The Road to Khorog, a photo from Kuhistoni Badakhshon, East

Photographer's Note

I bet quite a few TE members will think this is not really a travel photo and should not be posted on the site at all. And yet, this is what my first day in Tajikistan looked like and this is the view I admired for hours – the landscape with a blotch of a wing mirror in the middle. Yep, that was my day, from just after midday, when I left the airport in a slick Toyota Land Cruiser, complete with a professional and smart-looking driver.

Those of you who know me better, would, I’m sure, at this point exclaim: “What on earth was she doing, picked up from the airport by a private hire with a driver?” Whenever possible, I choose public transport, shared taxis, chicken vans and fifth class train carriages. You really get to know the local people in those means of transport, the cheaper the better. If I do hire cars I drive them myself (and sleep in them too). But on this particular occasion I was in a hurry. I wanted to reach Khorog as soon as possible because I had to make arrangements there for the next leg of my journey and I didn’t have much time. I will explain this later.

The road to Khorog is murderous. Minimum 13 hours of sitting on your bum. More than half of that on dismal roads. But it is an epic drive and I would love to, one day, return in a self-drive rental car and do it over several days with many photo stops.

For over 300 kilometres the road runs along the river Panj, in an awe-inspiring mountain corridor, one of the most beautiful river canyons I have ever seen. It is known as “Opium Highway” as that’s where certain goods travel from Afghanistan, through Tajikistan, to Russia and Europe. You are required to hold a special permit to enter the area and travel along that road. On my first night in Tajikistan I watched that amazing landscape unroll before my eyes, painted in velvet black and bathed in silver moonlight. I didn’t take any photos, and they wouldn’t be good photos anyway. But it got etched in my memory and will stay there forever.

Several days later I endured that drive again, in the opposite direction, this time in a shared taxi, with 9 other passengers. Again, there weren’t many photo opportunities - the drivers push on as no one wants to spend longer than 13 hours driving if they don’t have to. But at least I had an opportunity to see the mountains in daylight. And I did take a few photos, two of which I will include in WS.

holmertz, dragonslayero, macjake, PiotrF, pajaran, jhm, ChrisJ, BennyV, papagolf21, Royaldevon, Fis2, mcmtanyel, COSTANTINO has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

holmertz (103732) 2019-11-12 13:09

Hello Kasia,
No, not really the photo I had expected for your first upload, but I am getting used to being surprised by you. But it's an interesting composition and there is a lot of atmosphere created by the reflection of the reflected setting sun and the blurred view of the desert-like scenery. It makes me remember some long evenings on buses in empty areas of eastern Turkey and Iran during my very early journeys. The WS photos also give me strong memories although I have never been to Tajikistan. Just almost.
Have a nice evening,
Gert

dragonslayero (3592) 2019-11-12 13:32

Hello Kasia

Technically not so much a travel photo, but still very much so.
It might not show off the location, but if well performed these kind of photos can turn out very good.
...and in this case it did...
Excellent sharpness on the area of interest, the area within the mirror.
But the more I study your photo I realize there is a lot to learn from it. The subtle hints of a landscape, the features and of course the lovely colours of the setting(?) sun.
Thanks for sharing.

OJJ

macjake (98544) 2019-11-12 13:34

Hi Kasia
its been a year and a half ago since ANY TE member posted a photo from this country, and if you scroll down to the bottom of page 1, its been SEVERAL years to fill up even 1 page. and to be honest, I don't even know where this country is on the map, i can take a good guess, but not the EXACT location. Seriously, how many North American's know anything about Tajikistan! And again, not to sound so Ignorant, but I know NOTHING about Khorog, infact I've never even heard of the city before. is it a city? lol Reading your note, we can totally understand why you posted this shot, I hope TE members do read it, its so important. We can understand why you took this shot as you sat here for half a day lol. great TE post. Looking forward to seeing shots from a country i know nothing about. cheers
Craig

GyurMaster (25067) 2019-11-12 14:30

Hello Kasia,

Its maybe not the typical TE photo, but I think it does the trick! The lights and colours were very good at that time. The only thing I would have added - if I made this photo - is myself in the mirror, creating a quasi selfie. Maybe I was infected with the selfie-fewer? :)
One thing raised my attention: you wrote that you drive yourself if you hire a car. I just read that e.g. in Japan it is not quite legal to drive with European or American license, they are part of a different international agreement. Have you encountered such difficulties in any of the countries you visited? I guess that in some middle-east countries it is even forbidden for women to drive. Or am I wrong? I'm really curious regarding your experiences in this matter.

Best Wishes,
Gy.

PiotrF (56188) 2019-11-12 16:14

Czesc Kasiu
Jesli to jeden z 10 krajow ktorych nie pokazywalas to niezlej serii mozna sie spodziewac.
Zainteresowanie tym tajemniczym krajem juz widac, takze nie tylko ja bede czekal na nastepne posty.
Moze wyjasni sie cel tak odleglej podrozy bo na TE niewiele jest zdjec z tego kraju - pewnie obejrzalas wszystkie przed wyjazdem ;)
Ale gory maja ladne to moze wpisze na swoja liste do odwiedzenia ;)
pozdrawiam
Piotr

abmdsudi (95869) 2019-11-12 19:44

Hi Kasia
An attractive ideas at the setting sun popped up by that eye-catching tiny fireball!! Have to say that I have often admired the view in the wing mirror. That's an intriguing crystal clear reflections with very satisfying distortions, but you've got the critical focus where you want it without the loss of quality. Your tighter crop looks great too, isolating the mirror against the background and use of dof make me want to look deeper and deeper into it. Your imagination is worth exploring here by taking good control of your settings. Excellent, enjoyed reading your notes as usual. Congrats
Best regards

Nicou (193814) 2019-11-12 22:36

Hello

géniale compo et vue quel rétroviseur et captage avec ce reflets ce ciel doux en bande colorées et le découpage du rétroviseur et l’aile de la voiture qui ressort splendide
bravo et amitié
Nciou

jemaflor (148368) 2019-11-12 23:20

Hi Kasia,
Well photographed, interesting effect, good light capture,good idea for an original photo, tfs.

lousat (140070) 2019-11-13 1:24

Ciao Kasia.Hi Kasia, I'd like to know how much the outward journey cost, 13 hours are so many even if the prices are certainly much cheaper here. The beginning of this adventure, the photo of the mirror is not a new idea but it is certainly the example of what you have seen for so many hours .. ehehe..very interesting the photos of the WS, especially that of the restaurant. Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

jhm (211738) 2019-11-13 5:11

Hello Kasia,

Simple, but nice through the sun in the window of the car.
Lovely composition and nice presentation.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John

ChrisJ (172442) 2019-11-13 9:45

Hello Kasia,

I took a similar shot in Mongolia. It shows a sunset and some of the landscape so what's to complain about? Good dof and sharpness too. How close was the vehicle to the edge of the cliff? Hopefully a safe distance! Tfs!

BennyV (34780) 2019-11-13 11:46

Dark and atmospheric picture, Kasia. It reminds me of seventies rock album covers, though it's impossible now to point out one in particular. That setting sun is just superb! Congratulations!

Benny

papagolf21 (152607) 2019-11-13 23:16

Bonjour, cher Kasia,
Une belle histoire, un environnement d'un autre monde.
Tout devient mystérieux, j'aime beaucoup cette prise de vue à travers le rétroviseur.
Amitiés.
Philippe

CLODO (45118) 2019-11-14 4:26

Hi Kasia

I am not part of the TE members who.....
I appreciate the picture because it starts a dream of journey following Marco Polo (but of course he had no 4WD!) or the stories of the 1001 nights.
We can't se much of the landscape but part of a mountain, the setting sun and the blurred road = motion, even it it is taken during a halt and the blurr is due to the out of focus of the close road, but the feeling is so great, quite different than the one in front of the mundane Eiffel tower taken at midday or the xxxth picture of the leaning tower of Pisa which are the winners in this site!
Have a nice day
CLODO

Royaldevon (86564) 2019-11-14 7:30

Hello Kasia,

You always begin a serial for us to follow and enjoy.
Your main photograph is just that, the beginning of the story and, as such, it has intrigued and surprised us. It's the misty view through the telescope, the quick glance through the binoculars, just enough to catch a glimpse and make us want more!
The mirror makes us concentrate on your view - a sunset reflected in the window, reflected in the mirror, all against a grey, oof, b/g. Who wouldn't be intrigued.
It's not better than a postcard view, or better than an abstract pattern ... it's just different.

Don't keep us waiting too long for the next episode!

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

rychem (72187) 2019-11-14 7:54

Zaczynasz ciekawa podroz, czekam na nastepne zdjecia, bo to tylko narobilo apetytu
pozdrawiam Ryszard

Fis2 (172083) 2019-11-14 10:23

Czesc Kasiu!
Dobry pomys³ i ciekawy efekt.
Lubie takie...
Zachod slonca w lusterku robi wrazenie.
Super kolorki i ostrosc.
Milego wieczoru.
Pozdrawiam.
Krzysztof

mcmtanyel (69384) 2019-11-14 20:25

Hello Kasia,
It's a very artsy photo with a reflection of reflections and lovely colors. Congratulations, well done! 👍🏻👍🏻
Regards,
MT

COSTANTINO (117940) 2019-11-14 22:07

Hello dear Kasia
technically not so much a travel photo
but you captured the moment well
nice details and timing
welldone
regards
Costantino

emka (158962) 2019-12-02 23:34

Cześc Kasiu, Bardzo ciekawa opowieść o Twojej podróży do Tadzykistanu. Mnie tam jeszcze nie było, więc tym bardziej mnie to interesuje. Sprawdziłam, ze wize mozna dostać elektroniczna niemal od ręki. Więc pewnie tez sie wybiorę, razem z Kirgistanem przyszłej jesieni. Ciekawe zdjecie zachodu słońca w lusterku. Chociaz chciałabym zobaczyc więćej tych gór wysokich.
Ja tez jestem zwolennikiem publicznego transportu i nic mnie nie przeraża. Z Jeddy do Dubaju przejechałam autobusami - luksusowymi, dwa razy po około 12 godzin.

Pozdrawiam
M