A busy corner in Bamako, a photo from Koulikoro, South

Photographer's Note

This is a more than 30 years old photo from Bamako, the capital of Mali. This is my 19th picture on TE from Mali, but to my surprise the first one from Bamako, all the others being from the northern or central parts of the country.

I spent a couple of weeks in Bamako during the winter of 1982 and enjoyed it a lot. Although there was a lot of poverty and human suffering, including a significant number of people suffering from leprosy, it was also a friendly and colourful city with a vibrant street-life and a lot of interesting architecture in a significant colonial Sahelian style.

Bamako was also a city of music, heard at every street-corner, from almost every shop or street-stall. It was in West Africa in 1982, and especially in Bamako, that I got to know modern African music. It was a new experience to me, but I got hooked on it and felt sure that if that music would ever reach Europe and North America it would get just as big as reggae. Today it is - more or less.

I have scanned this from a Kodchrome slide. Another scan showing some typical architecture of Bamako can be seen in a workshop.

ourania, worldcitizen, kato, SnapRJW, bayno, saxo042, bukitgolfb301, Vasa, jhm, thebest, rychem, siolaw, adores, agjika, kasianowak, zoomer, Angshu, COSTANTINO, Wanda1, Romano46 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

fabianoleite (9098) 2013-01-23 13:07

Very interesting place, I like the lively atmosphere and all the colorful elements together. Congratulations!

yquem46 (32835) 2013-01-23 13:09

hej gert
Obviously I like these oldies
They show us the world as it was 30 years ago, and honestly I dont think it has changed that much in certain areas, in Africa for instance
have a nice day, best
Patrick

emilbo (20928) 2013-01-23 13:21

Allô Gert!
Belle découverte dans ton grenier qui doit te rappeler de bons souvenir. Tu avais déjà un bon oeil pour la photo à ce temps-là. Ces marchés sont toujours intéressants en vacances. Beau travail de scan.
Toutes mes félicitations!...
Emilius

macjake (39998) 2013-01-23 13:24

Hi Gert
Oh I have a feeling this photo will be very popular and successful for you - just you wait and see!
Gert, even just looking at this photo makes me want to travel here - and i know absolutely nothing about Mali or Bamako.
with the exception of the lady in blue on the left, the women here appear to all be very tall.
My only wish would be to see more of that architecture, it looks very interesting.
a wicked cultural shot!
cheers
craig

ourania (13085) 2013-01-23 13:42

Hello Gert,
this is a fscinating picture because its a very successful spontaneous capture of a daily life moment and has very intriguing atmosphere and colours. In your composition the facade of the shop is like a setting and the people moving in front of it make it very vivid. The movement to different directions is very effective. It's also interesting to see that the clothes sold there are totally different than what the people in the street are wearing. I enjoy looking for the one who's spotted you in your populated compositions and found one here too. The workshop picture is as fascinating. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a good night,
Ourania

ACL1978 (6103) 2013-01-23 17:39

Fascinating street scene with some of the best of the plac, Gert. A market with some bright clothes for sale, many of which look to be for children. Interesting how different the fashions on the actual people are than the ones being sold here. The building behind them shows some wear, indicative of the city as a whole at the time, no doubt.

Andrew

pajaran (36906) 2013-01-23 23:25

Dobar dan.
Dobar tekst sa datim podacima.
Dobar rad skeniranjem, lepa fotografija.
Lep trenutak pokazan.
Dobar rad sa lepom fotografijom u radionici.
Imajte lep i uspesan dan.
Sve njabolje sa lepim secanjem na 1982. godinu.
Paja.

Good day.
Good text with the given data.
Good work by scanning, beautiful images.
Shown a beautiful moment.
Good work with the beautiful photography workshop.
Have a nice and successful day.
All the best encryption with beautiful memories of the 1982nd year.
Paja.

kato (7086) 2013-01-23 23:54

Hello Gert,

You're capturing well this market by a good composition and very excellent tone/clarity, so it's interesting and impressive to see the women who wear colorful traditional clothes and are walking, and the roadside stand which sells clothes for child/adult at the roadside. Here, a bright peaceful life view is felt for me.

Kind regards,
mikio

SnapRJW (19188) 2013-01-24 0:10

Hello Gert - An appropriate posting at the moment featuring a country I long to visit but now have to put on the 'back-burner'. Your shot is vibrant and encapsulates the busy atmosphere of an African market, the two ladies in the FG look so elegant and confident as they go about their business. Your WS shot is also marvellous - the wider view sets the scene very well.
Let's hope for a swift end to the conflict in the country and peace for its people. Warm regards rosemary

Nicou (98775) 2013-01-24 1:53

Hello

Quelle vue de Bamako, j'ai aussi été quand j'avais 20 ans et maintenant il y a la guerre au Mali, superbe scène de rue et compo avec le belle couleurs de l'Afrique.

Bravo et amitié
Nicou

Kamilutka (3207) 2013-01-24 3:38

Hello Gert,
this photo is extremely interesting for all its content: the street seems to be very busy and so it is your image. It reminds me of some old school report photos. I like this style very much, which is also supported in here by warm natural colors.
Welld one!
Regards
Kamila

bayno (16423) 2013-01-24 5:04

Ciao Gert,
you travel a lot in your live...you see almost all the continent...this is nice...your soul is for sure much more rich....wonderful scan with dynamic scene of life...maybe here the B&W work very well...
beast regards,
Valter

abmdsudi (27118) 2013-01-24 5:24

Hi Gert
Love the mixture of everything here, I think this is an excellent debut street-daily life shot, for me the technique works well here, pin sharp and what an array of goodies. A wonderful bright and colourful image for a sunny day and all the colours and products just jumped out at me and I thought it would make an interesting different kind of image. Thanks for splashing colours, popular shop likes this is a part of the cityscape and prabably has disappeared now. The crowd being part and vital element making the compo works, cheerful and a shot revealing a glimpse into another way of life and adding flavour to this street. Another oldie but goodie!! Congrats
Kind regards

dkmurphys (37419) 2013-01-24 6:28

Hi Gert,
Attractive daily life scene. I like this old travel document...When you were there I had only a year old:P
Good shot!

Daniel

Fis2 (73646) 2013-01-24 13:14

Witaj Gert!
Interesting place, curious scene.
I like this daily life shot.
Good reportorial shot.
Best regards
Krzysztof

saxo042 (31862) 2013-01-24 15:13

Hej Gert,
Det här ser ju verkligen angenämt ut, fridfullt och behagligt. Jag vill minnas att vintern 1982 var jävligt kall här hemma, kallare än den här veckan. Det finns många detaljer och färger att fästa blicken på. Man kan just undra hur det ser ut på den här platsen idag.
Hälsningar
Gunnar

bukitgolfb301 (30401) 2013-01-25 15:22

Hi dear Gert

How are you? Sorry for my late reaction for the time being. I will rush up this weekend.
So precious documentary record, now very dangerous area, but seemed to so calm at that time. Very very wonderful typical image for Western Africa.
Thank you for your sharing and have a nice weekend!

Takero from Tokyo

Vasa (16008) 2013-01-25 16:07

In advance, I pay all your pictures, Gert. I will take the credit in the bank. This scene, 30 years ago is for my favorites. And you are the tourist which knows to speak about your travels. So exotic, my friend!

Branko

batalay (32930) 2013-01-25 21:06

Hello Gert,

This colorful scene is just as I would expect from Mali, now in desperate straits. The Kodachrome color slide has preserved its colors so well in the thirty years since you took the photo.

Warm regards,

Bulent

serp2000 (29632) 2013-01-26 0:35

Hej, Gert,
Good presentation of the Mali's capital. It looks like an usual society country. But last news from Mali are not so peaceful. Thanks for your photos from the past. They show us some changes in the different countries.

When I have visited Malmo, I remember the grey sky and lousy rain, but the evening Malmo is more interesting for the photographers.

Serghei

jhm (123140) 2013-01-26 2:05

Hello Gert,

A very old picture but your scanning is almost as a digital picture.
Your composition the facade of the shop is like a setting and the people moving in front of it make it very vivid.
Excellent light management and excellent clear picture.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

thebest (3370) 2013-01-27 6:06

Hi Gert,

What a great daily life scene people are busy going about their daily chores - what stands out is the wonderful posture of these people & you can tell their movements are so fluid & relaxed - the market place appears to have such a nice range of children's clothes.
Wonderful clarity & the content is full of interest.
I do like the colourful hat on the little boys head.
Great photo.

Kindest regards,
Dawn.

rychem (9750) 2013-01-27 8:47

Excellent document of the time, beautiful street scene, I am impressed with the quality of the scanned photo
regards
Ryszard

siolaw (37626) 2013-01-27 22:28

Hi Gert
This shows us nicely a street corner, busy as it is with ok colours and good sharpness. Mali in the news everyday now....
Regards
Laurent

photographer_sg (194) 2013-01-27 23:32

Hi Gert
Fascinating picture of daily life. Beautiful colours. i especially liked the open door in the center nicely accented with coloured clothes on both sides and the moving ladies in the foreground.
With regards
Satya

adores (28552) 2013-01-29 16:21

Hi Gert!
Another great daily scene in the old days! So colourful and full of details: the walls, the dresses and t-shirts they are selling, the people passing... I like this busy scene - it's so African!

UlfE (13740) 2013-01-30 10:17

Hej Gert,

Det passar ju bra med litet trevliga bilder från detta land som just nu nämns i nästan varje nyhetssändning i mindre trevliga sammanhang. Väldigt fin bild med mycket liv och rörelse och mycket att titta på. Jag får känslan av att det måste vara ett försäljningsställe för flickkläder och kanske ett ställe som mest drar till sig mammor, men kanske också en pappa eller är det den tjusiga försäljerskan han är intresserad av? Tack och ha en bra kväll!

Hälsningar

Ulf

fabbs99 (6322) 2013-02-06 9:26

Hello Gert,

Great old shot from the African country.Lovely job done.

Regards
Farhat

kasianowak (2459) 2013-02-06 13:03

Hi Gert
Interesting street scene, very colourful and with lots of interest. I could spend hours looking a it!
I really your collection of old photographs. Thank you for sharing those.
Best wishes
Kasia

mkamionka (24808) 2013-02-07 9:52

Hi Gert,
thanks for the continuation of your reportage from Mali. We hear so many news about the country and it is hard to imagine what they are talking about. Great street scene here with so much going on.
Very well spotted,
M

zoomer (3624) 2013-02-09 12:47

Hi Gert,this photo has great atmosphere and authenticity.Fine work first with the original and then with the scanning.Friendly regards,Wolf.

Angshu (51432) 2013-02-14 5:08

Hello Gert
Amazingly busy picture & I can bet, little has changed even today! Like the activity going on there. I liked a lot the WS post with the unique building with its characteristic design & shape. A good picture of daily life as you showed here well!
Best Regards
Angshu

COSTANTINO (42760) 2013-03-06 3:13

Hello my friend
haow many photos do you have?unbelievable...
shot that has hunderd of details very well
composed,scenery from daily life
it looks like a page from a traveller s
book,
regards
have a nice evening
Costantino

Wanda1 (14018) 2013-03-09 21:37

Hi Gert,
You seem to have visited all the places that I would love still go :-) I am really enjoying all your historical photos.
Just look at those wonderful african fashions and that old building is great as a backdrop. I wonder if it has changed much since then... A wonderful lively street scene that you show us.
Regards
Wanda

Romano46 (5988) 2013-03-10 4:38

Giao Gert
le tue foto tratte dale tue diapositive non avranno la perfezione delle moderne digitali, però hanno il grande pregio di essere autentiche e di rappresentare molto bene luoghi e costumi nella loro originalità, prima che il turismo li contaminasse, trasformandone e contaminandone usi e costumi.
Quindi trovo straordinaria questa tua iniziativa anche perchè le tue foto hanno aspetti molto interessanti e oltretutto sono molto belle.
Ciao e buona domenica
Romano

adidas5nb (1682) 2013-04-09 20:50

i dont have a clue what a country like mali feels like in 2013,forget about 3 decades prior to that.so thanks for sharing this pic.really gives a feel of the place.great street shot.wonder what this place is now in 2013.
regards
dwaipayan