A small town in the desert, a photo from Ghardaia, Inland

Photographer's Note

This is from a small town called Melika in the M'Zab Valley in Algeria, approximately 500 km south of Algiers. I visited Melika briefly at the start of a long journey through the Sahara and West Africa during the winter of 1981-82. Only three days earlier I had left Stockholm.

The M'Zab Valley in the northern part of the Sahara is home to a very conservative branch of Islam. The major city Ghardaia is surrounded by at least half a dozen small towns of quite different characters, most of them within walking distance.

I had been here for a few days in September 1975 but had only seen Melika from the main road that time. In 1981 I just spent a day in the valley between two buses on my way south. Although this was less than 35 years ago I had to consult my diary to remember anything from my visit to Melika.

I didn't know where to find the most convenient way to reach Melika, so I just walked at random past a rubbish dump until I found the road going up the hill to the town.
Maybe even more than the other towns in the valley Melika looked like a fortress. The town was surrounded by a thick wall with just a few narrow entrances.
I took a long walk along the narrow alleys. Lots of kids came running after me, shouting "bonjour", shaking my hand and laughing, but even most grown-ups, including a few women, greeted me politely. The atmosphere was laid-back and pleasant, and perhaps this was the nicest town in this area.

This photo was taken just outside the town. Some houses seem to be built on top of the wall. If you think the sky looks unnaturally dark blue I can assure you I didn't use any sophisticated filter, nor did I manipulate it during scanning or photoshopping. This is what it really looked like.

This is only the second photo ever posted on TE from Melika, By a strange coincidence the first one was also mine. It belongs to my category "very special", being one of my personal favourites. I also once showed a more postcardish photo from the town, taken from the main road in 1975, as a workshop.

All photos were scanned from Kodachrome slides. Here is a larger version

PaulVDV, Fis2, ourania, pierrefonds, ikeharel, ChrisJ, macjake, delpeoples, Graal, danos, Royaldevon, jhm, adramad, boa, COSTANTINO, PiotrF, Hansaphotos, mcmtanyel, fritzi007, kordinator, Lidka heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

Nicou (193806) 2016-09-08 10:28

Hello

quelle image et rendu sur ces façade des ces maison avec la forme géométrique carrée quel rendu des tons et couleur des voitures des personnages superbe.
Bravo et amitié
nicou

dta (98848) 2016-09-08 10:35

Hello Gert ,
This picture is both beautiful and interesting . Interesting cubic architecture , and splendid contrast with the superb blue sky . The presence of people and cars are very good additions to the scene .
Regards

lousat (138551) 2016-09-08 11:10

Hi Gert,lovely memory,i never been in Algeria and it's one of my wish,but now isn't the best moment to go talking about the safety.A beautiful capture from this small village,with the typical facades,i like it! Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

PaulVDV (62770) 2016-09-08 11:10

Hello Gert,
And today such a journey would be one of the most insane trips possible on earth ... if at least you would be able to reach this town. Some regions on earth have placed themselves completely outside the accessible part.
But it certainly looked beautiful in that time. The defensive walls are really impressive.
A 'laid-back atmosphere' you write. Yeah, things change.
Nevertheless a very nice testimony of bygone days.
Best regards, Paul

Silvio1953 (220495) 2016-09-08 11:12

Ciao Gert, lovely composition with beautiful architectures in a nice village and walking people, excellent clarity, splendid light and wonderful colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

pajaran (114821) 2016-09-08 11:15

Dobro vece.
Lep pogled, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Dobar rad skeniranjem slajda, lepo pokazano mesto i arhitektura, lepa fotografija.
Lepo secanje.
Prijatno vece i mirna noc, sve najbolje.
Paja.

Good evening.
Nice view, interesting and good text ...
Good work by scanning the slide, shown a nice place and architecture, beautiful photos.
A nice memory.
Good evening and peaceful night, all the best.

alvaraalto (42804) 2016-09-08 11:25

Hello Gert
Interesting story and a remarkable illustrating picture. Lovely contribution to your memoirs.
The technical quality of you scan-job is unbelievable good.
Groet Rob

Fis2 (169635) 2016-09-08 12:14

Witaj Gert!
Curious view, interesting architecture.
Very impressive buildings.
Good framing and colors.
Well done.
Good evening.
Krzysztof

grigand (20290) 2016-09-08 12:27

Hi Gert,
A great memory of this experience, the impressive building, a very good work !
ciao
andrea

ourania (51103) 2016-09-08 12:51

Hello Gert,
view and photo are stunning, the colours are irresistible and there's great texture in them. I like the strong perspective that shows us a lot and leads us to cross the setting. The diagonals and the focal points create great balance. The light is so bright, it seems to have given life to this scene from the past. It's amazing that in spite of the splendid light, the bold colours and the human presence the town still looks so mysterious. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a good night,
Ourania

carlo62 (81265) 2016-09-08 14:36

Ciao Gert
la Fiat Ritmo a sinistra è tipica per quegli anni, ma non pensavo di vederla in Algeria!!!
Avevo notato il cielo e mi fa piacere che tu abbia dato delle spiegazioni nella nota.
Un luogo a cui tieni molto e posso capirlo, al di là della sua bellezza, spesso è l'accoglienza delle persone a farci amare un luogo più di altri.
Saluti
Carlo

pierrefonds (113512) 2016-09-08 16:13

Hi Gert,

The presence of the people has an effect of scale. the point of view is showing the details of the houses. There is a good contrast between the colors of the picture. Have a nice day.

Pierre

rychem (72187) 2016-09-08 20:19

I am impressed with the quality of your scanned photo, very nice scene, the houses seems really to be grown together with the wall, great photo
regards Ryszard

ChrisJ (171146) 2016-09-08 23:16

Hello Gert,

A good capture of this exotic location with striking warm cold color contrasts between the blue sky and the reddish brown facades of the buildings. The small boy with his schoolbag animates the scene. Tfs!

jemaflor (146206) 2016-09-08 23:32

Hi Gert,
Well presented and captured, interesting effect with this strong brightness and the vivid blue for the sky, well composed with children.

BennyV (34730) 2016-09-08 23:39

Hej Gert

Stunning picture with those old cars, that super blue sky, the strange, surreal houses and then this one guy turning back to look at you as the finishing touch!

My compliments again!
Terrific picture!

Benny

macjake (98260) 2016-09-08 23:54

Hi Gert
now THIS is what I like!
This is what i'd be looking to photograph on a similar type of trip.

looking at this place, I wonder how it would look today.

its incredible how the homes are so large, they look like large LEGO pieces, and they're so rectangular, like huge blocks of concrete. Oh man, i'd love to get a peek on the inside of those homes.

cool pic with the boy looking back at you, and those cars are great additions too. one of your best travel photos in my opinion
cheers
Craig

dkmurphys (79209) 2016-09-09 0:13

Hi Gert,
Another attractive travel document from the past. I like the blue sky color and the interesting architecture (is it Berber at origin?).

D

abmdsudi (95869) 2016-09-09 1:12

Hi Gert
A good collaboration of rich colour, old dwelling and people arresting our attention producing such vivid impression of the place. It's a joyful composition in its simplicity, pleasant clarity and well textured but this seems to have many hidden memories to tell. A pleasing composition and good exposure control. Well done shot, Congrats
Best regards

delpeoples (60342) 2016-09-09 4:02

Ciao Gert

Well this is something special! An old photo, with impressive colour rendering and depth. I particularly like the sky, it almost looks three-dimensional. The people help us with a sense of scale for the background and I love the old cars which give us an idea of the time stamp for this lovely photo.

Cheers and thanks for sharing
Lisa

Graal (103040) 2016-09-09 7:28

Hello Gert,
amazing town on the desert. Interesting place and documentary shot. Nice presentation from 1981.
Have a nice WE.
Aleksander

ktanska (44446) 2016-09-09 11:22

Hej Gert,
Bare gravel slopes give a strong impression of harsh climate. Indeed those buildings look like fortress walls, just a few windows here and there. Interesting view from a rarely visited place.
Kari

Tue (91488) 2016-09-09 13:08

Hello Gert,
Great photo of this town, which looks so special with these large square houses, which seem to rise straight out of the rocks. The somewhat pastel colours look great, especially compared to the very, very blue sky.
Lars

macondo (20449) 2016-09-09 19:13

Greetings Gert.
A dramatic photo, making the most of the light and shade and with an excellent focal point in the turned head of the boy in the foreground, perhaps with his schoolbag. There is a bleakness about the rocky rubble and the stark buildings, but also a warmth in the colour tones. The sky is almost too rich, but makes a superb combination with the scene below it. Very interesting note as usual. I liked the inclusion of your diary entry.
Regards,
Andrew

danos (110407) 2016-09-09 23:47

Hello Gert,
photos from Algeria is rare to see so this one is welcoming from us.I like the unique scene from 1981 with the earthy road and the architectural style of the houses.The saturated blue sky enhance even more the contrast as the beauty of the image.

Have a good WE,Danos

Royaldevon (85606) 2016-09-10 1:57

Hello Gert,

What a wonderful record you possess of your work and travel! This must have seemed like a very different place to Stockholm, when you reached it! You are right, it looks like a forbidding fortress! only a few features bring this scene into the 20th century!

I wonder what it would look like today! Time seems to have stood still in such a relatively inaccessible place.

A fine, angled shot draws us into the scene with lots of details to capture our interest and wonderment.

Have a great w/e,
Bev :-)

ikeharel (112395) 2016-09-10 5:03

Looking as massively built town in the desert, Gert, and a mixture of several time's styles.
No trees or any green, evidently its a desert area.
cars and children gave extra life to the scene - which altogether has an extraordinary quality.
Enjoy your weekend,
Ike

jhm (211734) 2016-09-10 7:16

Hello Gert,

Think you that is much changed in the last 35 year!
Colours and sharpness are attractive.
Composition and presentation are pleasant.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

emka (157280) 2016-09-10 23:23

Hello Gert,

Very interesting note about your adventures in Africa. How I am envious that you visited the places that I wouldn't dare to visit. I do not wonder specially that there are no photos from there in TE. There are many interesting places easily accesible and with no pictures. Most Trekkers like to visit and than to show the very popular sites.
Wonderful document. The brown car looks like a Polish Polonez. This town looks like a fortress indeed. The boy has spotted you and looks with interest. The sky is deerp blue really. I wonder why sometimes it is so but not so often.

have a nice Sunday

Malgo

GyurMaster (24668) 2016-09-11 1:53

Dear Gert,

Before reading your note, I intended to criticize the sky as it really looks unnatural. I can accept your explanation, however, since I have never been to Africa so far. Maybe the sky rally looks like this. The other parts of the photo are excellent: the boy with the bag turned to your direction just in the right time. The background also offers interesting details, just like the garage doors in the walls.

Have a nice Sunday!
Gy.

adramad (72532) 2016-09-11 8:25

Hello Gert.
Masterly composition of this original place, a bit surprised tall houses of cubic aspect, but for some reason are unusual, so blue sky makes a superb contrast, the pretty picture of children who seem to come from school.
Excellent POV, with very good lighting, color and sharpness to enjoy the details.
Very good work. I like it
Enjoy a happy Sunday.
Best wishes.
Luis.

sacimar (38173) 2016-09-11 11:11

Hello Gert,

so many things have changed since you took this picture in this region of the world, it is an interesting image of daily life, well seen,

Best regards,

Sergio

boa (8039) 2016-09-11 12:23

Hej Gert,
ett utmärkt tidsdokument från den för mig okända staden Melika. Även om jag har planer på att besöka Algeriet nån gång så lär jag nog inte komma hit, troligast är väl till Alger några dagar. Barnen är fint fångade här i sin hemmamiljö framför husen och intressant att läsa hur väl mottagen du blev också, det kryllar väl inte direkt av turister här.
Ja himlen ser verkligen onaturlig ut och är effektfull. Sällan som man ser sån färg hemma. En fin bild från en plats som få turister har sett.

Hälsningar/
Boa

fabianoleite (13575) 2016-09-11 19:36

Beautiful colors and shapes, the place looks very peculiar. I like the overall composition, very good work, congratulations!

gervaso (28177) 2016-09-12 9:22

Hello, Gert!

Interesting architecture of these houses, and the warm colors, typical of a desert region, are very nice here in this view of the city! Beautiful composition! Excellent job!

saxo042 (38078) 2016-09-12 10:09

Hej Gert,
Mycket intressant arkitektur och en mycket vältagen bild. Himlen ser nästan alltför intensivt blå ut, såg den ut så i verkligheten? Hur som helst, en fin bild.
Hälsningar
Gunnar

COSTANTINO (115451) 2016-09-13 8:43

Hello dear fruend and have a nice time
and a happy evening
impressive capture into the desert
only amazing blue sky and desert
with many constructions
presence of people and cars adds
interest to the photo
regards
Costantino

PiotrF (54246) 2016-09-13 14:08

Hello Gert,
nice picture from small town, beautiful scene from this place.
Perfect captured and superb colors.
Your archive is amazing!
Very nice presentation.
Regards
Piotr

Hansaphotos (11381) 2016-09-22 11:48

Hei Gert

Dette er et velkomponert bilde med fantastiske farger og høy kvalitet. Det er kanskje ikke så rart at begge bilene ser ut til å være franske, når man kjenner forbindelsen mellom de to land; Renault og Peugeot, hvis ikke jeg tar feil. Jeg liker perspektivet langs de forskjellige fasadene. Barna i forgrunnen tilfører bildet ekstra sjarme. Kjempefint:)

Hilsen Erling

mcmtanyel (67555) 2016-09-23 20:23

Hello Gert,
What a lovely photo from your archives! I love the colors and textures of the buildings and the deep blue sky. Those children in the photo must be middle-aged men by now. I can spot a station wagon Peugeot 404. The other car might be a Simca. What a precious photo!
Regards,
MT

Cricri (176) 2016-10-05 5:27

Hi Gert
Une architecture intéressante de cette petite ville du désert, bon POV, couleurs, excellente réalisation
belle journée
cricri

jmdias (114196) 2016-10-07 16:50

gert

I saw this country at distance once and few days ago I saw it by the plane.
nice view of these humble façades. nice details of the personages in the area and excellent light. TFS.

hugs

jorge

fritzi007 (14698) 2016-10-10 12:00

Hallo Gert,
sehr gutes Zeitdokument von langer Zeit, gut gemacht!

Viele Grüße
Wolfgang

kordinator (8738) 2016-10-18 2:23

Hello Gert
Fantastic photos from Algeria.
Nice presentation of a small town in the desert.
Fantastic place with very nice buildings and presence of peoples.
Very lively scene.
Perfect lighting and splendid colors.
Excellent composed image.
Kind regards
Saša

npecanhuk (79329) 2017-02-17 3:29

Hello Gert!
Very interesting and attractive picture of a faraway place to where I won't ever go, probably!
Sharpness, exposure, colors, horizontal format, chosen pov and composition are all excellent!
I looks calm and quiet!
TFS - congrats,
Cheers,
Neyvan

Lidka (527) 2018-01-19 1:36

Dear Gert!
Excellent take.
Fantastic town.
Fine people.
Funny car.
Amazing sky.
Marvelous brightness and colours.
Good perspective.
Good shot.
Original image.
Well done!

kasianowak (17672) 2019-11-28 14:16

Hi Gert
This image was featured on the homepage today, together with two other images from this location "by a strange coincidence" also taken by you. ;-)
I'm glad, because I can't remember seeing it before, that's probably why I commented.
Fascinating place, lovely colours, great daily life scene.
Best wishes
Kasia