloads: 1824
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Description
Taken at a roadside market in Cambodia, this girl was not more than 10 years of age with this small baby in arm.Poverty is one of the most oppressive realities most of the world lives with throughout thier lives...
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Comments: 212
Very powerful image there! I agree with what someone said earlier about converting this to b&w
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Poverty is one of the worst illments inflicting our world. My uncle would go to Mexico for his cancer treatments. When he came back, he would tell the family about what he saw...He would talk about the people on the streets..An old women...and others. I've never saw my uncle cry like he did when he talked bout his trips to Mexico. Thats what I think about when I saw this picture. It's sad..but beautifully taken.
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so much emotions here, those photos r very rare here in DA, and this one of the best I've ever seen. great photograΓΌ hy
they fight for food, to survive...we can only capture things to remind how lucky we really are....
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Wow breathtaking, it reminds me when I visited India and all the poverty they have to deal with. Hard to tell other people what you see but the camera is a good tool for telling your feelings you had at that moment.
Everytime I see this kind of pictures it reminds me how F***** glad I am for having the things I have and feel I'm happy.
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God, I have a son about the age of that baby
All my problem was just reduced to nothing.
Thanks for sharing it.
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So have you ever submitted any of your work to a higher power? Or is it more for shere pleasure?
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This really is touching. I can't really say anything else that no one else have said before, but this reminds me of all the comercials I see that sponser kids in poverty.
In a world we live in where people are more interested in reality shows than the REAL reality, I have to say everyone should see this picture. THIS will bring them back to the real reality.
Her hands seem to be so worn and big for her body... maybe it's the angle?
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I hope you were with her to help her, and in Cambodia to help (that is definately not sarcastic).
Because that photograph is just the sort of entertainment people need.
Maybe if everyone feels a little sadness for someone less forturnate, they'll feel like better people.
But what has everyone here with praising love of ^her^ sincere look, a genuine life-additude unbeknownst to our thick cheap heads---extensively done to actually get ourselves as low as their pitifull wrentching stench, right?
How beautifully poignant. But poignant grief cannot endure forever,
DO SOMETHING DAMNIT!
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This picture is very similar to a scetch i made a few years ago. Check it out at [link]
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that picture is so pure and so sad. it shows the sad reality of today too well it looks so much like the ones in National Geographic!
exzellent shot and expression. really touching
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This photo look like national geographic
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I looked at your whole gallery...this one by far is my favourite. I love it all. So touching...
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Great and powerful shot. Nothing more to be said. 
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I jsut spent way too long looking through all the comments here instead of working... You've stirred up some interesting emotions, some selfishness, some pig ignorance and some real caring amongst people... so your photo has made an impact, and that's fantastic.
Do I like the shot? Absolutely... the colours are rich, the contrast is supurb, the lighting is fantastic. I love the inky blackness behind her and the way the ground comes up to it and fades to blackness.
It's a sad shot to see, it's a sad state so many people are in... it's very easy to feel so small and helpless against it all... Especially when you see the amount of money spent on war and other destructive pursuits by the Western world.
So sad.
Fantastic shot though and a 
Oh, and these final words from acoldoldkodiak made me laugh indeed...
"btw... it's you're as in you are. not your, as in your a mammal. "
Erm... the your you just used should have been a you're too! As in YOU ARE a mammel!
It's You're as in 'You're wrong', not Your as in 'Your car is on fire'.
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Another comment... this one regarding the small black and white/color issue... I say, keep it in color. This is a document of a real event. It should be shown as it happens, in real color. That is, of course, in my opinion, but I think color in shots like this can speak volumes.
Oh yeah, don't worry about the jackass comments from before. I guess all opinions are valid, but clearly not thought out comments such as those should be disregarded. If nothing else, let it give you a reason to keep shooting to prove them wrong.
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Thanks for posting this.
Shots like this can be a real wake-up call to the rest of us behind our computers. We need to be reminded of how lucky we are and how we can spread that to people like this.
This is also a very inspirational shot... I'm heading to Trujillo, Peru in a couple weeks and I'll be photographing everything I can while I'm there, of course. I want to capture my experience as well as you captured this.
A well-deserved Daily Deviation. Thanks for shooting and sharing with the rest of us.
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Very very moving picture. It inspired me to write a poem.
Many Times
Many times in my life I've wondered
What is the meaning of our life's
Many times I came to face a dead end
But sometimes it made me believe
Many times in my life I've seen things
That I wished I've never ever seen
Many times I came to face the reality
That none of us have a clue of life
Many times in my life I've searched
Answers to the question few ask
Many times I came so close to the truth
But sometimes it had me fooled
Many times in my life I've cried inside
Thinking about others miseries
Many times I came within reach of joy
But I am happy I gave it to others
Inspiring work of art. Keep up the good work.
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I think she looks older, than she really is... it breath from her...
very atmospheric photo!
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There's a lot of things I like about this photo.
First, it's obvious that the compostion itself captured emotion and makes the viewer ask questions.
Second, the questions it forces us to ask aren't necessarily about the subject of the photo. Certainly, we wonder what will become of her and her sibling. What chances does she have? Will she survive to adulthood? But we also ask what about the world is wrong to allow this kind of thing? What can *I* do to help her an others like her? Do I have the ability to assist her? Is it wrong for me to have the material wealth that I do in spite of poverty in other nations? etc.
Third, I like the controversy that the phot created. If I had taken that shot, the number of people posting both positive and negative posts would have been my proudest achievement with it. This is what forces people to think. acoldoldkodiak pointed out that everyone feels something, but does nothing about it.... I disagree. Certainly many of us are blind to the reality of the world, but by participating, reading, learning and just educating yourself on the plights of the rest of the world, past and present, we can do something.
"The Reality" is that 1.2 billion people in the world live on less than $1 per day. Nearly 3 billion live on less than $2 per day. The number of people with insufficient food is nearly 1 billion. That's about 1/5th to 1/6th of the world population.
"The Reality" is that famine isn't caused by hunger, but rather "insuffiencies in diet." Missing protein, vitamins, etc.
"The Reality" is that famine isn't caused by food insufficiencies, but rather food prices.
"The Reality" is that hunger isn't caused by overpopulation, because there is plenty of food available in the world for those that can pay for it.
"The Reality" is that people don't need to send their wages to underdeveloped countries. What they need to do is become educated on the what's and why's of the world and start holding governments, corporations, and non-government organizations accountable. In other words, give a shit.
Wonderful work with this capture! I hope to see much more from you!
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i dont know why i never commented on this one...its definately your most expressive street picture and full of emotions which are hard to describe. such a powerful picture! im really glad that pictures like this get featured by the people here, because they are really important and good reminders. well done dear and worth my , too.
ailine...
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I have only just seen this and it is totally amazing! Well captured!
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I like your other work. This photo just does nothing for me; sorry.
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err, looking over my last comment, it may have seemed like i don't care about helping the poor. that's not true at all (in fact quite the opposite) but my point was rather that that isn't the only aspect of the picture, and that any argument overit is circuitous. People argue on issues (like capital punishment or abortion), not on problems. Arguing over a problem only delays the finding of a solution. There, this one looks okay. oh, and
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Why so much controversy over this? What is there to disagree on? Yes I understand the point that people can look at this and feel bad for the poor of the world but not do anything. That's normal. We're all guilty of it. Speaking from experience, the spirit of the third world can't be captured on film anyway (I'm sure the artist here would agree with me.) But :devlorrainemd", you came awful close. It is a beautiful capture in more ways than one. And helping doesn't mean jumping on a plane and flying over to Cambodia or Honduras or Ecuador or India. Hell, you don't even have to give money to those commercials on TV if you don't want to. There's plenty you can do from your house (if in fact you should feel the need to). And as a world citizen, why wouldn't you? Yea, I know it's easy to just think about yourself. (once again, we're all guilty) Besides, this "helping" others is only one way of looking at this picture. Look again, there's a thousand other topics you could discuss about it.
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I'm not trying to go busting heads, and I dont think I know everything, but I can think for myself, and I would actually read a post before blasting someone because "people piss me off". I just wish people would free their minds and think for themselves before they comment. I know many other people have life worse than i do, and if you think it makes me a bad person to brush that off, fine. I appreciate my position in the world, and I help where I can, but I'm not changing the world. People talk a big "I'm going to go volunteer and be a magical superhero" game, but I'm fairly sure not half of them will back it all up due to apathy, and leading their own lives. I give the artist a lot of credit for raising the awareness to make people feel like they want to help, but I know a lot of people who would become depressed by this picture and feel bad about themselves for having a better life. I'm just saying they shouldnt. Last thing I'm saying on this is that this is my opinion, I'm not saying this is a set in stone fact, its too bad someone who thinks for him or herself "pisses off" someone wh feels they must rant about it
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"acoldoldkodiak... (place rant resulting in at least 3 policy violations here)
*going to write it anyway
you are useless to this world, only useful to yourself. Trust me buddy, your not the only one. Your not special. This is why that girl is starving. We are consumed by our own little worlds that we cant see out of. I am guilty of this. But i dont bullshit myself, and i dont try to bring every body down to my little world of self-importance.
If this photo nudges one person to action, or just closer to action, it is infinitatly for valuable to this world then the whole sum of our selfish little worlds of make belive importance."
I believe you're on my side of the arugment. Yes, one or two people will be provoked to do some good, but I'm just pissed to see all the arsty fartsy idiots reply with empty sympathy and vows of how they seem to know more about the "real" world than the rest of the body of the population.
I rather be truthful, I care and dislike poverty, but I can't pretend to know how these people feel, or how they got into these situations. I have to accept that I'm better off, and I'm not going to shun society just because. Most people donate money to a charity because it makes them feel better about themselves.. they're "doing something". And that's good, but when people talk about how other people arn't doing enough, who the hell are they to say society doesn't care?
"you are useless to this world, only useful to yourself"
I suppose... arn't we all? It's a human thing. You admit it yourself.
" Trust me buddy, your not the only one. Your not special."
I long ago accepted that fact...
btw... it's you're as in you are. not your, as in your a mammal.
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The truth always does help us come back down to earth, it helps to ignore the urge to piss and moan about school, work, etc, and at times it helps us appreciate a lot more the things we have. This photo is truth and I for one am grateful to have witnessed it.
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It is true, you don't know what the girl is feeling, but...
isn't it what this kind of photographies do best? making you aware that you cannot fight that unstoppable building of meaning in a photo? making it up feelings, thoughts, even more if its such a expresive subject?
it's the best photo i've seen here this week. that girls exists, those colors too.
keep it this way, you have make a brilliant work.
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Hmm. It doesn't stike me as a 'loss of hope' like so many describe. Because sometimes, you just don't know.
The little girl... she probably doesn't know anything other then poverty. She more then likely has been living a hard life, knowing nothing but hardship and dispare. When that is your life, you forget hope. You forget happiness. You just try to survive.
She's in a world where there is only acceptance of ones life. There isn't change. You're born an adult and you die young. Hope never existed.
I got a little melo-dramatic, there. Sorry about that. Raw picture. Instant fav.
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"Poverty is one of the most oppressive realities most of the world lives with throughout thier lives..."
yeah... of course.
this is a REAL photo, that fills my heart of a lot of feelings...
this is OUR REALITY... our world...
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Sad and the worst thing is that's the real truth about the third world countries' condition (in fact not only these countries, but thw whole world too).
Our reallity is something that too many people take apart and don't want to see what really passes by in front everybody's eye.
I believe this picture should be showed everyplace in the world, to make more people get real about what's happening to the human race...
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This photograph is skillfully composed and deeply moving. This is the stuff of national geographic and the like. You are to be commended for a job well done.
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im not sure about the meaning of life but this is the meaning of photography. this inspires me to quit trying to get those damn macro drip shots and actully capture something with some truth, humanity, meaning
acoldoldkodiak... (place rant resulting in at least 3 policy violations here)
*going to write it anyway
you are useless to this world, only useful to yourself. Trust me buddy, your not the only one. Your not special. This is why that girl is starving. We are consumed by our own little worlds that we cant see out of. I am guilty of this. But i dont bullshit myself, and i dont try to bring every body down to my little world of self-importance.
If this photo nudges one person to action, or just closer to action, it is infinitatly for valuable to this world then the whole sum of our selfish little worlds of make belive importance.
*how many violation do we get before we are kicked off?
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This is not reality, rather it is truth. Reasons that you do not come to hear about poverty often, is due the fact it is everywhere. I am Cambodian, though never did I set a foot in her soil. I was born in a concentration camp in Thailand as many Khmers are around my age that resides in the States, Canada, France, and Austrailia. Cambodia is a war thorn country. During the 80's many fled the country from the Cambodia Civil war which turned her Communist. She never rebuilt stabily, recently reverting to a Democracy a few years back, it will take many years before she can set foot again.
Cambodia is the second poorest country in Southeast Asia to Laos, but everyone must understand that the whole country is not like this. As everywhere in the world, you are goign to have the rich and the poor. My parents wants to revisit their beloved country, and in essence, help me understand the hardships of life as well as the the beauty of culture.
There are many very disturbing facts about developing nations. Cambodia in example is being exploited by some tourist for cheap drugs and under age sex. It is sad and many people would like to help, but in order for countries to modernize, they will need to help theirselves by growing economically. Never the less, a helping hand is still a hand.
I have never experience Cambodia's poverty, I only know of my own, though one things I realize is the fact we are going to need those of the unfortunate. Even here in the United States, we depends on illegal immigrants to do hard laboring jobs that no one wants, for low pay.
This is an ugly world, though it is as beautiful as you believe it to be.
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utterly amazing, nothing more to say. this image says enough.
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Brilliant photography...This shot would make National Geographic magazine...
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gawd... some of the comments here are so fruity tuty annoying.
I just scroll to some random part of the post and find something dumb...
"I think thisis a great thing. if there were more pictures like this on devart it would be a true blessing to the community. so thanks for sharing this one and congrats on the DD!"
Yeah! It's blessing because you'll feel like you're doing good for this community, except we'd just be exploiting our own feelings of pretending to care. Only about 2% of the people who read this post will go out and do something about it.
"Many people die every day, the Earths ozone is being depleted by pollution we put into the air, oil spills and deforestation kill thousands of animals, large numbers of people are homeless in the United States, people are murdered, people are raped, people kill animals, people have no food, people have no families, people have no one. These things are all happening every day and I dont deny them, but I dont make my own life drag to feel sorry for them. I have enough problems of my own. This piece has a well placed, yet all too well-known message for me. You want to see pure depression melancholic sadness on a daily basis? You dont have to go to another country. Just watch the news"
A lot of text... and the point? Nothing.
" [I] cannot even begin to express , the beauty that comes from this photo
you have managed to capture a sight that the world tries to hide behind car commercials and fast food restaraunts (if that makes sense)
this is the world that nobody allows you to see
because it never effects you personally
i truely stunning piece
after seeing it.. it really nmakes me want to sponser a child.
such beautiful work."
Yes the world that car commericials and fast food resturaunts try to hide... um... why is that relevant? If people were trying to hide the world of truth, why the hell do you know about it?
Yes this is the world nobody allows you see, because T.V. and newspapers are the only source of this material. Oh wait, you could also travel there (i.e. combodia) and experiance it first hand.
(Of course that is a bad idea, which is besides my point)
Instead you make yourself feel better about yourself by sulking for 2 minutes over a photo because you think it helps you comptemplate what other people's suffering is like, rather than just accepting you will never go and help a person in a 3rd world country, personally, ever.
And I'm just ranting, because certain types of people piss me off... sorry. (btw if I picked out your post, don't feel special, I just grabbed it at random, I didn't choose you or anything)
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the truth never hides and this picture explains all.
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