Mopti 30 years ago, a photo from Mopti, South

Photographer's Note

This is from the city of Mopti in the central part of Mali. I took this photo during a long journey of West Africa in the winter of 1982.

Mopti is situated at the confluence of the Niger and Bani rivers and is a busy trading centre. It's also a meeting-place of various ethnic groups. As far as I can tell these women carrying gourds of calabash on their heads belong to the Fulani, or Peul, a large ethnic group living in several countries in this region.

I have scanned this from a Kodachrome slide.

lousat, Kielia, lakshmip1949, fds, dta, pajaran, bayno, Budapestman, CLODO, tyro, jhm, vasilpro, adores, Angshu, fanni, ourania, Romano46 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

lousat (58446) 2012-05-01 2:25

Hi Gert,this is a very historic pic! And from a country out of the common touritics trips! I like your choice of place to ake this old holidays,you were a different traveller,looking for new and rare places to see.Very nice pic and great work of scannering,i like it! Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

Kielia (20657) 2012-05-01 2:31

Dear Gert;
this is a very attractive impression due to the wonderful light and the lively atmosphere. Very well working POV and an excellent composition with very nice colors. My compliments!
Warm regards
Harriet

yquem46 (32835) 2012-05-01 2:33

Hej Gert
Not sure that daily life has changed that much
A good scan, an excellent testimony of our past years
have a nice day
Patrick

lakshmip1949 (19110) 2012-05-01 2:58

Hello Gert,

The thumbnail itself is very attractive. When I opened it, I was stunned to see such a beautiful image taken in 1982. The colors are very beautiful showing the typical street scene 30 years ago. Excellent job of scanning. Very sharp and well lit.

Lakshmi

fds (5497) 2012-05-01 3:07

dear friend your document from the wordl of the old years ago are very fantastic
here i licke very much this people and your fantastic colors
great schot

dta (52250) 2012-05-01 3:18

Hello Gert ,
Another great oldie . The scene is fantastic, even it is a daily life one . Architecture , clothes , way of tramsportation ... many inetersing elements to discover here .
Thanks for the share .
Regards

Glint (5579) 2012-05-01 3:28

hello gert,
I especially like this. I love the sense of life, of colour and movement here. I like the patterns of of the women's dress and the contrast with the mud coloured bg buildings.The rounded hafl gourdes add an extra something.Very pleasing indeed. (You have so many teausers tucked up your sleeve!).
best regards,
Bev
ps Presently reading The Poisonwood Bible and plan to do some Africa reading after that.Must read The Scramble for Africa and Prince Leopold's Ghost as well as belatedly Achebe's Things Fall Apart.Any other recommendations?

saxo042 (31862) 2012-05-01 6:14

Hej Gert,
The colourfully dressed people are nicely assembled along a curved line that disappears behind the interesting buildings. A very fine, and quite different, street scene. Your scanning skills are really improved since your first uploads of old slides here on TE.
Hälsningar
Gunnar

wolf38 (28300) 2012-05-01 7:12

Hello Gert. Now an old photo of the current political unrest Mali. Everything is a very African. Especially the long dresses are amazing. Yes, this photo is a historical document. Well seen and presented. Rgds, Wolfgang.

notrap (4728) 2012-05-01 7:32

Hello Gert,
it is always a pleasure to see your contributions, far away not only regarding the distance, but also the time.
Though, once you have reached the age of 60, 1982 seems like yesterday. I don´t know wether to regret or not.
Thanks for sharing,
Elvira

dkmurphys (37419) 2012-05-01 8:04

Hi gert,
Another lovely document from the past. I like their clothing and the dynamic of the street. Well taken!

Daniel

pajaran (36906) 2012-05-01 10:37

Dobar dan-popodne.
Dobar tekst i secanje na posetu od pre 30. godina.
Lepa fotografija i rad skeniranjem slajda.
Dobar trenutak snimka i prikaz lepim bojama.
Prijatno popodne i sve najbolje.
Paja.

Google.

Good morning-afternoon.
Good text and the memory of the visit before 30 years.
Beautiful photo and slide scanning operation.
Good time recording and display of beautiful colors.
A lovely afternoon and all the best.
Paja.

GFSSD-1 (3134) 2012-05-01 11:35

Beautiful street shot
very good documentary image
i like it a lot..
tfs

TopGeo (38000) 2012-05-01 12:01

Hello Gert! an incredibly intriguing composition and image this with peoples Perfect idea!and point of corner! Highly original in concept and compelling in it's subject matter. Observational photography at it's best and presented powerfully. Well done!
Regards
Georgios

bayno (16423) 2012-05-01 12:06

Hi Gert,
a beautiful scene of daily life perfectly framed, the subjects are illuminated from the front, the two women with weights on them head remember a my post a few days ago, the photo looks like a painting...
good evening...
Valter

Jeppo (17623) 2012-05-01 12:27

ciao gert,

your shots have a double pleasure: they show a far-away reality....and this reality as it used to be

tfs
silvio

Budapestman (82620) 2012-05-01 14:48

Hi Gert,
a splendid daily life photo with attractive composition and lights, great details and the atmosphere is superb, great street impression, Tfs! Have a nice week! Kellemes hetet kívánok!
György

emka (59010) 2012-05-01 23:41

Hi Gert,

lovely colours in this old photo. I always admire the women carrying havy burden on their heads. beautiful dresses. Interesting capture and note.

Warm regrads

MAlgo

Nicou (98775) 2012-05-02 1:22

Hello

Grandisoe compo e tiamge superbe quelle scène et image ave ces gens qui portent sur leur tête des chargements, cette moto, merveilleus eocmpo e tiamge.

Bravo et amitié

Nicou

CLODO (24902) 2012-05-02 1:51

Hi gert

An every day situation, a little bit too contrasted for my taste (maybe the scan), well designed with the row of persons walking along the pavement.
Regards
CLODO

agjika (4103) 2012-05-02 2:07

Hi Gert,
Extraordinary place, almost out of this world. Nothing of what we are used see in a street,no pavement,no lights, no trees, no roofs, no woodwork not even brick and stone. And they are so at home there.

Incredible shot.

Thank you

aleks

tyro (13585) 2012-05-02 7:21

Hello Gert,

This is a fine and very interesting photograph of this city in Mali from 30 years ago. It would be interesting to see quite what this particular area looks like now.

The composition is good and we can see lots of details of the rather spartan buildings and the colourful people going about their daily business. The area on the left just looks like wasteland or where a building might once have stood.

Curiously, the quality of this picture doesn't seem quite as good as your usual scans of Kodachrome slides - perhaps that's because there are some extremely strong contrasts here?

A lovely photograph nonetheless.

Kind Regards,

John.

abmdsudi (27118) 2012-05-02 7:26

Hi Gert
Can feel the heat and humidity of this place and intensity of light as shown but life must go on. Dont know how much have been changed since then. Attractive street shot the local getting about their routine chores but they too add some colors to the scene in particular the women's traditional custumes. The rustic aged dwelling and its colors, textures further add the feel of this place. A poignant shot that speaks a time gone by and you have done a wonderful work capturing it. Congrats, TFS
Warm regards

patdeph (35738) 2012-05-02 12:51

hello Gert
very beautiful scan of a street scene, where I love the people and their colorful clothes, the way the women are walking with a basket on her head, and the architecture of the houses.I don't think there is much difference with an actual street scene.Very well done.
Regards
Pascale

siamesa (27455) 2012-05-02 15:35

Boa noite Gert

A trip to the past. this photo is simply beautiful. Fantastic colors and very nice elements. Congratulations.
Abraços
maria

macjake (39998) 2012-05-03 20:59

Hi Gert
I'm not going to complain about the quality of this photo, as its taken from a scanned old photo - thats expected.
what attracts me to it is the cultural aspect, the colors, the people and architecture.
So many interesting visuals to keep the viewers busy.
nice work
cheers
craig

jhm (123140) 2012-05-04 3:24

Hello Gert,

It's always very difficult a Kodachrome slide too scannen, but your result is excellent.
I don't know, or here is a lot changed anno 2012, I hope for the women improvement.
Also nice dept and perspective image.
Composition and presentation are nice for look at.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

vasilpro (40233) 2012-05-04 7:40

Hello Gert,
Wonderful daily life composition from Mali thirty years ago, excellent light management, very good sharpness, excellent POV and timing, vivid colors, TfS!
Have a nice weekend, Vasilis.

kato (7086) 2012-05-04 21:43

Hello Gert,

This is an interesting photograph, so it's impressive to see houses in the both sides of alley and women's traditional clothes. It's interesting in load on head, too.

Kind regards,
mikio

UlfE (13740) 2012-05-04 22:13

Hej Gert,

You continue to impress us with excellent scans. Colours sharpness and details are really good. Ths composition could not be better with all people walking diagonally across the photo. The man on the moped is an extra bonus. You timing with him was very good. He is extremely close to the frame but still inside it. TFS and ha en bra helg!

Hälsningar

Ulf

marcan44 (6223) 2012-05-05 9:28

Ciao Gert,
ogni tanto è bene uno sguardo al passato.
La scelta di questa vecchia foto analogica è indovinata.
La vita di ogni giorno è un ottimo banco di prova e un eccellente reportage del tuo viaggio.
Complimenti per lo scatto e la buona scannerizzazione.
Auguri per un felice w.e.
Mario

bebbetto (12) 2012-05-06 3:51

hello Gert,
despite the reduced quality, these old slides are hugely interesting. The composition is excellent.
Beautiful colored dresses
beautiful scene of daily life
regards

Graal (89434) 2012-05-06 10:23

Hi Gert,
an interesting documental photo. Good scan. I like the colours, contrast and stopped motion on the street in this image. Fine reportage about the daily life in Mopti.
Have a nice evening.
Aleksander

adores (28552) 2012-05-07 17:31

Hi Gert!
Good to see another old one:)! So much life in the street and everyone so well placed: the moto, the woman passing, their incredible dresses...and the architecture. A great daily scene! Great work with the scanner once again!

npecanhuk (54221) 2012-05-07 18:01

Hello Gert!
Pretty interesting daily life scene!
Beautiful and attractive picture!
Special regards to the colors, exposure, chosen pov and composition!
TFS - congrats,
Best regards,
Neyvan

eldancer1 (17330) 2012-05-07 20:24

I wonder if this place has changed or still the same as far as the standard of living and the way the people live. Nice documentation of daily life. Excellent lighting and good dof with nice details for being scanned from old photos. Well done, tfs.

mesutilgim (68620) 2012-05-09 11:09

Hello dear Gert,
I missed this great "oldie" ! No words to say about, it's just perfect.
Also the scan is very succesfull.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

Angshu (51432) 2012-05-13 21:26

Hello Gert
Fine daily life scene from 30 years ago, and the life there may be, even now, not much different. The calabash containers are quite big, what the ladies carry on their head. The houses are all made of mud & the men use mopeds...Excellent scan quality as always!
Best Regards
Angshu

fanni (13874) 2012-07-07 10:29

Hej Gert,

such a picturesque and hot (because of the colours) scene! To me, everything in this scene looks very exotic - especially those gourds on the womens' heads!:)
Thank you for yet another "historic" documentary shot.
kind regards
and wishes of a nice Sunday!
Elena

kwekwekan (628) 2012-07-22 15:10

Hello Gert,
A beautiful historical photo. Great composition, and excellent contrasts that take advantage of the strong West African sun. It would be great to have a comparison of Mopti today, I am sure there would be a number of differences (perhaps more subtle than elsewhere) as the region globalizes and develops.
Best wishes,
Caleb

i9l2y1m8a8t3 (4496) 2012-08-05 6:45

WOW! 1982! I wasn't even existing in this world! I wonder what it looks right now! This must've been a priceless and very precious souvenir for you. Love the busyness and the daily life scene in here. Great shot considering this is a 30-year old photograph. Thanks for sharing!

all the best,
M

ourania (13085) 2012-09-17 10:51

Hello Gert,
I love the internal rhythm of the frame that makes the scene mesmerizing. It's very interesting too as far as daily life, clothes and textures are concerned. The careful framing brings us closer to the people and makes the surroundings a most interesting setting where every detail matters. Lighting and colours are stunningly bold making a very strong and lasting impression. I love the intensity and vibrance of the white and the elegance of the other colours. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a great evening,
Ourania