Just out of the Sahara, a photo from Agadez, East

Photographer's Note

In December 1981 I set out on a long journey to West Africa. I travelled by bus through Algeria as far south as I could reach with public transports. In the southern city of Tamanrasset I had to look around for somebody to take me through the Sahara. I found a truck headed for Nigeria with a load of dates, that brought me through roadless land to northern Niger, a journey of approximately 72 hours.

One of the first sights of life after we had crossed into Niger and left the desert behind us were these wells where people had come from afar with their cattle to find water. We only stopped briefly, so I took this photo from top of the truck.

I have scanned this from a Kodachrome slide. Here is a larger version.

mirosu, COSTANTINO, cornejo, ourania, PaulVDV, kasianowak, fabbs99, photoray, kordinator, John_F_Kennedy, Royaldevon, danos, Graal, jhm, Angshu, mcmtanyel, adores, abmdsudi, macjake, ChrisJ, nikkitta ha contrassegnato questa nota come utile

Critiques | Translate

mirosu (16313) 2015-02-18 6:12

Hi Gert,
Excellent photo arrangement. Superb mixture of people and animals in excellent light.
I'm always wondering about perfect scanning quality.
Very well done.
Greetings,
MIRO
.

Sergiom (117241) 2015-02-18 6:16

Bonjour Gert,

La qualité de la numérisation de cette photo est impressionnante. La qualité de la lumière et la netteté des détails aussi. Une très belle scène de ce marché dans le Sahara.

Amicalement

Serge

COSTANTINO (116421) 2015-02-18 8:17

Hello dear Gert
and have a nice evening
you are really very lucky after too long journeys
all over the world this photo taken from West
Aftrica too many years ago is a proof of a different
life and a dedication to people of this capture
just out of the Sahara
a different life
regards
Costantino

cornejo (61504) 2015-02-18 9:43

Hello Gert, good photo of this interesting scene of daily life here in Africa. Very well captured in this interesting image with good sharpness, light and color. Very good and nice job perfectly done, congratulations my friend. Thanks for sharing this interesting work.

Good night and happy rest of the week.
Best wishes from the south of Spain.
Angel.

Fis2 (170693) 2015-02-18 9:53

Witaj Gert!
Interesting scene from daily life.
Good frame and superb colors.
Another excellent photo from your archive.
Very well done.
Good evening
Krzysztof

ourania (51103) 2015-02-18 9:53

Hello Gert,
this must have been a noisy and fascinating sight, after the long trip through the desert. The top of the truck gave you a fine, elevated point of view and led to a rich and attractive composition that fills the frame. I like very much the strong light, the shadows and the quality of the colours, which make the scene look even more exotic and intriguing. It's enjoyable to observe the animals and the people's attitudes. The three pictures you offer as references make effective complements to a thorough narration. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a great evening,
Ourania

pajaran (115831) 2015-02-18 9:54

Dobro vece.
Lep pogled na mesto sa bunarom i stoku ...
Dobar trenutak snimka, kontrast i perspektiva, lepo pokazano mesto i trenutak.
Voda je izvor zivota i mesto okupljanja u pustinji.
Prijatno vece i sve najbolje sa lepim secanjem na posetu Alziru.
Paja.

Good evening.
A beautiful view of the city with a well and livestock ...
Good time recording, contrast and perspective, a beautiful place and demonstrated a moment.
Water is the source of life and a meeting place in the desert.
Good evening and all the best with beautiful memories of the visit to Algeria.
Paja.

PaulVDV (62880) 2015-02-18 10:01

Hello Gert,
First I thought it was a market scene. It reminds me a little at the market of Bayt al-Faqih in Yemen where a large number of animals are traded and the Tihamah (the coastal plain there) has a similar view as here on the picture.
So here the people with their animals come together for the rare water. Several animals look very thin. It's clear that depending on the available water the lifestock will wether or not provide sufficiently for the livelihood of these people.
I see that your position on top of the truck has not gone unnoticed but it has also made it possible to show us a part of the Sahel landscape.
Was the water of these wells also your drinking water and what did you eat during those 72 hours?
Best regards, Paul

kasianowak (17676) 2015-02-18 10:12

Hi Gert
Amazing glimpse into the real daily life with all these people and creatures and the uninterrupted blue of the sky in the distance.
And of course a note mentioning a couple of places you will tell me not to go to... ;-)
Best wishes
Kasia

fabbs99 (17179) 2015-02-18 11:50

Hello Gert,

I love to read the anecdotes that your old images carry with them.They always carry an unusual story.Lots of cattle and donkeys there as well as the nomads.Very well captured.Keep sharing.TFS.

Regards,
Farhat

williewhistler (16606) 2015-02-18 12:09

Hello Gert,
I guess that you must have been rather conspicuous perched on top of the truck with a camera in hand judging by the attention of some of the younger onlookers.
With quite a range of animals,some in better condition than others it`s an enthralling scene with many features to peruse and enjoy.
Warm regards Les.

mesutilgim (0) 2015-02-18 12:34

Hello dear Gert,
Nice to see you back to your wonderfull archive !
Another topclass capture of this cattle on watering place. Again a perfect scan.
TFS and best regards from İstanbul under heavy snowfall.
MESUT ILGIM

photoray (13981) 2015-02-18 13:33

Howdy Gert,

Interesting Niger scene, could well been centuries ago, with herders, donkeys, goats, and camels gathering at the important well.

Thanks for sharing,
Cheers,
Ray

carlo62 (81265) 2015-02-18 15:04

Ciao Gert
sembra che sia passato poco tempo, ma sono oltre trenta anni, sono molti per noi uomini.
Bella panoramica su questo luogo, un pozzo d'acqua è più prezioso dell'oro, ma sembra che regni un grande rispetto tra le persone in attesa del proprio turno.
Saluti
Carlo

PiotrF (54602) 2015-02-18 16:59

Hello Gert,
Excellent capture of people and animals, interesting picture from Agadez.
This is beautiful scene. i like very much good moment and excellent composition. Very good job.
Regards
Piotr

rychem (72187) 2015-02-18 22:20

This is a rare photo on TE, great scene presenting the symbiosis of humans and animals, one of your valuable pictures from the past, bravo
Ryszard

kordinator (8738) 2015-02-19 0:35

Dear Gert
Very nice mixture of people and animals.
Nice chirful place.
Perfect lighting.
Excellent photos from West Africa.
Excellent composition and presentation.
Kind regards
Saša

Matyas (0) 2015-02-19 0:46

Hello Gert! Wonderful documentary shot from 1981! Amazing quality. Fantastic animals, marvelous people. Fine colours. Good sharpness. Great effect. Regards!

John_F_Kennedy (43797) 2015-02-19 4:47

Hello Gert,
I really like the picture. The market is well seen with its business. Good POV and composition.
best wishes,
Achim

Nicou (193806) 2015-02-19 5:04

Hello

Avec ces chèvres, ces ânes quelle vue sueprbe les personnage dans ce désert dans l'immensité sueprbe scène et iamge splendide.
Bravo et amitié
Nicou

saxo042 (38078) 2015-02-19 6:36

Hej Gert,
Det ser ju ut att vara tämligen riklig vegetation här men ser man på Googles karta förefaller det vara enbart öken här också. Det måste ju ha varit som att komma tillbaka till civilisationen efter 72 timmar genom Sahara. En mycket intressant och mycket vältagen bild. Roligt att se de gamla extrabilderna på nytt.
Hälsningar
Gunnar

eldancer1 (36343) 2015-02-19 7:38

Your timing is great with this picture that includes goats--Feb. 19, is the beginning of the Chinese New year--Year of the sheep/goat. I hope they found water for their animals. Good documentation of the daily life of people. Good photographic quality from a scan with nice color retention. Well done, tfs.

Silvio1953 (221525) 2015-02-19 10:53

Ciao Gert, lovely composition with a lot of people and animals, wonderful colors, splendid light and excellent clarity, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

Royaldevon (85896) 2015-02-20 1:11

Hello Gert,

What a gathering!
I can imagine the attraction, the relief in reaching a place like this, after travelling the austerity of the Sahara! To reach water has to be the ultimate goal, especially with animals.
The donkeys look particularly sleepy!
They are not tethered but I would imagine instinct would keep them close to the water ... or are they just well trained!
A fine glimpse into the past, like something from a documentary, which I so enjoy.

Another very well scanned shot.

Thank you for sharing this,
Bev :-)

rbassin (27472) 2015-02-20 7:43

hello Gert
un beau travail de reportage,des années 1981;
une scène intéressante,où vivent ensemble animaux et humain.
Bon W-E
Roland

danos (110407) 2015-02-20 8:09

Hello Gert,
a very nice photo from the 80's with this arid 'farm' of donkeys and sheep to are among all these natives.A very good reportage shot from the life of Niger's country.

Regards,Danos

Cricri (176) 2015-02-20 11:24

Hi Gert
Un très beau travail dans cette ancienne image, tant dans les couleurs, la netteté, la lumière, une belle réalisation
Belle soirée
cricri

lousat (139220) 2015-02-20 12:23

Hi Gert,another great memory of your od trips,spectacular and rich composition of this disappear world,great work with scanner and PP.Have a nice weekend and thanks,Luciano

emka (158092) 2015-02-21 5:48

Hi Gert,

December 1981, haha, you travelled to Africa, for me, it was an adventure to go to the other side of Vistula, and difficult to other town in Poland. What an experience you had. I would love to go on this truck. It must have been exotic view for the locals, as many of them look at you. Many interesting details, animals, woman in burka, probably the place with water for camels. As alway, superb scanning, the Kodachrome cliedes had excellent qualiuty.

WArm regrad s Malgo

willperrett (14215) 2015-02-21 11:08

Hello Gert

Your archive is huge and I remain enthusiastic about your sharing it with us! This is a very interesting documentary shot, showing a scene which will have changed little in millennia. I wonder if life there still goes on in this way... I think I might have been tempted to "correct" that turquoise sky though.

Kind regards

Will

berek (50518) 2015-02-21 22:11

Dear Gert,
The scanning quality of this picture is impressive. The quality of light and the clarity of details too. A beautiful scene of this market in the Sahara. interesting view from 1981
Friendly Regards.
Burak

Graal (103040) 2015-02-22 1:37

Hello Gert,
another interesting old photo from your archive. Amazing scenery and reportage about the daily life in Niger. Good quality of scan. I like it.
Have a nice day.
Aleksander

jhm (211736) 2015-02-22 4:03

Hello Gert,

Again a wonderful old picture 34 years old but wonderful and perfect scanned.
We get a lovely sight on all the animals and the people between the group
Sharpness and clarity are of high quality.
Composition and presentation are pleasant.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice Sunday,
John.

Angshu (56760) 2015-02-24 5:02

Hello Gert
What a journey you must have had! 72 hours ina truck in those days must be painful! Where did you stay for the nights?

This desert is like the one to the west of our country...small shrubs, no trees and water...
Nice picture of the oasis with donkeys, goats, camels, cows and of course the people!
Best Regards
Angshu

adores (46979) 2015-02-26 15:37

Hi Gert.
A fantatsic daily scene. So authentic and far away from everything. Looks that the poor donkeys do not eat that much. I really like this scene so full of life. Another great old one.

Miguel82 (47110) 2015-03-01 1:52

Desert people are struggling to find water in the arid and hostile Sahara
the shephers stopped in that well along with their donkeys sheeps camels and goats
splendid landscape in the bg Gert

serp2000 (47063) 2015-03-04 0:50

Hello, Gert,
I like to see you photos from this region, I also like to watch National Geographic, GEO etc. with so interesting and informative programs. But when I have see the breaking news about any Boko Kharam activity I just forget about these interesting reports.
I can't to post the photos here during a few days.

Serghei

abmdsudi (95869) 2015-03-06 20:46

Hi Gert
Tks to your one thousandth! and i go for this intriguing shot of a great travelogue imagery and what an experience that must have been in the middle of the desert Gert! Superb illustration of the environment, full of life with the animals making greater contribution to this capture of the Sahara and is truly a picture perfect moment. I also love the sense of vastness and tremendous depth in this, a capture which summed up in your excellent slice of life shot from this remote land!! Congrats
Best regards

macjake (98438) 2015-03-19 4:59

Hi Gert
well, i'm back and it feels great!
you'll be happy to know that I have dozens and dozens of people photos to share from India :)

as for your post here, its another country that I know very little about, yet I get the feeling its NOT so safe to travel here today compared to 1981.

this is one of those real scenes of daily life, not planned or staged. fun to scan the scene and see whats happening in every corner.

excellent post
cheers
craig

ChrisJ (171822) 2015-03-23 16:01

Hi Gert,

It looks to be a dry and desolate area and the fg donkeys appear malnourished in this unforgiving land with their protruding rib cage bones. The goats and cattle have fared a little better. The camel makes an interesting backdrop. Good sharpness and lots of interesting details to look at. Tfs!

mkamionka (74351) 2015-03-30 5:07

Hi Gert,
very interesting note, it sounds like a real adventure!
I wonder when it was more dangerous now or then.
Charming scene of daily life I guess with animals waiting for their turn to get water.
Great quality scan as usually,
M

nikkitta (17070) 2015-04-14 12:22

Hola Gert

What a trip, quite exhausting it must have been but the only way to stay close to locals and be witness of that kind of scenes
Dessert at the back and a kind of oasis plenty of life th people and animals
Congrats for the panoramic obtained from top of the bus!
Kind regards
Mari