Pure Gold, a photo from Bayanhongor, West

Photographer's Note

Don't judge a book by its cover.

We stopped, on our long journey, not out of fascination for this beautiful sight, but because we were shocked. In front of us a true calamity.

My Mongolian friends chattered between each other, and I knew, because a dear friend had told me about it before I ventured out onto the vast lands of Mongolia.

An open-sky gold mine.

"They are called ninjas because of the way they dress," Aiuna told me. They were covered from head to toe, only their eyes squinting from behind layers of cloth. No wonder, the dust was unbearable. We stopped mid-way down the hill, climbed out of our cars and stared into the distance. A distance stretching down the valley, beyond what we could imagine. A distance filled with the sound of large and small machinery busy excavating, digging, drilling, sorting dust from gold. We tried to discern a path that would allow us to continue beyond, to be on the road again. It seemed impossible, as if they had excavated the road itself just in order to find even the tiniest of speckle, not wasting any chance.

I turned to look away.
I saw what you are looking at here.
My eyes filled with tears.

We packed ourselves back into our cars, drove on, this time close to one another. As we headed down into the mined area, none of us spoke. There was an eerie tension in the air, the ninjas all staring at us. I did not dare roll down the window as the dust would have engulfed us all. I pulled out my little video camera and filmed whatever I could, from behind the window of a car being tossed side to side by a road of dust and holes.

My Mongolian friends knew about the mines in Oyu Tolgoi, but had no idea they had spread so far west as well.

I am fully aware of the distortion one experiences whilst travelling in distant lands, yet I must say that in Mongolia I met the kindest, most honest, welcoming and gentle people I have ever encountered. I found a home and a family that feel closer to my Heart than the ones I was born into. And, with this in mind, I hope You will understand that what I saw that day deeply angered me.

What great way indeed, our Western way.
We pillage and destroy, bringing ancient societies to their knees as they answer our vision of fortune and wealth.

Only after the last tree has been cut down,
Only after the last river has been poisoned,
Only after the last fish has been caught,
Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.
- ancient Cree prophecy

An advance Thank You to those amongst You who take the time to leave a comment and/or critique!

rasto1893, cldphoto, rikko77, brandstaetter, travelyurt, Wanda1, isabela_sor, janneman, mafegan, daddo, everlasting, ktanska, Floydian, Aviller, happypoppeye, celmaleite, akh heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

rasto1893 (522) 2009-03-06 5:05

Hello Julia,
Simply - good composition and very nice view of this landscape, I like it thanks for sharing ...
My best Regards
Rastislav

CLODO (45118) 2009-03-06 5:06

Hi Julia
I like this simple shot which tells us a lot about the old way of living in Mongolia. Bright colors, yurts in the strong point, shadows on the ground giving diiferent green hues, a nice white cloud in the deep blue sky. Make me dream, but the real life is so different............
All the best
CLODO

[2]

cldphoto (180) 2009-03-06 5:08

A beautiful landscape. I like the play of light and shadow on the grass. Good positioning of the yurts, I like how they are just inside the pool of light on the ground. The sky is just stunning.

[2]

sevy (58) 2009-03-06 5:09

Hello Julia,

I think more and more to visit Mongolia this summer and so I am very happy to see this photo as it is the kind of wide landscape I like to visit, to see and live.
The composition is very graphical with the clouds, covering the smooth green hills which drive the look to the yourtes in the corners, just in the light.
The lind of landscapes I could spend a long time only to look.

Yves.

[2] +

dta (98848) 2009-03-06 5:20

Hello Julia ,
Fantastic picture of this fabulous country . What a beautiful cloud above these green rolling hills . And the yourtes perfectly placed in the composition . Great light , too .
Bravo

rikko77 (10861) 2009-03-06 5:24

Hi Julia, I don't have any green faces left to give you 2 pts, but I wanna say something about this wonderful place which is in my heart since I visited it 2 yrs ago. This pic is really beautiful, I think such clouds with a such blue sky are possible to exist only in the Country of Horses. Nice note too, TFS!
Regards
Rikk

[2] +

brandstaetter (15915) 2009-03-06 5:30

Hi Julia,
big compliments, for the story, for the photo. What we see is the Mongolia we see in our dreams, you tell us also the other reality.
Great one !
Compliments, Christian

travelyurt (276) 2009-03-06 5:51

A superbly composed photo, extremely clear and with a great group of colors. The break in shadow by the yurt adds to it all the more. Really great coming together of multiple elements between the cloud and its position, the position of the shadows, the clarity of the sunlight. Further increases my desire to see the land for myself. Thanks as well for your exceptional note helping us really learn more about what you photographed and saw there.

fkostas (454) 2009-03-06 6:42

Hi Julia,

I like the picture. It's simple yet nicely done.

Your note perplexes me. People were feverishly mining gold and precious stones before western civilization spread, Egypt coming to my mind first. Mongols raided and pillaged the crap out of Afghanistan, both non western societies. All history does is perpetuate itself, and most victims used to be perpetrators.

But I like the picture.

Farah

Sapo (53) 2009-03-06 7:05

Really excellent perfect composition!
Davide

devimeuxbe (58557) 2009-03-06 7:06

Hi Julia
very beautifull landscape an picture. The 2 small touch of with in the green and the big cloud work very well together
It's very nice
Bertrand

Nefaryta (2582) 2009-03-06 7:42 [Comment]

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vincz (19113) 2009-03-06 7:49 [Comment]

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baba_flies (8829) 2009-03-06 8:02

Hello Julia! Wonderful how this lonely cloud hangs over the hills, slowly floating along like a space ship. You are brave to show the WS, you could have left us with this one and we would have thought that nothing had changed and that they live happily along as ever, up until now. I heard about the changements and I guess the people are very much aware how they will end up in the future. One man said in that documentary that I saw that he knew that he was the last generation that could live such a free life and I thought that this was very sad. So, you brought it up and my dream ship moves slowly away ... Best regards, Barbara.

Wanda1 (15142) 2009-03-06 9:10

Hi Julia,
A spectacular photo in it's simplicity. The three colours, the lone white cloud and the two lone tents all form a strange and beautiful image. I can understand your emotions from your sad note and the workshop photo.
Regards
Wanda

isabela_sor (47748) 2009-03-06 9:12 [Comment]

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luighi (5303) 2009-03-06 9:15

Hola Julia , preciosa y esplendida captura , me gusta mucho la composicion y color ademas de tener una buenisima definicion.Buen manejo de la luz y las sombras.Bravo.

Un saludo.
Luis

dkeus31 (27739) 2009-03-06 11:04

Hi Julia,
nice to see you here around!
also a great picture, a single cloud which makes the picture, perfectly framed with the two little houses as a good scale
regards
didier

janneman (4037) 2009-03-06 11:05 [Comment]

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kiks (12805) 2009-03-06 11:09

HI JUlia, the softness of this photo is wonderful. Very few lines but reulting is a very appealing image.
Best regadrs
KIKS

mafegan (8626) 2009-03-06 15:38

Hello Julia
A simple photo of 3 colours with the ger tents the only evidence of man's contact with this vast land. Yet such a contrast faces this scene - I will not judge this book by its cover. I briefly visited Mongolia in 2006 - an experience I will never forget. Tfs, Marlene

daddo (28748) 2009-03-06 15:38

Hi Julia. Just another example of the rapine of our earth and the destruction of ancient ways. love your title since it implies that this pure and only treasure is now shunned and the day will come when the absence of this "gold" will be wept over by our children and their children's children and they will rightly curse us for our greed and stupidity. Beautiful image of our Earth's generosity and beauty. Regards. Klaudio.

burraburra (1219) 2009-03-08 0:08 [Comment]

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everlasting (19978) 2009-03-08 0:48

A beautiful composition, the small tents here perfectly illustrates your informative note, just how small and we are in this whole setup.

ktanska (45070) 2009-03-16 4:45

Hei Julia,
Wonderful to see so pure white cloud hanging low above the carpet of green meadow. Very pure looking landscape. And quite a story you share with it.
Kari

harras2000 (710) 2009-03-30 14:35

Hello Julia,

the view is like I always thought Mongolia will look like!! I can understand you very much when you write (in your Profile) about your serious illness after being the first time in Asia. For me it will be this year the first time since 2006 when I will be back in Asia, this time together with my small s(u)on. So no big journey, we will head out for Goa where he can play in the sand on the beach and his parents will enjoy the time...

Many greatings,
Daniel

Floydian (30970) 2009-05-15 6:34

Hello Julia,

It's been a long time, how are you, hope all is fine with you.
You posted this one while i was on the road in New Zealand, therfor i missed it but found it by accident and it is too good for not placing a comment to it.
I have a good friend who traveled in Xinjiang and brought home lots of these kind of images with empty places with only a small sign of human presence....your photo reminds me on those pictures. The vastness of the land, the glow on the hill, the play of light and shadow....that huge big fat cloud on top...it's very beautiful, you captured really a great shot.

Regards,

Henk

Aviller (3866) 2009-06-12 15:30

A truly amazing picture. The texture of the hills seems so soft, almost like a carpet. The huts give the viewer a good idea of the scale of the hills as well. It's also great how the cloud is right in the center of the shot.

alainh (33209) 2009-06-22 22:36

hello Julia
simply splendid !!!!
fabulous place, and the perfect cloud for you, Julia.
it's another planet. the shadows of the clouds in the grass give strongness at your composition.
Very nice capture.
friendly, Julia
alain

guillaumejm (0) 2009-07-05 14:56

Bonsoir Julia
Cela faisait longtemps!. J'imagine que dans ces paysages on doit pouvoir "toucher" ce qu'est la solitude, au moins dans son acceptation la plus courante. Une belle photo bien équilibrée, une belle lumière et des couleurs superbes. J'aurais bien aimé un nuage un peu plus cotonneux mais ce genre de chose celà ne se choisit pas.
Amicalement
JMarc

Anuvrat (28) 2009-07-26 8:17

hi Julia,

great compositon in a simple picture!i cant say that it is a simple picture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fotka (9139) 2009-08-10 14:29

Hi Julia,
It is a wonderful landscape with a big cloud above. The grass is still green although I have though that during the summer everything is dry there.
Your note about Mongolia is very interesting.
Thanks for sharing and have a nice day.
Zbigniew

mugush (2104) 2009-08-26 15:17

OMG.. you gotta be kidding..its Windows XP wallpaper:) how come you get a chance to capture something which co incedently resemble windows wallpaper.. awesome ..
I am speechless.
thanks for sharing

Love
mugush

magalik (6103) 2009-09-03 8:56

Beautiful shot !
Simple but so nice !
Wonderful landscape and cloud.
Very good composition.
TFS.

Magali K.

jonathan_hart (21276) 2009-09-03 9:03

terrible
this cloud is terrific
the simplicity of this shot too
jc

happypoppeye (4819) 2009-11-29 10:00

Awesome shot.
Great note.
John

holmertz (103642) 2009-11-29 11:34

Hello Julia,
I just saw this photo today from coincidence. It's an incredible composition, absolutely stunning, which everyone else has already pointed out. I also read your note with great interest. I guess you know that Mongolian politicians - ex-communists and "democrats" alike - are for once fairly united in their hopes that these mines will bring wealth (of a kind) to the country. They have done everything to attract investors and secured billions of dollars - supposedly for the state coffers, but who knows?
Regards,
Gert

celmaleite (5010) 2010-01-28 15:22

Olá, Julia!
Lindíssima imagem, belas cores e excelente nitidez. Excelente registro, parabéns!
Abraço.

akh (277) 2010-02-28 0:14

What a nice simplicity!!!
and you captured it in the best way in my point of view. I love all the soft curves of the land and the highlights.
and two lonly mongolian houses.
Love to be there one day!

azadeh

MJR (3360) 2010-03-26 2:56

Came to this from your featured gullfloss photo - what a lovely image, the flowing, near paralell, curves and the total simplicity of the image. Moreover, your text was very powerful, a total contrast for the sake of turning round !. (and your blog very sensitive.) Lovely lovely lovely.

lukafreber (2) 2011-01-07 9:40 [Comment]

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Vague (307) 2011-05-13 5:21

Beautiful! In its simple colors and forms all the greatness of light and shape is encapsulated.

carlo62 (81265) 2012-03-11 9:44

Ciao Julia
molto bella questa foto, è rilassante con le sue morbide e verdi colline, il cielo bellissimo con la nuvola che contrasta binachissima.
Complimenti
Carlo