A minaret in the desert, a photo from Ghardaia, Inland

Photographer's Note

From Ghardaïa, the major city of the M'Zab valley in the Algerian desert. This valley, about 600 km south of Algiers, is home to a puritan Islamic sect and the architecture of the several small towns is characterized by a strictness and simplicity that sometimes achieves great beauty.
This picture from September 1975 was scanned from a Kodachrome slide.

ymrk, bostankorkulugu, PaulVDV, serp2000, ellelloo, Buin, bukitgolfb301, Glint, pauloog, jlbrthnn, BurhanettinMasa, sebastn, jafadabret, No_One, KristinsCamera, COSTANTINO, Cricri, mcmtanyel ha contrassegnato questa nota come utile

Critiques | Translate

pastadog (13111) 2009-05-03 1:55

Magical colors you got here, Gert, and that minaret is both strange and pretty; well exposed all over, and well scanned too... regards, Daniel

swiatopelk777 (0) 2009-05-03 2:00

Hi Gert!
Wonderful minaret, amazing sky, excellent colors. Good POV and capture.
Greetings from Poland!

ymrk (15099) 2009-05-03 2:05

Hello Gert!
Perfect sharpness with wonderful architectural details in this place.i loved a that way,and blue of sky...
Take care of yourself,

Yağmur

dta (98848) 2009-05-03 2:07

Hello Gert ,
What a beautiful perspective , that leads the eyes from this narrow street to the minaret . The colors are beautifull . An excellent scan .
Bravo
Regards

saxo042 (38078) 2009-05-03 2:11

Hej Gert,
A very strange and different architecture. But I guess that these building are well integrated in the landscape :-) Very good colours, both of the houses and the way you have combined them in your compostion. Taken in 1975 and uploaded in 2009, why have you waited so long with this very attractive photo?
Hälsningar
Gunnar

bostankorkulugu (42866) 2009-05-03 2:21

a beautiful presentation of the local architecture... the vivid colours are very eye-catching and the red minaret rising up to the blue sky looks just amazing... beautiful shot gert...

cheers

korkut

PaulVDV (62796) 2009-05-03 2:26

Hello Gert,
A very good presentation of this special architecture style of the M'Zab.
It starts with the stairs leading us up in the narrow streets. The blue and red-orange colours of the walls are very beautiful and the wonderful red minaret with blue woodwork at the windows contrasts heavily with the deep blue sky.
It's a very long time ago I met anyone or heard about anyone who did visit that region.
Best regards, Paul

serp2000 (47063) 2009-05-03 2:27

Dear Gert,

My congratulations! Excellent shot from the past! Superb colours! TFS!
Greetings from West Ural,

Serghei

ellelloo (6572) 2009-05-03 2:36

Hej Gert,
What an interesting minaret both by it's form and colour. A good composition in vertical format with an effective perspective. A good scan of a more than 30 years old slide, resulting in still pleasant, well saturated colours and great details.! TFS!
Hälsningar,
Lasse

Buin (42580) 2009-05-03 3:17

Hallo Gert!
This truly is an eyecatching photo - because of this incredible architecture and these gorgeous colours. I like how you managed to show all details from deep shadow up to bright sunshine here. A truly fascinanting scenery. Hats off!Greetings from still sunny Germany!
Frank

bukitgolfb301 (54014) 2009-05-03 4:16

Hello my dear Gert

Mysterious world but very vivid color.
The composition is very considerated.
Scanned color has good atmosphere indeed.

Thanks for your sharing and best regards

Takero

yaya13baut (3344) 2009-05-03 7:09

hi Gert,
fine colors in this desert village : blue, yellow, brow and orange, a festival !
good perspective of this dark street, leading to the big minaret of which the orange colour pulls away well from the sky.
Yannis

horatiuTT (4570) 2009-05-03 7:17

Hi Gert,
really an interesting view,almost spectacular and the colors make
it look almost like a painting.Have a good week,
Horatiu

jasmis (58653) 2009-05-03 7:52

Interesting colours, superb vertical shapes.
Regards.

Glint (6171) 2009-05-03 11:35

Hello Gert,
excellent POV. I can feel my neck cricking looking up and up. Light, colours and textures are superb.It has a strong graphial element that I enjoy.
Bev

vincz (19113) 2009-05-03 12:38

Wow.. greta colours and fantastic POV with the stairs leading us through the pictures.

mikeo (12129) 2009-05-03 12:52

Hello Gert,

Excellent set of strong colours. Very interesting buildings shown from well chosen POV. Good framing,

TFS
Greetings,
Mikeo

nirvana73 (0) 2009-05-03 13:31

Hello Gert
very interesting minaret
i never seen been before like this
very nice architecture
very nice colors and light
tfs
best regards
Ozhan

pauloog (11751) 2009-05-03 14:35

Hello Gert,
A good thing that scanning exists to revive beautiful and interesting views like this one.
Light well managed with this huge contrast between shadows and sunny areas and stunning colours for this simple but very pure architecture.
Regards,
Paul

Disabled_A (0) 2009-05-03 14:54

Hej Gert,
incredible - both the colours and the structure! I have already seen some photos of suchlike "fantastic"-looking structures/objects in your gallery :) I am amazed at such kind of architecture... let alone the combination of colours.
Anyway the scan looks perfect! And the perspective is very good, too.
And if only it were not for these modern power wires........
Have a very nice week!
best regards,
Elena

SteveH (8220) 2009-05-03 16:33

Hi Gert, that is a beauty! really good portrayal of North African Islamic Architecture. The colours and form are great from this well chosen POV. cheers, Steve

wolf38 (30) 2009-05-04 2:43

Hello Gert. The skillful composition and the strong colors are impressing. A really interesting motive. Very beautifully. Best regards, Wolfgang.

jlbrthnn (76043) 2009-05-04 3:05

Hello Gert,
The composition and its colors are absolutely superb. The blue colors ocher and colors are in perfaites harmony. A splendid image. congratulations.
Have a nice day
Cordially
Joël

scroller (3451) 2009-05-04 8:49

Hej Gert,
This is a fine photo with some beautiful colours.
I like the way the stairs take turning to the left.

Hälsningar
Stefan

mafegan (8626) 2009-05-04 22:45

Hello Gert
So many photos from Ghardaia - I am envious and do appreciate your sharing them. Surprisingly there are no people. Brilliant colours especially the orange minaret contrasting against the deep blue sky. In Google Earth can easily position this minaret on the hill. Cheers, Marlene

aadilj (18102) 2009-05-04 22:51

Hi gert, I am sorry I couldn't write earlier since I was travelling., I love this beautiful scene. The colours are lovely and the pov is also great. Overall it is extremely beautiful

jrj (34843) 2009-05-05 0:57

Impressive crisp colors in this detail of the desert village Gert. Well working compo with some spectacular details.

BurhanettinMasa (641) 2009-05-05 6:54

Hello Gert,
The colours are fascinating, great POV ... Also I had never seen a minaret like this, this is very, very interesting ...

Regards,
Burhan

emka (157280) 2009-05-05 14:40

Hi Gert, Splendid photo! The painting of the walls is so unnusual with blue parts. Very strange minaret. and the stairs also look very mysterious. Stunning photo, difficult to believe it is an old scan.

regards

Malgorzata

sebastn (146) 2009-05-06 5:54 [Comment]

Show Comment

stevesaba (8167) 2009-05-06 8:45

Hi Gert!
This really is a classic. Or at least it adheres to my preconception of the feel of Algeria, without having been there. The blue sky really helps to finish it off, as does the beautiful orange tower. Really well seen, and worth uploading after all these years. Great work! cheers,
Steve

archimatica (20648) 2009-05-10 10:19

Hi, Gertz.
Fantastic street view.
Wonderful colors and architectural details.
I like it - add to my favorite!
Regards
Renzo

azizbilgili (2111) 2009-05-12 2:13

Hi Gert ,
Beautiful perspective , that leads the eyes from this narrow street to the minaret . The colors are beautifull...

TFS

jafadabret (56501) 2009-05-14 23:35

Bonjour Gert.
Cette photo est très proche d'une peinture avec le graphisme de cette ruelle qui aboutit au minaret et les couleurs très riches.
J'aime beaucoup.
Jacques

CLODO (45116) 2009-05-16 13:04

Hi Gert
This stunny picture should be post in the "orange and blue" theme. Kodakrome was a good slide film, and you get the best of it in the scan.
Good night
CLODO

speedymanu (3701) 2009-06-22 12:21

Hello Gert

minaret in the desert or cubism in the desert. The composition you've created emphasizes the abstract touch and the textures of this place.

Congratualtions

Emmanuel

kschanna (6) 2009-09-28 4:04

Hello Gert,

This one deserves the praise it got.

The PoV is great and the colors are very well captured and realistic.

Thanks for sharing
Kamran

mirarer (4751) 2009-12-08 2:43

Hi Gert,
Great perspective and incredible nice colors.
I like the beautiful minaret and the contrast with the blue sky.
Best regards,
Mirari

yquem46 (38752) 2010-04-30 13:13

Hej Gert
I missed this one !
What a panel of pastel colors
Again I'm stunned by the quality of the scan
Mycket bra Gert
Have a nice WE
patrick

notrap (7812) 2012-08-30 12:45

Hallo Gert,
dieses Blau des Himmels mit Orange - ein herrlicher Kontrast.
Ein sehr schönes Bild aus dem Archiv.
Grüße von Elvira

KristinsCamera (2384) 2013-07-21 18:38

my goodness, i think my head will explode from happiness at seeing these colors together in your photograph ~ wow!

i can't believe the thoughtful design details, like the little blue bars at the top of the orange tower ... the multiple shades of ochre set against the blue ... the blue windows and the blue edging at the top of the walls and on adjacent facades.
apart from the muddy bottom (possible from use and wear?), the higher elevations are just delightful.

very nicely seen, gert! i love these treasures you keep bringing up from earlier decades!

hils ~
kristin

Miguel82 (47110) 2014-03-24 7:21

These narrow small streets are really interesting to discover, bright hues of the buildings, a brillant report from the 70's, all the best, regards

COSTANTINO (115499) 2014-03-24 7:25

Hello
shot that draws the eyes directly to the blue sky
good perspective of this black street
the blue and red orange walls mae
the difference
regards
have a nice new week
Costantino

Matyas (0) 2015-08-21 1:35

Hello Gert! Marvelous shot. Fantastic colours. Mysterious shadowplay. Good contrast, good sharpness. Excellent exposure and capture. Regards!

Periko (9105) 2016-09-06 17:17

Hi Gert
Nice colors and light, it seems a recent photo.
I like this narrow alley, and you are right, simplicity is often more beautiful than complexity.

TFS & regards
Pedro

Cricri (176) 2018-05-15 6:21

Hi Gert
Excellent le cadrage, le format, la texture des pierres, le contraste des couleurs, très belle présentation
Belle journée
cricri

kasianowak (17672) 2019-07-29 12:29

Wow! The colours... vivid blue and orange mixed together is always a good idea but here we also have a fascinating display of unusual architecture well presented in vertical format.
No people? ;-) But it really doesn't matter - it's all about shapes and colours.

mcmtanyel (67611) 2019-08-13 19:33

Hello Gert,
I love those colors, still vivid after 44 years! 👍🏻👍🏻
Regards,
MT

jmdias (114240) 2019-12-27 9:05

gert

WOW!

in some aspects the minaret is almost like a modernist structure in its simple and beauty shapes and even the strong color. excellent angle catching the façades and the narrow streets of the place. TFS
happy 2020

jorge