Who’s Carrying Who?

When I spotted the man hauling this enormous red buoy, I didn’t hesitate. The irony was irresistible—a question of balance, effort, absurdity, and metaphor all in one frame. The netted lines clinging to his shoulders mirrored the posture of a beast of burden, and yet the visual punchline lands clearly: who’s really pulling whom?

I shot from above, not just for vantage but to strip away all unnecessary background clutter. By doing so, I let the geometry speak. The diagonal created by the rope lines contrasts with the rigid, blocky paving and soft curve of the buoy. It’s a clean visual split, but not sterile. There’s dirt, grit, marks of labour—details I left untouched in post to preserve texture and authenticity.

Exposure required some care. The red of the buoy dominates the frame, both chromatically and physically, and could easily have bled out under harsh midday sun. I compensated with a shorter exposure time, letting the shadows fall where they may, particularly on the man’s clothing. His figure is partially lost in shadow, but again, I allowed that. He’s not the subject—he’s the counterbalance.

From a technical standpoint, the image works because the proportions are outrageous but truthful. There’s no manipulation, no illusion beyond what the moment naturally offered. The netting gives the image its line work. The buoy gives it absurdity. The man gives it weight—both literal and interpretive.

If this image suggests anything, it’s that strength is often context-dependent. A man can carry an object twice his size and still look as though he’s being dragged forward by it. And in a way, he is.