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Photographer’s Note

I was stuck on a hillside for a couple of hours in south-west Uganda, between Kisizi and Kabale. The day was scorching hot and the poor old Toyota Corolla taxi I was riding in couldn't take the strain of another steep incline - so with a bang and a hiss of steam the radiator blew.

Stuck at the side of the road I watched the world go by. In Uganda most rural people don't have a car - they use bicycles to ferry their goods to market. This could be irish potatoes, huge banana bunches, grasses or onions. Uphill they lean in and push up the steep slopes - downhill they salom past potholes and hope their brakes are working! Some people set off at dawn to get to market - a 12km journey over these hills can take up to 4 hours. Yet again one is left in awe at the capacity for hard work!

This chap crossed my path. It was almost midday as he went past. I dislike midday in Africa when photographing - the light is unbearably harsh and exposure is always a terrible problem. In this case the blown highlight on his forehead, a product of sun and sweat, is a minor annoyance I can put up with as I think the shot shows all the strain and effort of a hard day's work for a normal guy.

'What's he pushing uphill?' you may ask. The answer is about 20 litres of locally brewed 'Waragi' - good enough in small doses but strong enough to produce a strong hangover (so I hear!).

I thought about a B&W conversion for this photo but have not mastered it yet. Anybody feel like having a crack at it?

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Additional Photos by tom gething (khawaaja) Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 37 W: 0 N: 247] (1027)
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