Hurrying home, a photo from Adrar, Inland

Photographer's Note

Another picture from the "Red oasis", Timimoun, in the Algerian desert, late September 1975.

How do I know that the girl in the red dress running towards the camera is hurrying home? Of course I don't, but this was taken late in the afternoon, not long before sunset, during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. In a short while the fast would be broken and families would gather for the evening meal, iftar.

Maybe this girl was too small to go without food and water all day long (children, the elderly and people in bad health are exempted), but she certainly wouldn't want to miss the solemn occasion.

Mainly men would gather at the cafés so they could grab a glass of water the moment there was a call from the mosque that the sun had set. I think that is what the men hanging around in the background are waiting for.

I post this at the maximum size of 1500 pixels although the fading light and shallow DOF means that the sharpness is far from perfect. I tried to focus on the girl, but she just insisted on running towards me, so it wasn't so easy.

This is another scan of a Kodachrome slide.

saxo042, ourania, Gigidusud, kasianowak, tyro, subhendu_bagchi, annjackman, aleXundar, Romano46, mcmtanyel, bayno, Angshu, adores, daddo, Miguel82, fritzi007, ChrisJ has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

saxo042 (38078) 2013-09-04 9:59

Hej Gert
Idag lade vi ju upp bilder tämligen samtidigt. Helt olika miljöer förstås... Det låga ljuset i den bild förmedlar en väldigt stark känsla av värme, färgerna fördjupas. En mycket annorlunda gatubild med många intressanta detaljer och exempel på annorlunda arkitektur.
Hälsningar
Gunnar

jemaflor (146274) 2013-09-04 9:59

Hi Gert,
Nice view with a good focus on people, golden light is splendid as the architecture in the BG, maybe a bit too cropped for the top of the toxer on the right side.

ourania (51103) 2013-09-04 10:32

Hello Gert,
I love the warm light and the colours of this well considered composition that has kept a strong sense of spontaneity. Both the warmly lit and the shady areas are atmospheric and complement each other intriguingly. The architectural information is very interesting and the people evoke a suggestive vibrancy with their presence. It's fascinating that from all these people, the only exposed and clear face we can see and use as reference and contact is the little girl's. She's so attractive and well placed in the composition and space. I also love the chaotic map of the innumerable traces on the soft earth. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a lovely evening,
Ourania

Gigidusud (21679) 2013-09-04 10:57

Hello Holmertz,
Beautiful scene well captured with splendid light. Quite the image quality given the date of the photo. Well done!
Best regards,
Gigi.

mesutilgim (0) 2013-09-04 11:59

Hello dear Gert,
Again a perfect archival capture almost 40 years old !
Again perfect pov and very nice light management.
Many interesting notes.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

parvatibb (1387) 2013-09-04 12:15

wow, great image quality considering that it was taken in 1975! we are at the same age with the photo :) love the warm light and soft colors.
congrats!
bb

chrisvek (7003) 2013-09-04 13:00

Hello dear Gert

Very good photo with splendid details and awesome colors.Nice lightning usage and very good atmosphere.Great POV too.

Have a nice evening
Chris

Fis2 (169709) 2013-09-04 13:28

Witaj Gert!
Next interesting photo from yours archive.
Excellent light and colors.
I like depth.
Very well done.
Good night
Krzysztof

kasianowak (17672) 2013-09-04 13:30

Hi Gert
So much to look at here! The girl in the foreground, the people around going about their business and the architecture in the backround.
I actually quite like the differential focusing here as well as the contrast between light and shadow.
Also, thank you for a very interesting note - a fascinating insight into the culture of this country I know so little about.
Have a nice evening
Kasia

tyro (30513) 2013-09-04 13:47

Hello Gert,

Well this "lady in red" is most certainly well placed in the frame here and stands out from the crowd perfectly, not only because she is sharply in focus against a nicely out of focus background but also because she is "in the spotlight" from the bright sunlight appearing from the left between buildings.

Your composition is excellent, the running girl perfectly balanced by the tall conical building on the right. We can also make out the activities (or lack thereof) of the men relaxing in the background.

I just wonder who is the young fellow in western type dress sitting down at far left? Surely not an Algerian?

Splendid!

Kind Regards,

John.

P.S. Your picture looks very good at the larger (1500 pixels wide) size on "beta" TE and definition is still excellent despite this picture having been scanned from a Kodachrome slide nearly 40 years old!

P.P.S. Do you always use "beta" TE? I know that Gunnar and also Malgo (emka) have always used it and have rarely used the "new" version. Perhaps I should go back to using the beta version exclusively, if only to avoid the irritating advertisments which plague the newer version.

macjake (98262) 2013-09-04 14:14

Hi Gert
another cool older pic from your travels.

scanning the scene, I see a 'white' man lol on the left sitting down...another tourist perhaps?
I'm no expert, but i doubt the local men wear shorts like that :)

and thats some funky architecture way in the back there! wow, looks like something out of Star Wars!

gotta love all the red, and the grass? ontop of that man's head...so many things going on here and I havn't even mentioned the little girl! Who is now in her forties for sure.

fun photo! well done, hard to even tell its from a scan.
cheers
craig

lousat (138599) 2013-09-04 14:35

Hi Gert,magnificent new piece of history whit a special light and une perspective 3D really fantastic,very good work of scannering as usual,magnificent background too.Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

nikkitta (17070) 2013-09-04 16:11

Hola gert
Each time I look at your photos, first I look at the date, incredible good scanned photos

Great daily life scene and the focus on the running girl made she the center of the capture
Interesting note about the Ramadan, of course I also believe people at the back are waiting for the sun to go down

Congrats
Maria

serp2000 (47063) 2013-09-04 21:08

Good morning, Gert,
I remember numerous stories of our oilers about Algeria these times. The Russian oil state companies worked there till early 1990th.
I see a French baguette in the man's hand and not an Arabian cake, for example. :) Just a typical influence of Paris.
Best wishes,
Serghei

pajaran (114891) 2013-09-04 21:47

Dobro jutro.
Interesantan tekst o mestu i vremenu, sa datim podacima ...
Dobar rad skeniranjem, lepa fotografija i secanje na 1975. godinu.
Lep trenutak.
Imajte lep i uspesan dan, sve najbolje.
Paja.

Good morning.
An interesting article about the place and time, with the given data ...
Good work by scanning, beautiful photos and memories of in 1975. year.
A beautiful moment.
Have a great and successful day, all the best.
Paja.

emka (157280) 2013-09-05 0:00

Hi Gert, Another marvelous shot from Algeria. of course, the girl in red in such marvelous light catches attention immediately, but the man with a grass on his head looks very interesting too. beautiful light in very interesting architecture. excelle nt picture.

WArm regrads

Malgo

abmdsudi (95869) 2013-09-05 1:20

Hi Gert
Lively street life of this happenings before your eyes and there is a lot of interaction between people. Interesting to compare dress colours, styles and attitudes here, a grab shot in the oasis village not lacking of interest around here for the viewers. The place seems to be in constant movement, noise, smells and it is pretty hot and naturally the shadowed area looks like a cosy hangout for the menfolk while awaiting for fast beaking time. I marvel at the coned-shape - termite mound like structure i find to be intriguing nicely framed there but, i like the fact that there is a great eye contact in the shot, the eye catching advancing girl holds the strength of the shot imho. You've captured the hustle, bustle and vibrancy wonderfully well in this shot, plenty of detail, a wide range of colours and the warmth of the shot conveys the heat. Wonderful account of this desert 'town'. Congrats and thks to information and well on pp.
Best regards

Nicou (193806) 2013-09-05 2:01

Hello

quels double portraits sueprbe la jeune fille et cet homme qui porte sur sa tête ces herbes et ces tons ces couleur et ce fond avec l’édifice sueprbe captage.
bravo et amitié
Nicou

jhm (211734) 2013-09-05 3:02

Hello Gert,

I am very surprised of the quality of these scanned picture, excellent done.
1500 x 1193 is a little bit large for my screen but a little bit scrolling than is all OK.
Wonderful founded and very well photo work.
Also your picture is nice taken with a lot details.
Sharpness and colours are very nice.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

dkmurphys (79209) 2013-09-05 3:28

Hi Gert,
Another fascinating moment of simple everyday activities. I like the warm sunlight over the entire scene and the lazy atmosphere. Well taken.

Daniel

Sergiom (117241) 2013-09-05 5:53

Bonjour Gert,

J'aime beaucoup cette scène de la vie quotidienne, l'habileté de cet homme avec toute une charge sur la tête, l'insouciance de la jeune fille qui courre vers toi et surtout la belle habitation en arrière plan.

Amicalement

Serge

annjackman (23019) 2013-09-05 7:45

Hello Gert,
The girl in her crimson dress is a wonderful subject and I like the way that we can see the other activities going on around her late in the day. Gorgeous warm light and strong shadows. An excellent scan - TFS.
Kind Regards, Ann

subhendu_bagchi (26091) 2013-09-05 7:46

Namaste Gert.
The whole characteristic of this town/village can be judged in a single frame. Extraordinary composition. Like the colour tone a lot. The running girl who is eager to break her fast is an added bonus to it. Great shot. Hats off.
Subhendu

wolf38 (30) 2013-09-05 8:25

Hello Gert. The old photos have their own charm. If the scanned slides well, you get great pictures. All this is of course a minor matter, because primarily it comes to the content of the image. The background appears only partially. The focus is the girl with the red dress, the man with the fodder and the man in traditional clothing. Traces of car tires to show that even here the modern era has begun.
Rgds, Wolfgang.

rychem (72187) 2013-09-05 11:38

Bravo! Beautiful photo with warm, golden light, very nice scene
regards
Ryszard

Romano46 (18472) 2013-09-05 12:11

Cioa Gert
un'altra irripetibile testimonianza di un luogo lontano e di un passato, anch'esso lontano e probabilmente diverso dal presente.
Anche qui, nonostante la scannerizzazione, ottima nitidezza ed eccellenti colori.
Bravissimo.
Ciao e buona serata
Romano

rigoletto (34279) 2013-09-06 4:27

how you reevaluate the 40 years old scan photos should be taught at schools. the beehive house looks like popping out of some star wars episodes. the gradual change of dof is amazingly 3D, as if i can push my finger inside the screen.

Silvio1953 (220577) 2013-09-06 7:42

Ciao Gert, lovely composition with nice people, fantastic light, excellent clarity and wonderful colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

eldancer1 (36343) 2013-09-06 9:54

It's awesome that you have preserved those treasured photos and able to share them with us. You did a wonderful job scanning them. Good documentation of the daily life with nice details and wonderful colors. Well done, tfs.

mcmtanyel (67635) 2013-09-07 18:53

Hello Gert,
This is precious, just precious! The little bit of grain from your Kodachrome slide is a nostalgic feast to my eyes! (Yes, unlike some who complain about grain on scanned photos, I love it!) You apologize for the shallow DOF, I would call it "selective focus." The running girl and the fellow with shrubbery for hair are in focus and those are your main subjects - why does anything else need to be in focus? In fact, the out of focus background enhances the 3D experience.
This is just a gem!
Regards,
MT

bayno (18348) 2013-09-09 0:51

Hello Gert,
what is immediately striking is the warm light, very nice dynamism, particularly given by the girl running towards you, good focus and details, excellent work...
have a good day...
Valter

Angshu (56760) 2013-09-10 21:33

Hello Gert
The light is delicious. The red mud houses are similar to the mosques of djinn...so they must be mosques as well! The light throws interesting colours indeed and the girl is a great addition. A lovely picture from your archives!
Best Regards
Angshu

adores (46979) 2013-09-17 14:31

Hi Gert!
Another good old one! I really like the colours of her clothes and ther movement, running in your direction. I really believe you're right. I think Ramadan can be a magical period to visit a country. I like the atmosphere of the people around and the local architecture in background. Good light also!

gervaso (28177) 2013-10-07 6:53

Hello, Gert!

The light gives beautiful colors to the image, and something that called my attention is that building in the background, with the typical architecture of the people of the desert! Very nice capture! Good job!

daddo (28748) 2013-10-09 16:26

Hi Gert. Priceless photo, priceless moment as you captured the girl in full flight.The man with the tattered trousers, mended innumerable times, is a touching inclusion. My mother was an expert in mending old clothes in socialist Yugoslavia, in particular turning the shirt collars around once the folded edge became worn.Great light here Gert. Regards and thanks for this precious shot. Klaudio.

Miguel82 (47110) 2013-10-16 12:15

So authentic shot of that oasis of Saharian desert Gert, a picture bringing the viewer to the past, very few pictures of Algeria on Te and thence it's a value contribution of high quality, I like the clothes and the way the boy is carrying the straw for the camels or goats
Pleasant colors and village scene, good evening

Vasa (515) 2013-10-24 15:34

This one also!

Warm regards Gert!

Branko

fritzi007 (14698) 2014-04-01 6:39

Hello Gert,
really very long time ago, but really a very good quality, congratulations!
regards
Wolfgang

Cricri (176) 2017-04-01 4:15

Hi Gert
Belle image et scène du peuple sous une sublime lumière, excellent travail, très belle présentation
belle journée
cricri

ChrisJ (171220) 2017-08-02 2:29

Hi Gert,

Spotted this one in your gallery. The rich red sandy fg contrasts well with the blue sky and I like the shallow dof and pinpoint fg sharpness on the girl at left and the man at right carrying some sort of leafy vegetable plants on his head. Tfs!