The Romanian Way (13) on Flickr

John H. Skaggs: Walking Tree Photography [deleted] says:

That's about the age I started smoking ... wish I never had
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

RO-BOT [deleted] says:

So Flippin Awesome
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

TheTravelinMan says:

Light em if you got em...
Posted 22 months ago. ( permalink )

javierdelarosa1988 says:

Hola, soy el administrador de un grupo llamado Proyectos Kid y nos encantaría agregar tu foto al grupo.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

It's quite a strong image. I don't think it's promoting cigarette, on the contrary.
I read a lot of the comments in the discussion and argument about it, and thought one particular person was being quite arrogant about it, actually whining about people who try to discuss strange actions taken buy yahoo. I guess they want to make sure it doesn't show at the front page of the site, but I agree with many people : they should have first warned you and ask you to remove the public setting.
It's actually good publicity for you, and I'm glad you have a copy of that striking image.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

oldboy08 says:

Ya same here John Skaggs
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

My Name Is Marcel says:

Ben 3 jaar cleam maar nu heb ik zin in een peuk!
Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )

hvala23 says:

This is a great photo, and I don't believe it promotes smoking. Kids all over the world smoke. It is interesting that you got a picture of one. In Russia, boys this age smoke and drink beer. If I took a picture of them doing such; I would not be promoting smoking, or drinking.
Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )

annnnnnd r e a * says:

I love how people look when they are smoking, but I dont even smoke myself... it's something weird.
But your picture is great, and i agree with hvala23, i dont believe it promotes smoking at all.
Posted 19 months ago. ( permalink )

mikebaird says:

I found this photo from a related news article about your troubles w/ Yahoo Flickr and having this photo removed due to TOS.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

patoadam says:

Great photo. I looked for it after reading the news article mikebaird mentions above.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

afu007(Back in Malaysia) says:

great story
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

rchrdcnnnghm says:

I saw the article where this picture is written about. Great Picture.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Judithart says:

Also in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA, they know your name by now. One thing I don't understand, why deleting your picture of a smoking kid? Type 'Smoking kid" in the search and you have 6.000 pictures of smoking kids on Flickr.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

mariusparaschiv_12 says:

This photo represents just another form of propaganda against the new states in the EU (Romania and Bulgaria). There may be many reasons for this: one could be that all the older members just want us to be a market in which they can sell goods, but not an active participant in the EU economy. Nobody wants to give his part of the cake to a new comer now do they? The second reason mite be the level of nationalism and maybe xenophobia that we can find in countries we consider evolved today (aka Italy)... It is so sad that after all we have suffered from 2 world wars and a dictatorial regime that lasted about 50 years, we still haven't learned anything. The third reason would be simple media mockery. It is "fun" to mock a country that is not as economically advanced as the one you live in... There can be many reasons, but the idea that this kind of news propagates about Romania is not only fake, but it is an insult to 22 mil people.
If you think this is how Romanian people live, come to Romania, stay here for 5-6 years, then talk... I'm 20 now, and i understand that my country still has a lot to learn, but to say that Romania's children live in poverty and start smoking, and begging and stuff like this is a clear form of denigration. In every society there are poor people and there are rich people and there are middle class people. Same here, and the percentage of poor people is not way higher than in many so called "evolved" countries... I've traveled to the US, France, Italy, Germany and the UK, and frankly I like my country more....so spare me with your pathetic photos taken who knows where, claiming to tell "the truth" about Romania....
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

@marius: Here we go again ..... I've travelled trough Romania many, many times and I love that country. If it was possible for me (and your winters weren't that cold) I would love to stay there forever!
Your statement that there is as much poverty in Romania as in other European country just isn't true, but ofcourse I don't know in wich part of Romania you are, must be the happy, rich part.
What I photographed is very normal for that part of Romania and I see it every time I am there. Ofcourse there are some brand new BMW's, shiny mobile phones and Bjorn Borg clothing, but why would I want to photograph that?
My Romania photos are not manipulated, so it has to be the truth.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

eazy says:

@marius: Somebody (Maarten) takes a great picture of a smoking street kid, and that's a conspiracy against Romania? You have to be kidding, that's blatant paranoia.

@Maarten: Vanwaar deze hernieuwde aandacht? Ik zie het overal verschijnen. (TC/tub, DAG, NRC...etc)
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

nickel.media says:

This article is also printed on the front page of CNN.com

Hopefully you get even more views and more discussion. What a great avenue for exposure to your work!

Well deserved.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

@eazy: De hernieuwde aandacht komt omdat Associated Press het verhaal heeft opgepikt en er een artikel over geschreven heeft. De DAG heb ik helaas nog niet gezien. Ben zelf wel erg blij met de twee pagina's in NRC Next.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

eazy says:

Boekarest, Roemenië Yahoo haalde deze foto van een straatjongetje direct van de fotosite Flickr, omdat het roken zou stimuleren.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

smackgirl79 says:

I just read a full page article in my hometown newspaper, in Nacogdoches, Texas about the picture and I wanted to check it out. I understand why it had gotten deleted, but I also understand why it was taken in the first place.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

claudiuvpopa says:

Maartens, I pretty much agree with your point, there is poverty anywhere so you could snapshot it. But it seems that you were out of inspiration titling it "The Romanian Way". I agree with the smoking at young ages, but I totally disagree with you in using this problem (worldwide, btw) to a region or a local matter.

It's like shooting paparazzi style! It's no honor to a paparazzi!
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

mariusparaschiv_12 says:

@ mikelens - this has nothing to do with smoking...

@ Maarten Dors : "I don't know in wich part of Romania you are, must be the happy, rich part." - There is no happy rich part. We don't put poor people in ghettos like i saw in the US....
"What I photographed is very normal for that part of Romania and I see it every time I am there. Ofcourse there are some brand new BMW's, shiny mobile phones and Bjorn Borg clothing, but why would I want to photograph that?" - I'm not saying "go to the best looking part and take pictures" but showing a kid smoking, and saying it's the "Romanian way" is pretty simplistic. Most people will think that this is all that Romania stands for...
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

ssmith619 says:

@Marius:

Daca nu poti sa acceptezi faptul ca in tara noastra sunt mai multi tanari care ca asta fumeaza decat in alte tari din Europe (si din toata lume), asta-i problema ta. Dar te rog frumos, don't make us all sound like defensive assholes who can't see the faults of our own country.

But also, to you, Maarten, I was only in Romania for about a year, and granted I didn't stay for long in the shitty parts (villages, Rahova, etc.), but I only once saw someone who was clearly under the age of 16 smoking...it's not exactly "the Romanian way."
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

ssmith619 says:

"We don't put poor people in ghettos like i saw in the US.... "

Da, ca-n tara noastra nu exista tabare de tigani...
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Yolande... says:

Heel mooi oogcontact.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

eazy says:

The photo is nr 13 in a photoset called The Romanian Way, which shows an array of pictures from life in Romania.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

@marius: I believe that people are smart enough NOT to think that every kid smokes in Romania just because I posted one photo of a Romanian child smoking. I am very sorry to hear that you think people are really that dumb!
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Liana_16 says:

You're such an ignorant person just like every other racist West European! I am Romanian and you offend me! Romania isn't just about smoking and poverty! Romania is all about the culture, society! Yeah, poverty exists, but only in remote areas!My country is not a 3rd world country! My country is as good as any other in Europe!
So yeah, don't you dare say that this is the Romanian way, when you're ignorant, racist and have no idea of how Romania is truly like! I was born and raised there for 13 years and Romania is my favourite place. I only left because my parents got accepted in universities in California, otherwise, I would have still lived there in my favourite place of all, Bucharest(aka the capital).
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

Last time for me to react on Romanian people calling me ignoarant, so if you are planning to call me that ... please read this comment first!

Before you call me ignorant (or worse) please make sure you've seen all 28 photos in my serie The Romania Way and please tell me if I really only show the sad side of Romania. I honestly believe that there are some beautiful photos in this serie wich show the most beautiful things (people, sunlight, waterfun etc) of Romania. And once again I apologize for not shooting any BMW's, new huge shiny buildings and young people walking around like there some superstar!
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

concreationist says:

Congratulations on making the first page of Slashdot! Your view count will surely go through the roof...

Sorry to hear Flickr pulled your image. Companies should respect artists' right to express ourselves.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

@concreationist: Woeha, Slashdot! Now I'm officially 'news for nerds' :)
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

laurentziu says:

Hello, Maarten
I found out about this photo from the local press
I'm from Romania too, but I think that's too much noise for nothing.
It's not about the photo, that in my opinion is excellent
It's about the title "the Romanian way"
You should put yourself my place to understand why some people react like that
If you visited Romania, maybe you noticed that most of Romanian are nice decent people, well educated, with respect for the law and for the other people. And that's the way I'd describe myself.
I traveled a lot abroad and not only once I've been treated not so well, just because I was a romanian. And that hurts.
So please understand us and just think twice before putting the label romanian on a photo with such a message.

Thank you and best regards
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

@laurentziu:
Thank you for your comment. I totally understand you.
I've travelled to Romania for every year since 2000 and I totally love the country. It is so widely with nice town, very kind people. Love the language and music. But what I photographed is what I saw and see every year, can't blame me for photographing it.
The title fits the serie perfectly and I wouldn't change it. For example: if you would come to the Netherlands and shot a 28 photo serie about what you saw in Amsterdam and there were photos in that serie of people smoking weed, visiting a whore and other ' typical Dutch' things and you would call it ' The Dutch Way', I wouldn't be bothered at all. I know it's there, but I know people are smart enough to know that there is more to do in the Netherlands then weed and whores.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

imarsman says:

Things have changed in Canada too, but in living memory my Dutch immigrant parents' generation were allowed by their parents to smoke - but only if they bought the cigarettes themselves. Would this have been deleted when Flickr was in Vancouver? Perhaps if it grew big on its own and felt the need to protect us.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Mulling it Over says:

Romania doesn't have the market cornered on kids smoking. I was lighting up when I was this kid's age, in the good ol' American midwest. Yee haw.

Dude, flickr is lame for deleting this picture btw. Stupid cogs.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

steveparkinson says:

This picture reminds me of River Phoenix in Stand By Me.

This pic, in fact:

Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

jb68321 says:

I saw a kid this young smoking on a train platform in Luzern, Switzerland a few weeks ago. Of course it's not just poverty that leads to smoking... it's the nearby culture that does!
Bravo for the picture--brings up a valid problem in many societies.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

trimbulindu says:

yo maarten! dude, chill! its a great photo describing real reality and u should be proud of it. i got a nice feeling when you said you admire romania. thats good! i admire holland too. especially for your football team. as for the dumbheads criticizing you, including romanians: this is not about how or what we are, this is about respecting the other for what he thinks. offtopic: the kid looks like robben in his childhood, dont you think?
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Kraft Zone says:

Hi Marteen!
I'm romanian! You must understand us! About Romania all this years appeared only negative news!
Ok! A kid smoke! Is bad, of course, but you can find such situation all over the world! It's not "romanian way"! I think the problem is on the title!
That' all!
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Moosehp says:

I seen the whole album, I consider it a great set of photos.

Lots of the comments here remind me of the 3 blind men and the elephant story, as everyone is saying how this photos may or may not reflect what they seen about Romania.

Photos capture only a tiny faction of reality, they are allways partial, but they fulfill their job to replect not only an image, but a feeling reflected in them.

@Maarten Dors: Congratulations, this is indeed an awesome set of photos.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

idjordash47 says:

I have seen the entire album and all it says relates to poverty. For another face of Bucharest see picasaweb.google.hu/g.paripa/Bukarest_2008jNi us?authkey=1...
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Cliodne says:

I'm so sick and tired of all you people coming here to romania with you "civilised" way of thinking. All you do is take pictures of gypsies or some anomalies and say "Look at these poor people, they have nothing to eat, they are savage and they live on the streets". Don;t tell me that in other countries there aren't poor citizens, homeless people or children that smoke! If you claimed something like that, meant that you are nothing but a hypocrite
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

ionutz_stoicaa says:

Good PICTURE, bad TITLE.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

meellus24 says:

Hi Marteen!
Unfortunately Romania is poorer country than most of other european countrys....one of the reason is that we didn' conquer or been pirates like GB Holland France or other countries.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

songbits says:

Very powerful, very beautiful. I was always surprised by the amount of smoking that goes on in Europe.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Shiratski says:

Strong image, classic shot.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

ttohono says:

Powerful? Yeah right. Just another dipshit with a cigarette in his mouth.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Escapista says:

, forget about all that blattering, you did a GREAT job, this picture and the whole serie is great!

btw, love the way flickr is treating it...
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

schoschie says:

It's a good photo, smoking or not.

The Romanians commenting here, although I understand them, are not exactly underlining what they are saying about Romania (which I'm sure is true) by reacting as piqued as they do.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

maddy_ro_00 says:

mariusparaschiv_12: please man take a chill pill. i am Romanian too and i`m not offended by a smoking kid. if you are worried about Romania`s image abroad then instead of posting 100 comments on flikr and annoying people, just be civilized when you travel abroad so you can prove to people not all Romanians are gypsies and thieves. there you go, problem solved.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

ramonaflavia says:

Nice pictures and albums! But I have a question for you: Why are most of the pictures with boys? You know that, statistically speaking in Romania there are more girls than boys? Maybe your next album will be called the Flemish Way .......
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

dominikkustra says:

Hola, soy el administrador de un grupo llamado CHILDREN END PEOPLE OF THE WORLD y nos encantaría agregar esto al grupo.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

sumalan_ioan2000 says:

... Si pana la urma nu a fost cenzurata .

Hello admin
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

wimpers says:

24000 views !
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

Jenny! says:

Prachtige portretten in je Roemenie set.....zo ook deze! En ja, ik kwam hier ook terecht door een artikel in De Pers dat ik vanochtend in de trein las :-)
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

Spaceman Spiff, intergalactic explorer! says:

@ionutz_stoicaa - The title of the pic is "13."

"The Romanian Way" is the title of the album, not the pic.
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

You're crazy! says:

Very Excellent!!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

James293 says:

i smoke all the time does me no harm
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Natalia S. Photography [deleted] says:

Shi yo ved pe copil en Romania che fumaze? did i write it right? this photo is soo pretty!! your an amazing photographer. i was wondering if maybe you can give me some feedback on my photos? thanks soo much!! :D Amazing shot
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

Claudiu Balaceanu Photography says:

Mate, the title is wrong. It's not 'THE ROMANIAN WAY'. Not all the Romanians do so. And if you say that, you're a bit of an asshole. Hopefully, you're not.
I live now in England and I see lots of kids at this age, smoking, drinking, taking drugs, and I see no difference between the English and Romanian people at this age.
It's a matter of choice mate! Choice! I started smoking when I was 9. No kidding. And I smoked for 2 years, and then quit it.

You know what, you have the freedom to say whatsoever you want about Romanians or any other nation everywhere around the world, if you don't do it as a discrimination. Otherwise, you're a racist and racist people are like a disease to the society.

Respect bro, respect ! That's a virtue!
All the best !

Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

Spaceman Spiff, intergalactic explorer! says:

Claudiu B - The title of the pic is not "The Romanian Way." That's the title of the ALBUM (the set). The title of the pic is "13."
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

Claudiu Balaceanu Photography says:

Thank you Spaceman. However, to be more precise, the title of the picture is: 'The Romanian Way (13)'. And the set is called 'The Romanian Way'.
Yet, I don't see why stumble in that !?
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

Twist and Shout Photography [deleted] says:

oh man, not worth it! they are so bad for you! I started at that age, one of my biggest regrets
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

thatindiangurl(taking a break) says:

What does smoking have to do with poverty? *confused face* they are so expensive one would think that poverty would give them a reason not to smoke.

If I seen one of my kids with a cigarette in his mouth I would make him eat it for sure! However, you did do a great job photographing this picture.
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Tomitheos says:

great shot!

I'm an admin for a group called Spectacular Elite (POST 1/ COMMENT 1), and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

jjsearcher2000 - Away and only limited internet ac says:

An interesting debate, this photo could have been taken almost anywhere, the title implies something but for me it does not create any stereotypes because I know this is just youth experimenting and sometimes they quit and sometimes they don't
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

punkrooster says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Punk Rock Kids, and we'd love to have this added to the group! Please feel free to join it as well :)
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

alexiu_escaeram says:

Marten Doors let me tell you ask you something: Who are you to decide if that is "the Romanian way"? I can assure you that it is not, we are educated and brilliant people who can compete everywhere in the world on every different area. The way you think it is poor and very limited. A young child smoking it is a common think nowadays all around the world it can be “The XXXXXXXXXXX way”
You don’t know us and what you did was just a try to get some credit out of some images throwing with hate and ignorance towards people. Maybe this is THE WAY YOU LIVE so better revise your inner world before acting like a hypocrite or maybe you are! Also because your brain it is waste and has no vision at all you try to get in the world of the good photographers. My advices…. FORGET get an average job PHOTOGRAPHY it is only for artists.
By the way which country are you from?
I plan for next year a Euro Trip on the roads for two months and I would like to see your city. Definitely I will shoot with Canon Mark III your place and show to the world your church, your street, your flowers, and most probably I will not be so stupid to show off with your weakness points and name it too.
Every one of us has thinks to fix and we Romanians work on that I know we do have some difficulties but everywhere in the world are poor, middle class and rich people.
And probably you’ve never been all the way through what the half of Europe has gone for half of century? Did you learn history, did your family teaches you tolerance……..this is the European Union base. Open your mind it is much closed!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Claudiu Balaceanu Photography says:

Chill out Alexiu ! Chill out man !
Marteen, take a look at what I found today, with a kid in Izmir, Turkey smoking. It's a really good picture.
www.flickr.com/photos/mak-photography/2697377 902
He seems to be really young.
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

@Claudiu: Thanks for the link, it's a great photo. Don't know if he is smoking a real cigaret though.
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

jessica may, says:

niceee
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

rombaer says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Smoking Kids, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

peterblaisephotography says:

.

Actually, this is about the age that I STOPPED smoking -- because everyone else around me my age who was also smoking looked so stupid!

I smoked from much, much younger, thinking I was breaking free from my conservative family ... though my father smoked. Funny how "do as we say, not as we do" seems the rule!

When my older brother was 18, my dad told him to stop smoking. My brother said, "Fine ... when YOU do." My dad went into the next room and thought quietly for a good long while. Finally, he stood up, crushed his pack of cigarettes and tossed them, never to smoke again. It's been at least 40 years since. It probably saved my dad's life, not smoking for 40+ years now. My brother still is addicted, the fool.

I'd like to "erase" all the cigarettes from old movies and TV shows, but then we'd loose the truth in our "historical documents".

Thanks for the truth in this picture -- that the cigarette plantations are still getting their slaves one way or another ... and killing them one way or another.

.
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

Planeta Upi says:

Genial!
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

1stMarco says:

wtf? the romanian way?? it's like taking a picture of an mosque in UK and saying The English way, just because the mosque it;s in england but it doesn't show at all the english way of being religious, for example,
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

@1stMarco: Please read my comments above about the title.
Btw, you have a so much to say, but why don't you have any photo yourself to show.
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

quarkon says:

hey, dude, probably you wanted some publicity and you got it. but a great photographer you are NOT. To call "Romanian way" a picture with kid who smokes, shows only how, yes, ignorant you are. And yes, I saw your other photos in the album called "Romanian way" but, they are all miserable. Is that how we are, miserable ?
Am i miserable to you or we here only exist to entertain opportunists like you and many others who present only the junk of this country, everywhere? Like we are all a bunch of retards and a retard society, starting with us and our parents, our kids and everything. Do you even know some elementary things about this country ? Do you know our history, our religion, our place on the map and problems that pressured this lands since forever ?
Ah, but you couldn't bother to read about it, didn't you ? You just speculated some problems and made a classic album in which again, is showed how low and lame we all are here in Romania. You should be ashamed of yourself and probably you should find a proper job, other than insulting people that you don't know. People like you are the big problems of human society, not that kid who smokes. He is only a kid and instead of telling him to quit smoke, you made a photo and called it in a way, for anybody to clearly understand that we are all retards here. Your "album" is denigrating and showing only bad images about us. You just showed bad situations that happen everywhere in the world and called it Romanian way.
Our way and value is far from you and your level of understanding. Problems we have all and probably if you go in USA, for example and any other country you'll find misery, if you know where to search for it. But to go in USA and take pictures of some black poor people, homeless and drug addicts then call it "American way" ....how would that be ?
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

Okay, just because you made an effort to write such a long complaint I will try to explain it one more time (hm, didn't I say that before).
You wrote that you saw the whole serie and that they were all negative about Romania. I think you saw another serie, but not mine. Because when I have a look at my own serie, I see a beautiful horse riding in the sun, older people enjoying theri day in the park, a great market, children having fun in and at the pool, boys playing football and one of the most beautiful aquariums I've ever seen! How can all that be negative and miserable?

You ask how it would be if someone took photo's of homeless people in the States. I don't know, I don't live in the States.

But I compared your situation to the Dutch one so many times before. Millions of tourist come here every year and only take photo's of the red light district, the coffeeshops and junkies on the streets of Amsterdam. Do I mind? Ofcourse not, please take photo's of the things you won't see at home and share them with whoever wants to see them.

You wrote that I probably don't know a thing about Romanian culture, religion and history. I have been coming to Romania for ten years know, read a lot of books, seen multiple films and have lots of friends there. I worked at a Romanian 'Casa de copii' a long time ago. You ever done volunteer work to help a foreign country? Or even you own to start with? Or are you the i-only-have-critic kind of person?
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

punkrooster says:

WOW. everyone needs to chill out. its a great picture so what if the set is titled "the romanian way" its a bunch of pictures of life in Romania, thats all the title implies. jesus people, calm down!
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

schoschie says:

Indeed. Been watching this thread for a while now and it's partly entertaining, partly sad. Congratulations to you, Maarten, for keeping your patience and replying the way you do to these types of comments.

I'm wondering what says more about the perception of Romania: your photo, which is superficially (and falsely) regarded as an insult to Romania and its people, because it shows a young boy smoking and is titled »The Romanian Way«, apparently implying that Romania is a rotten place where young kids smoke (as if that wasn't a problem in every other country!); – or the fact that quite a few (apparent) Romanians who have posted here have seen the photo, made a couple of quick and false assumptions and used it as a reason to vent their anger and frustration (wherever it may come from)?

This makes me think that only if you've been hurt a lot before do you react in this way, which is a shame.
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

franzliv says:

that is the age i started to smoke too... very bad, i still smoke since then...
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

quarkon says:

well Maarten, if you like to see only the garbage in a country and say that all aroun sis the same, you have some issues of perspective. Romania is different from zone to zone and the south part looks like that, but to extend and say that all is Romanian way is to much.
If you live in a garbage, then yes the garbage is your world, but not all the world is a garbage. Understand ? And i'm not overdefensive, I just say that people like you are just artist wannabes and present something, only from their view. You are no painter, so when presenting something which by nature is objective, present it in an objective way, otherwise you look like an ignorant narrow minded dude. You understand what I say ?
Now just make a trip to USA, picture some misery and call it American way, then expect to be respected. Are you that low ?
Did you visited all Romania, or you just afford to live in the cheap and poorer areas ? Cause I guess you have a problem.
I don't say Romania has no issues, cause we have many, but we are not that dirty and low as you picture there. Misery is everywhere, is not like all ended up here.
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

I'm an artist wanabe, yeah!

I don't think I am the one with a problem. Just because a lot of Romanian people comment about how neagtive my photos from Romania are I counted the 'negative' (streetkids, old broken houses, garbage etc) and 'positive' (football, swimming, park, zoo etc.) photos in this serie. And guess what ...

Negative: 9
Positive: 21

So, maybe it is just you who has a negative feeling about your own country? And instead of commenting about photo's on the internet, get active and help your country by voluntering. I do know there is still a lot of work to do to make your country even more beautiful then it already is. Go and help the Rroma people who are still being rejected everywhere or help the children who have to life on the streets or the children who have HIV or the elderly people who can't go anywhere or ...
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

quarkon says:

You don't know anything about roma people and what they do or not. They need helped and what, we are blamed cause they are thieves and criminals of all kind ?
Well just repeat all the same crap all "Europeans" repeat about that matters and hope you'll solve something. We tried a lot, but guess what. Why don't you go to Africa and try to help poor people there ?...... but well, another question.. why they don't help themselves ?
Why the gipsies here don't send their kids to school, instead handicapating them, to send them on the streets and beg ? Or training them to steal ? School is free in Romania, till college. What about that ? What if tomorrow we take them all and put them in prison, keep the kids and educate them... well, same smarties like you will tell that we are racist and all kind of shit like that. You people, are experts in commenting on problems which YOU NEVER HAD AND ARE NOT CAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING. OK, understand that ?
The gipsy problem is much beyond you, just live 10-20 years in Romania and you'll understand why.
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

Why is the conversation suddenly turning into a Rroma discussion? This photo is not about that, it doesn't even show a Rroma boy! Please go to my Rroma serie here on Flickr and comment there.
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

.AnaRita. says:

This is one of my favorite photos. It's an inspiration!

Great message!

Thanks!
AnaRita*
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Dave Emerson says:

A couple of generations ago, cigarettes were advertised as "good for your health." Now we are so into the "nanny state" that an artist is vilified just for depicting the act. And somehow the "unspeakable horror" displayed in a picture of a person doing an ordinary thing that just happens to be "liberal" society's pet whipping boy is turned into a tirade about denigrating another's country.

Romania isn't the only country where children smoke. The good ol' U.S.A. is full of them too (as I'm sure every country is)... in spite of the fact that it is illegal. That just goes to show how effective it is to outlaw a substance for one group that is legal and easily obtainable for another.

The entire tobacco controversy really gets my goat! It started out with banning TV ads, then magazines, then separate smoking areas in restaurants, then no smoking at all in public- go outside to smoke, then no smoking on sidewalks, no smoking at work, no smoking in one's own car, tax cigarettes to oblivion... It is the perfect example of incrementalism (the "slippery slope") that liberals SWEAR can never happen as they relentlessly jam their clap-trap totalitarian agendas down our throats by every underhanded and back-door tactic they can muster.

You anti-smoking people: Why don't you just quit beating around the bush and BAN tobacco? Then it can be supplied by the illegal street people like marijuana and heroin.

What difference would it make anyway?

As it is, one can't use the LEGAL product except if one secretes hisherself in a remote, uncharted cave. Might as well take it all the way underground and let organised crime take the big profits instead of the big evil tobacco companies!

OBTW- I don't smoke. Never have. I just happen to believe people have a right to determine their own destinies without do-gooders telling them how much they are so tremendously qualified to live others' lives for them.

"He can't even run his own life, I'll be damned if he'll run mine" -'Sunshine' by Johnathan Edwards

You do-gooders, put that in your pipe and SMOKE IT! :-P

(OBTW - your Romanian way set is very nice. Nothing negative about it AFAIC)
--
Seen in your 50 Most Interesting set. (?)
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

raluca says:

Searching for "Birlad" I found your photo. A Duch man taking photos in Romania and being both crticised and admired.
There is a trend now with kid deliquency in art. I have seen it in the short film international festivals (have you seen "O zi buna de plaja =A good day for a swim?" took the Golden bear in Berlin). This year at Next festival I talked with a German guy who made a film about two kids. And there is Slumdog Millionaire...
When will you come to Romania next?
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

Maarten Dors says:

@raluca: Thanks for your comment. Haven't seen that Romanian film, but am very curious about it. The story sounds interesting. But couldn't find it here in the Netherlands (yet).
I was planning on coming this summer (again), but I might have to change some plans and maybe I will be there in fall. At least I hope.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

annawentz says:

when i first saw this photo, the movie Stand By Me popped into my head.
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

A beginner trying to learn how to click says:

I Agree to Ionutz_stoica ..... Title is not correct.... no doubt a very good pic this is...... but the title shudnt defame a country..... children smoking is a problem of the entire world.....

To sum it all... good click wrong title......
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

alexutu says:

tsja...
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

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The Romanian Way (13)

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