Girl with talisman Photo

Photographer’s Note

This is a girl I met on a street in the town of Balkh in northern Afghanistan in May 1973. The little metal box which is stitched to her dress is a talisman containing most likely a quotation from the Quran to protect her from evil.
Nowadays Balkh is a small town of muddy streets and mostly simple houses with little to remind a visitor that in ancient times this was one of the great cities of the world.
Scanned from a Kodachrome slide.

Asiulus, molla, saxo042 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

molla (6875) 2007-12-11 3:12

Hej Gert
One question that's impossible to not asking and allmost as impossible to answer,
what happend to this girl? are she still alive was she captured in to the strict life of the taliban burquas. or did she find her way somewhere else.
Your photo is timeless but reality not.
Hälsningar Anders

saxo042 (15148) 2007-12-11 7:07

Hej Gert,
One a quick glance I thought this was titled 'Girl with taliban' but of course not... A very fine and expressive portrait anyway with clear and deep colours. How old could she have been when you took this photo? What was she wearing in the handbasin?
Hälsningar
Gunnar

Asiulus (1064) 2007-12-21 5:47

Hej Gert!
Apart from the thoughts that Molla expressed (agree), I have a feeling of the moment caught: the hair moving, this expression... Great.
Regards
Joanna

fanni (8713) 2008-07-26 14:41

Hello Gert,
very emotional portrait. I like the expression on the girl's face. I wonder what's she thinking about...
The red colour of her dress looks very bright and expressive, but not too flaring, if I may say so.

I don't know why but this portrait reminded me of one old abba's song which has the following lines:
"Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture
And save it from the funny tricks of time..."

well, you saved the picture. But who knows what has become of the girl?..

best regards,
Elena

Photo Information

Copyright: Gert Holmertz (holmertz) (9296)
Genre: People
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 1973-05-00
Categories: Daily Life
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Kids from the World Part V, most expressive portraits [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-12-11 1:29