Overloaded, a photo from Ghardaia, Inland

Photographer's Note

A glimpse of daily life in Ghardaïa in the Algerian desert, September 1975.
Ghardaïa is the main town in the M'Zab valley, an area populated by members of a conservative, puritan islamic sect. I found it slightly difficult to take pictures of people but managed a few shots in the busy market area, where most people were too busy to bother.
This was scanned from a Kodachrome slide.

saxo042, jhm, Kielia, bukitgolfb301, COSTANTINO, daddo, jafadabret, frunchy, fritzi007, Cricri, mcmtanyel, PiotrF heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

saxo042 (38078) 2009-05-02 0:29

Hej Gert,
Grannar idag! This is a very "charming" picture, totally timeless, I can´t detect any modern things here. This is also a very fine composition with this man and donkey so close. The both men in the background are symmetrically placed on each side if the main character.
Hälsningar
Gunnar

leo61 (0) 2009-05-02 0:38

Hi Gert!
These poor animals,what a heavy load.
A good streetshot with a nice background.Colors and contrast are good too.
Regards,leo

jhm (211736) 2009-05-02 1:41

Hello Gert,

I agree with Leo, what a poor animal.
You took a very nice daily life image, what a great depth and splendid perspective with the people in background.
Excellent captured and nice composed.
Very well done, TFS.

Nice weekend,
John.

ben4321 (9875) 2009-05-02 3:22

I like the timeless quality of this photo, Gert - looking around the frame, the electricity cables in the background are the only 'modern' detail.
Every time I see a heavily-laden donkey I'm struck by the sheer strength of these small animals. That's why they've been so important to people, especially in this part of the world, for so many centuries.
Anyway, it's a good shot - I like it.

Cheers,
Ben

Disabled_A (0) 2009-05-02 3:41

Hej Gert,
for some people riding on a donkey's horse is quite an ordinary part of their life... for some people (like me) it is "exotic". And for some creatures like this poor little donkey - it's work, work, work and work again :(
Very good capture, anyway! And this looks practically a timeless view. Excellent choice of POV, and a very good quality of the scan. I really admire your photos of people!
Have a nice weekend :)
Kind regards,
Elena

jasmis (58653) 2009-05-02 8:11

Fine daily life street report in smart vertical frame.
Regards.

ajayrawat (676) 2009-05-02 8:18

Wow! 1975... I am sure this is the oldest entry in TE, but very nice moment of daily life in that place, wondering if the place is still the same. But surely a great photo. I love the atmosphere, though the left foot of the man looks unusual and has got a stick as well, perhaps that's the reason he is riding the donkey.

Jeppo (17645) 2009-05-02 9:35

september 1975...I was 4 months old when you took this shot.

I don't care in the eventual "poor" quality of this scanned slide....I even like the grainy compo - it's so vintage - and the natural atmosphere of this daily life shot

tfs
silvio

Kielia (24077) 2009-05-02 11:04

Hej Gert,
this is one of the images that leaves a deep impression on me: the poor donkey, the busy man and the timeless atmosphere are food for many thoughts. It is as already mentioned outstanding photo work! Congratulation!
Warm regards
Harriet

mikolaj_kawa (0) 2009-05-02 11:50

Hello Gert! Very interesting scene. Good POV and capture. Wonderful sharpness. Picture from 1975!!! Great work! Well done!

emka (158092) 2009-05-02 14:50

Hi Gert, Donkeys are very often overloaded. I always look at them with tenderness, so good animals and the people are so ungrateful. This donkey looks very small. I rode once and it seemed to me bigger (I rode donkey on Santorini, after two sharp curves I prefered to go on foot :)). The man has something wrong with his left foot. WhenI see such a scene, it seems to me biblical.

Regards

Malgorzata

bukitgolfb301 (54014) 2009-05-02 18:20

Hello my dear Gert

Composition, color coordination and framework are perfect. Your those photo is very very retrospective, I like indeed.
Congratulation on your great Job !
Thanks for sharing and best regards

Takero

nirvana73 (0) 2009-05-02 22:23

Hello Gert
very nice daily scene from Ghardaïa in the Algerian desert,September 1975
this shot was taken in diffucult situations
good frame good colors
impressive looks of the man
very strong donkey too
tfs
best regards
Ozhan

SteveH (8220) 2009-05-02 23:25

Hi Gert, typical scene in that part of the world, where the donkeys must be stoic and strong. The reds look a bit deep, perhaps reducing their saturation might have improved the skin tones (on my monitor at least...). The man behind and architectual features provide nice contextual elements to the shot. Cheers, Steve

scroller (3451) 2009-05-03 11:23

Hej Gert,
Truly a daily life situtation. The poor animal seems to manage it well though. I like the man in the hat in behind as well.
Hälsningar
/Stefan

Waylim (25436) 2009-05-03 17:37

Hello Gert,
another rather sad and gloomy feeling of daily life image. Though the situation of such a large man riding on this donkey make me want to laugh, but the situation and his not so happy face and the man in the background all seems kind of lost in thought, It kind of give a very depressing feeling, but it is a fact of life in many parts of the world. Great documentary style shot.
Way

scalerman (26900) 2009-05-04 23:17

Gert: very beast of burden. The irony of this image can stand on its own legs, so to speak. Good, timely eye - best, c

COSTANTINO (116421) 2009-05-19 10:32

Hello Gert
This is an impressive photo from the daily life in Ghardaia In the Algerian desert..
A shot different from the usual,I like the way you took it and the expression of the face of this man..A nice composition with the man and the donky togerther,picture from another old time..Shot very well done and seen
regards and compliments
Costantino

daddo (28748) 2009-05-21 4:52

Hi Gert. Great POV as this sturdy little animal totters towards us with its heavy load.It makes us register its hard life, while its master seems oblivious to the disproportionate sizes. Well done considering the reservations about using the camera. Regards. Klaudio.

kschanna (6) 2009-06-11 4:06

Hello Gert,

It must have been a tricky picture to take. A very good composition and one cannot help but feel for the poor donkey, but hey! could be worse for it!.

Thanks for sharing
Kamran

macjake (98438) 2009-10-25 14:48

Hi Gert

i love these daily life photos, love the dress of the man in the jacket behind your main subject. there is alot going on, more than the man on the donkey.
also, the buildings are great to see, adding such character
nicely done
Craig

jafadabret (56501) 2010-08-11 10:37

Bonjour Gert,
Cette photo n'as pas pris une ride, elle est intemporelle. J'aime le portrait de cet homme qui vient à la ville vendre sa marchandise juché sur son âne.
Excellent !
Amicalement
Jacques

agjika (3177) 2010-08-15 14:01

Hi Gert

Incredible shot. A man bigger than the donkey proudly riding it.

Super shot.

Thanks for sharing

Aleks

frunchy (1800) 2011-08-30 10:50

Hello Gerd,

it's always a task to shoot people in islamic countries, they usually don't like it and it's against their belief. Nice to see that you could still manage to get this nice shot.

TFS

serp2000 (47063) 2012-08-14 4:47

Hello, Gert,

Wow! Just a modern Nasreddīn Hodja! Excellent archive portrait. In 1975 you already knew how use a donkey in a daily life Oriental composition. Outstanding result!

Another splendid shot from the past. Thanks for your photos!
Best wishes,
Serghei

abmdsudi (95869) 2014-02-10 19:04

Hi Gert
A great example of observational and real life street photography, a combination of humour perhaps and like it more each time I look at it. You are spot on pov, dead- straight on shot in some good colours, detail and sense of movement so typical of local culture but strange too that he doesn't look very happy though. The timing is brilliant so evocative of that part of the world and this a great street candid - love it. Think that this could be a definition of exuberance!! Congrats
Best regards

fritzi007 (14698) 2015-02-01 12:02

Hallo Gert,
this poor donkey, very good document, congratulations!
Kind Regards
Wolfgang

Cricri (176) 2017-08-29 6:27

Hi Gert
Un bon retour en arrière de cette image aux rendu excellent des couleurs, des détails, l'âne est bien petit pour se grand homme !!
Belle journée
cricri

kasianowak (17676) 2019-08-03 22:01

I don't think this image is as oversaturated as you claim. When you compare the man's face and hands to his legs and look at the light on the pavement, I think it's just the warm hues of the sunset.
But flicking from this photo to your latest upload and back, I must admit, it does feel as if they were millenia apart. Well done on your photo editing technique!
Have a nice Sunday.

mcmtanyel (68447) 2019-08-21 22:07

Hello Gert,
Poor donkey, having to bear that much weight. Very nicely cropped photo, looking fresh as an original digital! 👍🏻👍🏻
Regards,
MT

PiotrF (54602) 2020-02-20 15:51

Hello Gert
A very nice daily scene from Ghardaïa.
I like good composition and beautiful color .
Fine presentation
Regards
Piotr