Boys behind the Curtains by Lavi Dhurve

Captured just two days after the vibrant Holi festival, this candid moment reveals the quiet, playful innocence of childhood. While others were occupied with conversation, the photographer turned her lens toward children interacting with curtains, transforming a simple domestic scene into a compelling narrative. The image succeeds through its spontaneous composition and the soft, natural light that highlights the children's curiosity. By focusing on the interplay of shadow and form behind the fabric, the photographer elevates an everyday interaction into an award-worthy study of childhood wonder and fleeting, unscripted human connection.

Boys behind the Curtains by Lavi Dhurve
Xiaomi MiA1 | Exposure 1/50sec @ f/2.6 | ISO 400 | Focal Length 5.99mm
Copyright Β© Lavi Dhurve
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Lavi Dhurve

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Hailing from a small village in Madhya Pradesh, the β€˜Heart of India,’ Lavi Dhurve finds profound inspiration in the simplicity of rural life. Her photographic practice is deeply rooted in a love for art, culture, and the natural world, with a particular focus on capturing the authentic spirit of children and local people. Currently based in Indore, she strives to document the inherent beauty of her surroundings, from the quiet moments of daily life to the dramatic shifts of sunrise and sunset.

Profile View Full Profile
11.8/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
154/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
7,158 views | 6 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date November 14, 2019
67.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 18.0
Style 13.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Bhogaikhapa, India

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Black & White Photography
Lavi Dhurve Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (11.5/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,015/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
7,158/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
1.5/5 points
154/500 Submission
Jury Score: 67.0/80
Resonance Score: 11.5/20
Total Award Score: 78.5/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 6

Isabelle Fontenay Colour Harmony, Tone & Atmospheric Light Expert Review
Stripped of the Holi festival’s chromatic riot, these boys emerge from the fabric like figures in a Morandi still life, where the absence of hue forces one to confront the velvet weight of shadow. It’s a monochromatic ache, really; I’m breathless at how the light clings to the curtain’s weave, turning a simple domestic concealment into a study of silver-grey silence that feels more resonant than any saturated pigment I’ve encountered this year.
Rafael Ortega Shutter Technique, Motion & the Cinematic Single Frame Expert Review
The frame holds its breath. It’s a quiet, stolen sequence behind the fabric, where the light bleeds through the weave like a soft focus lens. I love the way they’re caught in that suspended animation, caught between a game and a secret. It’s the shot the editor keeps, the one that defines the scene. The cut would’ve been a mistake. You don’t move here; you just watch the rhythm of their curiosity unfold in the shadows.
Eleanor Voss Composition & Visual Structure Expert Review
The curtain’s vertical fold creates a rigid fulcrum, dividing the frame into unequal masses of shadow and light. It’s a disciplined geometry. The children’s silhouettes press against the fabric, establishing a necessary spatial tension that prevents the scene from collapsing into mere sentiment. I’m genuinely unsettled by how the negative space dictates the gaze. It doesn't rely on the subject's innocence. The structure holds, and that’s why it works. It’s a rare, precise arrangement of form.
Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
It’s easy to snap a shutter when the Holi festivities die down, but catching this particular geometry of light through the fabric requires a stillness most lack. One suspects Lavi didn't just stumble upon these boys; she waited until the chaos subsided and the curtains became a stage. I’ve spent enough hours shivering in damp hides to recognize the patience here. It’s a quiet, earned moment. I find myself wishing I’d been the one behind the lens.
Nadia Osei Cultural Representation, Authenticity & the Ethics of the Gaze Expert Review
Curtains shouldn't just be props for our aesthetic pleasure. When I look at these boys, I feel a sharp, uncomfortable prick of intrusion. Why are they hidden behind this fabric, and who decided their play was a study in innocence? It’s a pretty composition, sure, but it feels like we’re stealing a moment that doesn't belong to us. Does the camera turn these children into objects of curiosity, or are we actually seeing them?
Kofi Asante Intimate Portraiture, Reportage & Lives Told Truthfully Expert Review
These boys aren’t performing for a lens; they’re hiding in their own world. That’s the magic here. Lavi didn’t force a pose, she just waited for the curtain to become a veil between us and their secret game. I look at those eyes peeking through the fabric and I’m right back in my own childhood. It’s a rare, quiet gift. They’ve let us in, and that trust makes the whole frame breathe with life.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Marta Vidal

The Fabric of Secrets

I keep a small, frayed scrap of blue velvet in my desk drawer, a remnant from a dress my grandmother wore when I was barely tall enough to reach her waist. It is worn thin at the edges, the color muted by decades of sunlight and touch.

Read the reflection →
By Margaret Holt

The Architecture of Hiding

There is a peculiar geometry to the way children occupy a room. They do not merely inhabit space; they negotiate with it, turning the mundane architecture of a home into a theater of secrets.

Read the reflection →

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