Stone Town Meat Market Photo

Photographer’s Note

I have one or two more shots to post from Nungwi, but I thought I would mix the subjects up a bit.

We spent the last two days of our short stay on Unguja Island, Zanzibar, just outside Stone Town, Zanzibar’s capital and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stone Town is known for its narrow streets and Arabic architecture.

This is the meat section of the fruit and food market built in 1904 during the time of the British Protectorate. It was dark, noisy and smelly. There were very few women in the market, with men buying as well as selling: something to do with their Arabic culture, I think. If anyone knows about this I would be interested.

There is an alternative shot from the meat market and one from the fish market in the WS.

All shots taken hand-held with the 2 second timer set to reduce the camera shake

ISO500, FL29mm

Emile, fabio_ts, Photo65Net, BennyV, ninaL, snunney, Floydian, imrek, nwoehnl, nicol_g, mariandrea, devimeuxbe, PixelTerror, dareco, Dyerco, mortijo, fayeulle, UlfE, Royaldevon, noborders, berek, Wandering_Dan, kiwi_explorer, Partha_c, carper, syd1946, Cricri, stego, Clairedelune, scobert, Graal, Jonas_Schmitt, faubry, xuaxo, plimrn, riclopes, MLINES has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

fabio_ts (13674) 2008-04-28 1:32

Wonderful daily life scene with great use of light by you Kath, composition is perfect and the man on background seems painted on the wall,
fine work, compliments!!

have a nice day,
Fabio.

barrufeto_77 (25945) 2008-04-28 1:36

Hi Kath.

Excellent daily-life picture. How you caught the details is...excellent!

Rgs, Oscar

Lavan3d (269) 2008-04-28 1:49

nice capture
sharp image

*note : Iam a vegetarian

Photo65Net (43096) 2008-04-28 1:50

Kath,
Great catch from this market.
The mood here is superb, with great tones and people attitudes.
Very pleasant one,
Regards,
JB.

izmirli (3287) 2008-04-28 1:55

merhaba dear kath
excellent composition and excellent interesting market.wonderful naturel colours.well done.
best regards.
gürkan akçakır.

BennyV (4921) 2008-04-28 2:04

A great shot, Kath, with lots going on and four very different facial expressions in the frame. So many details to keep us watching: the number, the plastic bag hanging, etc. Great work.

Benny

jasmis (51047) 2008-04-28 2:06

Strong impact. Extraordinary scenery. Superb photo of this situation.
Regards.

ninaL (19596) 2008-04-28 2:25

Hi, Kath.
Beautiful scene.
I like particulary some "painting aspect" here.
People are working but they seem be frozen for eternity.
Excellent composition.
Congratulations.
Best regards. Grazyna.

snunney (35564) 2008-04-28 2:35

Hello Kath,
Local markets are always fascinating and this one is no exception; completely different to the way of selling meat in the West. Good point of view and an interesting set of expressions and poses. Colours and clarity are excellent. Very good daily life image; I must try your little tip about using the timer - it had never occurred to me.

Floydian (30970) 2008-04-28 2:52

Hello Kath,
I also like to stroll these places. Most of the times it looks digusting, because it's so different than we live it's very nice to see. Beside all the meat here, i like the pose from the man and i wonder why the woman are not there to do some shopping. A reddish toning makes the image complete, gives a perfect mood to this place...
Regards, Henk

Jeppo (12142) 2008-04-28 3:11

Hi Kath,

well, this pic is not beautiful as itself...but it is very realistic.
details are clear and sharp and we get the feeling of being there, among colours, noises, flies and bad fragrances as well

ciao
Silvio

imrek (4) 2008-04-28 3:38

Hi Kath,

On the trip I also like to visit these places. The colours and pov are great and this composition is very good...a good daily life scene!
regards,
imre

wolf38 (13087) 2008-04-28 3:58

Hello Kath. A photo from the world of the work. Composition, colors etc. are in the best way. The photo works very authentically. A good and worth seeing shot. Best regards, Wolfgang.

coco (28152) 2008-04-28 5:17

Hi Kath.

I think this is one of your best photos you have posted lately. And that's mean this is really a WONDERFUL picture.
The scene... it belongs the their daily life and technically is superb.
I love the composition and the exposure. Light and timming are great too.

Thanks for sharing.

nwoehnl (120) 2008-04-28 5:21

This one I like a lot, Kath - it has a very raw and direct quality that puts the viewer right into the middle of the scene. Interesting poses and expressions captured, and a good glimpse of the contextual market details in the naturally available light. Nice work.

nicol_g (769) 2008-04-28 6:33

Love this picture, Kath, its atmosphere. The attitudes of the characters are wonderfully captured (the fg two are Ok but I think I like even more the two from behind - the pose of the sitting one and the 'talkative' one).
Love also the 'messy' market look, a nice authenticity feel. Special colours, a painture feel, indeed.
----

Good and interesting also the WS. Thank you.

mariandrea (973) 2008-04-28 7:36

Hi Kath, great capture, a real daily scene, and it seems that noone noticed you with the camera. Great expressions, good sharpness giving the light, and good colours too. Thanxs for sharing! chau chau!

Maria

devimeuxbe (56406) 2008-04-28 8:43

Hi kath
Excellent !
i know that the odors are also specials in this place. The light you get here are very beautifull. This is a nice report
Well done
Bertrand

Gerrit (36325) 2008-04-28 9:02

Hi LKath,
what a beautiful and intruiging marketscene. The bullshead and all that meat and the remarkable characteristic faces of the menform a fantastic composiotion in great reddish tones.
Regards< gerrit

PixelTerror (86957) 2008-04-28 9:03

Hi Kath,
LOL that's the kind of view that quickly turns you into a vegetarian !
Very nice rendering of this indoors scene, and from the various unconnected and somehow seeking to be connected actions we can see the place is very busy.
Have a nice day JY

gilou530 (35762) 2008-04-28 9:10

salut kath
une photo pleine de naturel de cette scéne, mais un peu hard pour les ames sensibles, belle lumière dans la piéce
amitiés
gilbert

dareco (17104) 2008-04-28 9:24

All of these pictures are very interesting. A culture so different from my own. I'm glad that you bring these daily life shots to us. TFS

Dyerco (9318) 2008-04-28 9:38

Hi Kath
You have amazing clarity for a 1/10yh sec shot. Nicely composed and well exposed. A great slice of life shot.
Phil

mortijo (12438) 2008-04-28 9:41

One could call this a very realistic painting. Everything and all is 'frozen' in a very reaistic pose. Great Job! Congratulations.
John

fayeulle (26547) 2008-04-28 10:27

Hi Kath.
This bloody picture can disgust a lot of peopele. However it's like that in this king of countries. Be happy to don't see the flies!
Good appetite
Cheers
HP

UlfE (9206) 2008-04-28 10:39

Hi Kath,

Fantastic daily life scene, I love the expressions on the men's faces. The light is also superb. Excellent details. Your best Tanzania shot, so far..

Cheers,

Ulf

Royaldevon (5944) 2008-04-28 11:20

Hello Kath,

Another shot which is excellent for its honest, unposed quality. I found myself whincing at the rawness of the experience and yet, it is so everyday to the men on screen. From the expressions, it has a parallel in the corner shop; the telling of a joke, a little gossip, the time waster, the busy shopkeeper!
Sharp, detailed and a good angle to get the best view of the four faces.

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

rodgerg (25115) 2008-04-28 12:42

Hello Kath,

A very interesting everyday life scene. Expression of the four men are very well collected.
Regards,
Roger

berek (29049) 2008-04-28 13:32

Hi Kath,
off reality of life . its hard and impressive composition. I like it very much . congratulations.
Burak

Wandering_Dan (3299) 2008-04-28 15:16

Hi, Kath -

How did you manage to keep them still for 1/10 second? Great expressions on their faces, and overall a well-composed image. Nice soft pastel lighting, too, not what I normally associate with meat markets in Africa.

Best,
Dan

kiwi_explorer (12195) 2008-04-28 18:01

Hi Kath,
What a capture ... I like the rawness of the scene ... like that of the medieval scenes we see in the movies. The image and color quality is just perfect ... looking at the photo I can smell the market ... the atmosphere is so real. I guess I'll just have vegetarian food tonight :) Well seen and captured ... excellent work! tfs
Cheers,
Renier

dvlazar (6492) 2008-04-28 21:13

Kath - what a shot in the market!
I think you were very luck to visit right as they were cutting up a creature of this size. Well captured, and thanks for bringing back the smells!!

Dave

Partha_c (1985) 2008-04-28 21:56

Hi Kath. Very lively shot on daily life. Ghastly in one sense but reflective on the other. The expressions on the faces caught beautifully. Well done. Regards.
Partha

danyy (69539) 2008-04-28 23:49

Bonjour Kath,
une photo très bonne sur le plan technique, on y sent les conditions médiocre d'hygiène et de vie tout court.
Belles lumières en tous cas.
Une photo, il faut l'avouer, pas très appétissante mais 100% TE.

carper (65768) 2008-04-29 1:35

it,s a stone town shot,
fantastic details shot, good pov and very interesting, It's realy old times here, good photojob Kath, have a nice day.
gr. jaap

noborders (14201) 2008-04-29 2:15

Wow Kath, your last photos are stunning ! You see, it's these kinds of butcher shops (in Nepal, but the meat was on the floor) which convinced to become a vegetarian some 30 years ago - a decision that I now regret as I feel terribly unhappy in places like China - but your photo is so fascinating ! The textures of the meat, in the FG, is really 'realistic', the expression of the persons interesting... Your "alternative" looks even more terrible (but a great shot), the fish market much less impressive - and the 3 photos have a small small problem on the top IMO, easy to correct playing with the levels... (tried a small WS, not sure that it is that great !)
I'm visiting your gallery with great pleasure as it is very varied these last pages,
Compliments,
Cath.

[workshop] [compare] +

syd1946 (17965) 2008-04-29 5:10

Hello Kath,
I enjoy very much this amazing daily life capture!So cinematic with a lot of drama in their activities.The way that they didn't look to you is incredible.A big bravo!

Thomas

Cricri (43822) 2008-04-29 5:24

Hi Kath,
Oups Quel vue!!!moi qui ne suis pas viande du tout
ce n'es pas un endroit que je visiterais....le WS est plus façile a regarder
Toujours une belle netteté et une grande qualité dans tes images
Have a nice day
cricri

markstaples (15670) 2008-04-29 12:12

A great candid daily life shot, very well framed. So much to look at and take in. A sucess ful shot.
Best wishes
Mark

stego (22484) 2008-04-29 16:21

Hi Kath,

I guess that your 'unease' with these 'daily life' shots with people are a thing of the past. All the photos are vivid portraits of the life on that place. I just hope you didn't recognise anyone of the staff of the place where you were staying. :-) I'd bet that the place was much cleaner 100 years ago...

It's remarkable how you manage to get so accomplished compos and so good exposure and sharpness in such conditions. Only one of the photos presents blur and even so, it's a very nice one.

I think that the trick of using the timer wouldn't have worked with me, because I would probably startle with the sound of the shutter. When I shoot at low speeds I try to concentrate for a while and hold my breath until I feel that I can stand very still.

Regards, José.

Clairedelune (4885) 2008-04-29 17:59

Hello Kath,
I know a few people already mentioned the look of a painting. Indeed! Something quite a-temporal, in this photography...
I like the nice colors that seem really natural (I am a little tired of the over-saturated colors sometimes...) and please my eyes. I love the light, and though I like and understand what Catherine has done in the WS, I still prefer that strange light that gives a special feel to this photo, if you see what I mean...
Ok, in a perfect world, and if it was a "studio" portrait, I would have get rid of the forth man (the one at the right) and the blue/white bag. And maybe the bike too. But hey! This is real life, isn't it?
A good one Kath.
Claire

scobert (5333) 2008-04-29 18:57

Hi Kath,
Another Naional Geographic caliber shot by someone who "doesn't specialize in people photographs". You have taken great photographs and have mixed up the images beautifully. You are a natural, pro-caliber travel photographer. Fantastic!
Stan

Graal (58828) 2008-04-29 23:38

Hi Kath,
unusual place and scene. Good reportage. Amazing market, interesting complementary photos. Well done.
Gr.,Aleksander

Jonas_Schmitt (3074) 2008-05-01 2:11

Hello Kath!
Great daily life picture, I really like this scene a lot.
You captured their moods perfectly, so it doesn´t even seem a little bit posed.
Also good colors, nice contrast and a fantastic point of view.
Regards,
Jonas

delkoo (34866) 2008-05-02 0:32

hi kath
I love those "everyday life" scenes, showing the true face of the life of those people. what I like the most about your picture is how you have perfectly managed the framing.
it is very impressive.

didier

faubry (32429) 2008-05-02 1:23

we are directly in market atmospher here, great details, these men seems stand by... wonderful photo.
francine

Angshu (34157) 2008-05-04 8:56

Hello Kath
Reminds me of the markets in our country as well. What is the meat of...buffalo, going by the large horn? The details are excellent & it's a surprise that nobody actually seems to notice you. How did you take this shot hand held with the 2 sec timer...I thought that is more applicable when a tripod is used....which means you held your breath for 2 1/10 sec...wow! A fine daily life shot!
Best Regards
Angshu

tomescuc (2837) 2008-05-04 10:20

Very interesting and candid scene. I like it a lot.
tfs,
CT

ktanska (16695) 2008-05-05 4:49

Hi Kath,
This one is great! I like the less fashionable subject. And the bit grumpy loooking faces. And just superior quality. There is very strong 3D feeling I can't quite describe. And still details are fairly sharp from front to back. I wonder how they all stopped for that split second for a painting like pose.
Kari

Stepan (27175) 2008-05-08 23:06

A great market scene, perfectly composed and captured. I'm a little surprised you got it sharp (with I see the speed). Great light again.
Stéphane

xuaxo (5843) 2008-05-10 14:16

Hello Kath,
This is not a nice view for my taste, but it is certainly a good photography. It presents very well the place; we realize easily that it is noisy and smelly.
Greetings,
F

Emile (20161) 2008-05-14 16:29

Hola Kath.
Very good daily life photo captured with a good POV, wonderful composition, colors and details are excellent, the men attitude is great. Very well captured.
Well done.
Cheers.

plimrn (19754) 2008-05-25 17:37

Hi Kath,
This shot is so dynamic and full of life (and death) that I've been looking at it for a long time. At first the horn reminded me a bit of a baby elephant's trunk; but I knew that was impossible. Reading the critiques and your responses helped me make sense of the carnage. Clearly people had a very visceral reaction to your very unique market photo. I collect market shots, I hope you don't mind that I added it to my collection.
HLJ, Pat

riclopes (33135) 2008-05-26 4:56

Olá Kath, apart from the delicious "sleeping leopard", I think I choose this one as the best from all the posts I missed in your gallery while I was absent. Some landscapes are great, but these market daily life scenes are fascinating. And this one is so good with the 4 natives well spread around in their natural daily life tasks. That horn is fantastic. A non attrative view, for sure, but the atmosphere is superb. And smelly too, I bet. These are the kind of places when Ana run away because her vegetarian nose can't stand the smell. It seems to me that it was worth all the work you did here.
ric
p.s - Yes, I enjoyed very much the long trip to Egypt (and Jordan). Very dificult and tiring for indepedent travellers like us but the landscape was awesome and very diferent from what I we knew until now. Let's see if I can keep active in TE to show my impressions - the adiction is gone, now.

goodwill (4033) 2008-09-05 19:38

Its a lovely action shot Kath.The axe efect is visible and how they look unconcerned and the moment you go to buy their eyes would sparkle.
The shot can be intrepeted in a number of ways and story can be written for the different expression of the different individual.

Thnaks for the bell and the horn.

Rajeev

MLINES (10998) 2008-09-05 21:28

Hi Kath, This looks like something out of a nightmare! Did you buy some to cook over a BBQ? Good quality photo with excellent sharpness and colours. TFS. Murray.