Music for children in Mindelo, a photo from Sao Vicente, Barlavento

Photographer's Note

The famous Praça Nova (“New Square”; officially Praça Amílcar Cabral) is the meeting point of downtown Mindelo, São Vicente Island. Especially at night a lot of people congregate here, to talk, to meet friends or just to see and to be seen. It’s a habit similar to the Italian passegiatta, for example.
On the side opposite the post office there is a red-and-white bandstand. Every Sunday at 7 PM, just after sunset, the municipal brass band performs free. It is the highlight of the children’s evening stroll in the Praça Nova, usually in their Sunday best; traditionally the children come together to the area near the bandstand and dance in one or several groups (they say fazer roda, “to make circles”).
In a workshop you see a detail of a musician. The other workshop is a broader day light view of the bandstand and the square; at left side there is the white-and-yellow Porto Grande hotel; in the background there is the bar-kiosk and the post office. At right there is the bust of the Marquês and Visconde de Sá da Bandeira, still displaying the Portuguese symbols (after independence, the Cape-Verdeans didn’t destroy the colonial historic monuments; anyway, the slavery was abolished in the Portuguese colonies under the government of Sá da Bandeira).
Location: * Localização: 16.8896197, -24.9877542.

riclopes, rushfan2112, gunbud, plimrn, Docarmo, Amaz has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

riclopes (35577) 2007-05-23 4:31

Excelente, Francisco. A qualidade nem sempre é o que interessa e tu sabes isso. Esta não está tão má como dizias e a atmosfera está fantástica. Só é pena os músicos estarem de costas, mas para apanhares esta criançada, tinha que ser assim. A escolha foi acertada e nem penses meter isto a preto e branco, pois considero que as cores são essenciais aqui. A outra durante o dia nem tem pessoas e só por isso tem muito menos interesse que esta. Bom WS com o músico.

rushfan2112 (2965) 2007-05-23 17:00

Hi Francisco. Looks like a carnival for the kids. The control of the mixed lighting sources is very good. The use of flash is not too obvious. A really joyful photo. Regards, Paul.

gunbud (34066) 2007-05-23 21:34

Hi Francisco,
Wonderful capture of these happy brightly clad children having fun dancing in the famous square. The adult seems to be worrying about something but not the wonderful children. Very informative interesting note.
Regards, Tom

plimrn (21344) 2007-05-25 1:44

Ola Francisco,
I like the three layers here, the light in the bandstand, the musicians and the ring of dancing children. The is interesting as always, I like the make circles phrase.
SAA, Pat

Bluejeans (64251) 2007-05-27 10:21

Ola Francisco gostei muito desta foto bem colorida , gostei da arquitectura do coreto esta muito bem conservado , parabens!!
um abraço Gonçalo

lucasgalodoido (25806) 2007-10-23 16:01

Olá Francisco!
Boa foto também, mostra como fica cheia a praça, uma pena o ruído elevado...
Parabéns e Abraço!

Docarmo (9767) 2008-12-27 18:33

Olá Francisco,
A luminosidade natural e o flash deram um resultado excelente! Uma cena extremamente simpática!
Parabéns!
MCV

Amaz (11475) 2009-06-07 2:14

Impressionate captura, amigo Francisco!!
Muito interessante composição e bom enquadramento!!!

Parabéns,

Saudacões cordiais

jhm (178982) 2010-01-05 23:39

Hi Francisco,

Indeed everything see here peace full with the children playing.
A pity that we here not have, the same safety.
I takes never night pictures or with four photographers together.
Very nice and very pleasant image.

Best regards,
John