The Photograph shown below called “Island of Gods – Bali,” was taken by the photographer Malin Fezihai. The photograph depicts a shirtless man and an almost shirtless woman with braided hair embracing in the dark lush green beauty of a tropical garden in Bali Indonesia. Marlin describes the couple depicted in the photograph as friends of hers. However, a more important detail that she revealed was the fact that she was the one who braided both of their hairstyles. In her post dated October 5, 2020 she describes her posting of the picture as part of her journey into her past. As a 17 year old girl, she used hair braiding to earn money for a plane ticket to New York and there began studying photography. When looking at the photograph, it has a pure sensual beauty about it – “A sort of Adam and Eve Effect.” There is the look of magnetism that emanates from her eyes and pulls you in to the photograph as if to say, “come into my garden.” The photograph’s visual effectiveness comes from her use of several elements to frame and effective photograph.
Firstly, her use of contrast to create a distinction between the beautiful brown skin and the dark lush green vegetation is extremely effective, creating a distinct foreground and background. The more pronounced areas of lighting fall on Chantal who is the female subject in the photo. The light on her face creates the perfect contrast with her piercing dark eyes. Secondly, their platted braids form patterns that interrupt the color texture of their skin. Thirdly, the braids form leading lines down the back of Teisbe, (the man in the photo) naturally following the muscles in his back. To conclude, what ultimately ties all of the elements together is the way the lighting causes the eyes to move throughout the photograph. Firstly, your eyes start looking at her eyes, follows her shoulder downward, then up towards her hand resting on his shoulder, then follows the leading lines of his braids downwards to the green tattoos on his left arm which merge seamlessly into the dark green vegetation behind them. The eyes and then re-emerge on his right arm wrapped around her waist working its way up their shoulders again. This is the kind of photograph that makes you look at it repeatedly. It almost makes you want to be them in that timeless moment embracing each other. No wonder she named the photo “Island of Gods – Bali,”
“Island of Gods – Bali,” By Malin Fezihai
It’s a gorgeous shot. Thanks for doing the research on it. I did not know any of the back story.
As you state the contrast of light and dark and color that isolate the couple from the background is really effective. The woman’s direct look out of the couple towards the camera is powerful and engaging.