In the streets of old Lhasa, a photo from Tibet, West

Photographer's Note

Today's three photos are among the first I took in Lhasa after my arrival in the Tibetan capital in early September 1986. After this first closer look at the older part of the city, surrounding the holy Jokhang Temple, I noted in my diary that it was an area offering great photo opportunities:

"All these wrinkled old ladies spinning their prayer wheels, monks prostrating in the streets, the campas (an ethnic minority group) carrying brass plated daggers and with their long hair tied up with red ribbons, monks offering to read from the holy scriptures for a few coins from those passing by...".

But I also noted my doubts whether I would manage any really nice compositions:

"The narrow alleys are so crowded and chaotic, so it's hard to avoid having a garbage bin or a bicycle in the background".

And I noted that the high altitude (Lhasa is at about 3,600 meters) seemed to make the light so harsh that I could find problems to expose the photos correctly. Leh in Ladakh, where I had been one year earlier, had caused me the same problems although being at "only" 3,500 meters.

Anyway, I took these photos and many more, and they all turned out so-so. Today's photos are not technically brilliant, but maybe they have some historical and cultural value.

Here is a large version of the main photo.

I will add two pictures, one taken moments later in the same place as the main photo, the other probably from one of the main streets.

They were all scanned from Kodachrome slides.

Fis2, pajaran, alvaraalto, papagolf21, Royaldevon, pierrefonds, jhm, ChrisJ, Cricri, jean113, Ilonka1974, ikeharel, mcmtanyel, PaulVDV, ricardomattos, tyro, annjackman, macjake, cornejo, adramad has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Silvio1953 (223027) 2019-03-07 1:04

Ciao Gert, fascinating old shoot with interesting peoples, excellent perspective, splendid light and wonderful colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

Fis2 (172023) 2019-03-07 1:07

Witaj Gert!
Another fantastic scene from daily life.
Interesting place and scene.
I like Kodachrome colors, make impression.
Weell done.
Good morning.
Krzysztof

pajaran (117137) 2019-03-07 1:14

Dobar dan.
Lep pogled i trenutak, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Lepo pokazano, lepe fotografije i secanje.
Dobar rad skeniranjem slajda.
Zelim vam lep i uspesan dan, sve najbolje.
Paja.

Good day.
A nice view and a moment, interesting and good text ...
Beautifully shown, beautiful photos and memories.
Good work by scanning slides.
I wish you a beautiful and successful day, all the best.

alvaraalto (42844) 2019-03-07 1:30

Hello Gert,
Perhaps the quality of the photos is not perfect according to our current digital standards, but for photos from 1986 they are of high quality and in addition comes the interesting representations of life in Lhasa of that time.
Your informative note also contributes a lot to the pleasure of viewing this presentation.
Excellent work
Have a nice day, groet Rob

mesutilgim (0) 2019-03-07 1:54

Hello dear Gert,
Another interesting capture/entry in your gallery from Lhasa. Very good pov and nice brigth colors good sharpness. Again many interesting details.
Good and usefull notes.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

papagolf21 (152607) 2019-03-07 2:11

Bonjour, cher Gert,
Vos images d'archives sont de véritables trésors. Les compositions sont criantes de vérité.
J’apprécie vos notes d'accompagnement, elles rendent compte d'une période donnée (je suppose que le tourisme était très réduit à l'époque).
Très bonne journée.
Amitiés.
Philippe

CLODO (45118) 2019-03-07 2:22

Hi Gert

Good to go back in your archives and discover your journeys abroad to reccord the everyday life. I like the woman carrying a big parcel on her back. A good link to my posted picture http://fr.trekearth.com/gallery/Middle_East/Turkey/Marmara/Istanbul//photo1556183.htm
Best regards
CLODO

Royaldevon (86520) 2019-03-07 2:48

Hello Gert,

Three very interesting photographs just full of people of different ages and activities.
I would have struggled deciding which to have as my main post!
The main post appears to be, perhaps, a family gathering, well composed, as they walk towards the camera.
It is interesting to see how the inhabitants decorate their windowsils with flowers.
I was also, attracted by the construction of the buildings. They appear to be made of bricks for a couple of metres but then seem like smeared stucco. I wonder if that shows where reparations have been made.
The old lady, carrying a heavy load is definitely a scene we would be unlikely to experience. I'm sure that, in my village, if an old lady had a huge load to carry, some younger person would immediately offer support.

As always, most interesting!

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

rbassin (27472) 2019-03-07 4:31

hello Gert
une scène bien saisie, pleine de vie et de couleurs.
Bonne photo d'archive
Amicalement
Roland

pierrefonds (115624) 2019-03-07 4:36

Hi Gert,

You have captured well the daily activities on the street of Lhasa. The point of view is showing the details of the physionomy of the people and of their clothings. It is clear and precise. Have a nice day.

Pierre

jhm (211738) 2019-03-07 5:35

Hello Gert,

This are real unique images with the people long time ago.
The beach care for depth and perspective.
Composition an presentation are superb.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

Sergiom (117241) 2019-03-07 6:18

Bonjour Gert,

Une autre très belle scène de la vie quotidienne dans cette partie du monde sortie de tes belles archives. Un beau document d'époque aussi et un beau regard de ce jeune garcon en avant plan.

Amicalement

Serge

rychem (72187) 2019-03-07 8:24

You are right, it is above all a document of past time and a document of the local tradition and culture, very well captured
TFS
Ryszard

ChrisJ (172436) 2019-03-07 8:46

Hello Gert,

A nice daily life scene of the father and son hand in hand at the outdoor street market. The table or bench at left on its side is intriguing. Is that to advertise it is closed? Good sharpness and texture in the rough stone walls. Tfs!

Cricri (176) 2019-03-07 9:20

Hi Gert
Belle scène de rue avec les personnes en jolies tenues de l'époque, bon rendu des détails et des couleurs, la 1 en WS, une scène dur pour cette dame avec le gros sac sur le dos !
Amitiés
cricri

lousat (140046) 2019-03-07 10:59

HI Gert,3 very rich compositions from your first pics from Lhasa,the quality is very very high,i like the main and the street of your cheap hotel in the WS too. Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

Tue (93530) 2019-03-07 11:34

Hej Gert,
Billedet giver et udmærket indtryk af livet i byen og lyset og kompositionen er begge to meget gode. Husene i baggrunden ser meget charmerende ud med de blå vinduer med blomster i dem. De mange forskellige mennesker er meget godt fanget i sollyset på gaden.
Lars

jmdias (116579) 2019-03-07 11:36

gert

we can see some chaos around the personages and I presume nowadays the urban landscape were sanitized and plastified as I saw in the big towns of china. amazing the way the walls were adorned in a poor way, but very original. nice flagrant.

take care

jorge

jean113 (28321) 2019-03-07 12:15

Hello Gert, three very interesting pictures that complement each other very nicely.
I wonder if life has changed very much since then?
This is wonderful archive material.
The above scene looks as if they are a family party, maybe a special occasion?
Pre-digital, the quality is pretty amazing.
Thanks for sharing, regards Jean.

Ilonka1974 (10307) 2019-03-07 14:03

Hi Gert,
Another picture from Tibet worth seeing of your series. The photo gives a good overview and is very well composed. A fantastic daily life view.
Best regards,
Janusz

GyurMaster (25049) 2019-03-07 14:23

Dear Gert,

I wonder if the human presence in front of the well-known sights disturbed you back than or you already preferred it. I guess not, as this tiny series of three photos shows it. I wouldn't call the main upload a so-so picture. Its a well-composed photo and timing is also good as they coming out of the shadow. The gesture of the older boy as he listens to the younger and the sight of the latter one is also something that enhances the composition. Summarizing its an excellent shot! The woman in the WS is also a good one, it would sell as a main upload. The other WS, alas, doesn't show legs, which I consider as a mistake, but as a background picture it is ok.

Have a nice evening!
Gy

Nicou (193814) 2019-03-07 20:09

Hello

Superb eiamge de rue et animation quel de personnes quei se promènent dans la rue tout en belle couleur ces maiosns en fodn avec les fenêtres fleuries quelle vue et iamge
bravo et amitié
Nicou

ikeharel (114691) 2019-03-08 7:18

A wonderful capture of the three generations family as they seem to walk in a procession out of some religious ceremony, Gert.
Good scanned old photo, as always.
Good afternoon,
Ike

emka (158932) 2019-03-08 14:29

hello Gert,
Very good three pictures and as always excellent scanning. In 1986, I probably also took the pictures on Kodachrome (not OrwoChrom as before) but where could I go?
I like most the main upload. The people look much poorer than later in 2006. My favorite here is the small boy. The woman with two braids and a hat looks like an Indian from Peru. I noticed such similarities when I was in Tibet and Sichuan. The trapezoidal windows were also used by Incas.
What a burden the woman carries.
Kind regrads Malgo

mcmtanyel (69310) 2019-03-08 22:48

Hello Gert,
Here are three more beautiful entries from recent history. I like the colors in the main entry. The female porter is interesting in the WS photo.
Regards,
MT

ifege (49539) 2019-03-09 1:50

Hi Gert
Very interesting scene and outfits, some almost western looking, but some without much warming layers. Great photo.

PaulVDV (63530) 2019-03-09 2:43

Hello Gert,
I like these colourful shots of people at the same time showing us something of the houses.
Apart of the persons I also like the beautiful windows on the main picture with the tissues hanging at the top and some of the windows are further decorated with flowers.
Could you always see on the face if the people in the street were Tibetan or Han Chinese? Or did you lead it out of the clothing or the district in which you found yourself? When traveling, I often find ethnic differences clearly recognizable. But much later at home, in the streets of a big city for instance, I find it very difficult to recognize the ethnic origin of people.
Best regards, Paul

ricardomattos (17600) 2019-03-09 12:06

Hi Gert

Uma foto memorável esta. Belas cores e detalhes destas pessoas se deslocando pelas ruas de Lhasa. Daria uma bela história esta foto.

Parabéns e bom fim de semana

Ricardo

tyro (30513) 2019-03-09 15:55

Hello Gert,

I read your note with utter fascination before setting off to examine these three fine photographs.

Your reference to notes you made in your diary over 30 years ago intrigued me. I find those notes interesting because times change, fashions change and our concepts change too. When I look at these photographs, the presence of a garbage can or a discarded bicycle would not worry me and I might actually feel that they enhance the photograph, adding to the flavour of what life was like then in this place. However, if I were to try to take a photograph in a European town just now I would find the presence of delivery vans, huge numbers of motor cars, discarded drinks bottles and general garbage an anathema. So times change.

These three photographs of busy streets in Lhasa are of excellent quality, a tribute to your scanning abilities and also to Kodachrome. Lots and lots to look at in all three images, the light and colours are good and the details excellent. A few bikes but I have to confess I could not find a garbage can!

Excellent!

Kind Regards,

John.

claudeD (47754) 2019-03-10 3:10

Hello Gert,

very fine composed street art view from Lhasa showing this wonderful daily life scenery. Excellent composition and light management. A very fine contribution to TE.TFS. Very good informative note.

With regards from Luxembourg

JC

annjackman (23019) 2019-03-10 4:57

Hello Gert,
All three photos are a fascinating insight into daily life in 1986 in Lhasa. I wonder how much it has changed - perhaps not too much.
Kind Regards, Ann

BennyV (34780) 2019-03-12 10:27

Terrific time travelling here again, dear Gert. I just love those shots you've been posting. Although...time travel...? Some of these faces are very recongizable from shots I took in China (Qinghai, Gansu) several decades later. At least, the faces haven't changed much (yet?).

Benny

carlo62 (81265) 2019-03-12 14:57

Ciao Gert
con queste foto ci fai sognare, ci porti in luoghi e tempi che non sono più così.
Queste foto conservano la bellezza del tempo e la freschezza delle immagini delle persone.
Saluti
Carlo

macjake (98544) 2019-03-22 19:15

Hi Gert
Ya, i know you and I don't agree with the distortions :)
its a catch 22....If I show a photo of the Cathedral from across the river its not distorted....but thats the view 99% of the shots are taken from. If I post my shot, its unique, different, but distorted. Take a pick i guess. You know my answer...the shot from across the river is too boring, taken too many times. At least I captured alot of people in my fg haha :) I get both sides of the argument. Although I'm still leaning toward my side :) as the building is just too large to shoot it normally from up close - unless you stitch 3 photo's together - i never thought of that until someone pointed it out to me recently. Its all good :)

As for your shot here, i'm captivated by the woman in red holding her child in her arms...my eyes went to her immediately. She's stunning. and look closely at the blue window's in the bg holding flower pots. its a wonderful scene, honest. I love it. cheers
Craig

cornejo (61504) 2019-03-25 6:17

Hello Gert, very good picture of this interesting scene of everyday life, very well captured in this interesting image, with good sharpness, light, color and quality. A great job perfectly done, my congratulations my friend. Thanks for sharing this interesting work.

Good afternoon and happy start to the week.
All the best from the south of Spain.
Angel.

adramad (73484) 2019-03-26 12:30

Hello Gert.
A sensational scene, which marks the real atmosphere in the capital of Tibet, 33 years ago, so different from a street in Europe, a lot of variety in dress and that nice kid in the foreground who watches you with attention, a good portrait of group.
A good color, which enhances the image.
Magnificent management of brightness and sharpness, to enjoy the details.
Well seen and done. I like it.
You have a good day.
Very best regards.
Luis

Miguel82 (47110) 2019-04-01 13:17

Gert, pleasant photo presenting the daily life in Lhassa. People are walking in the street, I see the charming old houses in the bg. The photo note provides good information about the trip in Tibet. Fine colors

kasianowak (17676) 2019-04-07 7:26

Fascinating street scenes. I really feel for the lady in WS#1, I wonder how many years longer she was able to keep up the pace...
There are lots of details to look at, including the beautiful flowers adorning two of the windows.