Have you ever come across a street scene and wondered what’s going on? What’s the story here? Join me for a journey back in time, to such a scene taking place on a Saigon street in 1966.
Click to enlarge
A young boy seems to be the center of attraction here. At first I thought this might be some kind of street transaction and maybe it was — we’ll never know. A confrontation? Does the boy have his arm behind his back? In his pocket? Or is that arm all there? The image is a scan from a small snapshot (I must have lost the negative) so there’s not enough resolution to know for sure.
Everyone (except one of the girls on the left) has zeroed in on the action here — a moment frozen forever in time. Young girls in fancy dresses, street vendors squatting by the curb…each one of these others has a story to tell. We can only reflect and imagine.
The Aware Writer 
The girls in the fancy dresses throw me for a loop. Otherwise a street scene where a boy seems to be getting a dressing down from the guy in the darker clothes. Love the two food vendors going about their business but with some curiosity as to the goings on among the men and the boys. Nifty stuff.
The very first thing I focused in on were the little girls in their pretty dresses. Then I noticed the little boy…I, too, wonder what his hand is doing behind his back. I love the way you give us a photograph and then let us put our own story to it. Your shots are awesome and your accompanying thoughts add so much.
The photo does make your mind ponder, which is why we take them, correct? Neat shot.
I first noticed the well dressed little girls because they somehow looked out of place. Then the little boy with his hand behind his back and the fact he looked as though he was being questioned by the guy in front of him. Then all the street people and vendors! It’s a totally fascinating capture and does give us a wonderful opportunity to do a little different kind of “reflecting”. Terrific, intriguing, fascinating as are all of your captures and I do so look forward to them each week! Thanks!! Have a wonderful weekend!
Sylvia
Great one!
Happy weekend.
As I sometimes say, this is the kind of shot that would be perfect for a writing class: imagine what’s going on?..I see many tales here. There’s a bar behind: did the boy try to enter when he was too young to be allowed?..As you say, who knows?…
Wonderful street shot. There sure is lots going on here and the nice thing is that we can all come to our own conclusions.
I like the way the girls in the dresses seem out of place.
And there are some subtle reflections as well.
I LOVE this! The more you look, the more you see and less you understand. There are so many questions to ask…
So much to see, and so many questions, but it’s the two girls who stand out. They seem to have dropped from a different story.
The two girls on the left steal the composition. A rich image.
Thanks John
Excellent photos and a great visual record I enjoyed this trip back in time.
Very valuable photo that can tell many stories 🙂
A rich image that speaks straight to my heart and make me want to travel to be able to capture the world.
Have a nice weekend, John!
Could the boy be a thief? and the man in dark clothes be a policeman. Girls in that era wear that kind of clothes. Right up my alley in Borneo.
belle photo de rue en b&w
Publicity ;o) Every Friday (and the Weekend), The Challenge “Walk In The Street Photography”