at Fadel's home, a photo from Nouakchott, South

Photographer's Note

Fadel is a Mauritanian guide, from the White Moorsih people, whom seriousness and competence are well known by people who want to cross the Bank of Arguin (north-west of the country).
After the built of the new road between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott, the capitale (opened in 2006), he has less customers ; before the road the Arguin was the only way to join the 2 cities.
So he has now a dromedaries flock to complete his traditional activity.

The chief of the convoy I was in the last january (we drove firemen trucks to the Burkina-Faso) always call Fadel to cross the Arguin when he set up another convoy.
This year we were very late (because of troubles with the Tangier's customs) so we could'nt go to the Arguin. Anyway, Fadel went to get us at the Morocco border and invited us to lunch at home the day after.

His house, with the ones of his clan is located on the road between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott. It's made of breeze-block, wooden boards, sheet metal and fabric.
He lives in 2 large rooms with his wife, the 4 children and some members of his family.

We sat on the big red carpet and washed our hands with a carafe.
Then we could eat the dromadory's meat. We have to take the meat with a piece of bread.
After we have drunk the she-camel's milk.
And at the end we had the green tea (3 glasses : the first is as bitter as the life, the 2nd is as strong as the love and the 3d is as sweet as the death).

A great moment of sharing, discovery and emotion indeed.

PS : it's a silver photography I scanned.

Manamo, arvinnino, Clementi, COSTANTINO, noborders has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

arvinnino (438) 2009-04-10 10:48

nice photo,
very natural, i like the B & W effect and the overexposed background, it looks like a preserve old photograph, very unique.
TFS
cheers

Manamo (3710) 2009-04-10 10:51

Salut Yannis,
鏰 m'a pris un moment � lire ta note, mais 鏰 a valu la peine je dois dire!
Alors, c'est shoot� sur film? quel iso? C'est surprenant de voir des zones vraiment compl鑤ement blanches, lav閑s. Les films ont en g閚閞al un "range" tellement plus grand que les senseurs des nouveaux appareils num閞iques. J'accroche un peu l�-dessus.
Mai pour le reste, c'est tout bon!! c'est tellement int閞essant de s'immiscer dans la vie de cette famille! J'adore le regard de cet enfant. Regard tellement intense, presqu'adulte.
Il est dr鬺e le proverbe concernant les 3 th閟...
Moi je dirais:sweet as the life, strong as the ove and bitter as the death...mais 鏰 c'est juste moi....
salut!
Marc

pabau (488) 2009-04-10 10:52

Yannis
Belle image de cette famille et de son hospitalit�. La douceur et la lumi鑢e des regards, le l間er grain, le choix du noir et blanc apportent beaucoup � la transmission de ce moment.
Pascal

sayeed_rahman (6461) 2009-04-10 11:07

Hello Yannis..

Love the blown out portions of light..A very good arrangement of the subjects that has led to this composition..the light i must say has been carefully captured..the saturation of bnw tones are balanced..

The women in the background..the are engaged with someone to the right..could have shown the interaction

A good post my friend..have a great weekend !

Cheers
Sayeed

wolf38 (30) 2009-04-10 12:32

Hello Yannis. A masterful photo of yournalistic Quait鋞. Exemplary text. Compliment. regards, Wolfgang.

Clementi (52514) 2009-04-11 3:26

Ciao Yannis,
a beautiful image of this reunited family, the B&W is perfect for this photo, the expressions they are very natural.
good job
Happy easter,
Giorgio

Photo65Net (43144) 2009-04-13 23:01

Salut Yannis,
Un joli NB !
J'aime beaucoup ta compo, tous ces regards.
Bien vu,
Bonne journ閑,
JB.

COSTANTINO (117940) 2009-04-14 13:41

Hi Yannis,
very sensitive and very artistic
family picture. The black and white
adds a very nice nostalgic tone.
Regards,
Costantino

xavshot (69835) 2009-04-14 22:42

Bonjour Yannis
le n&b est superbe et fait ressortir une belle atmosph鑢e. J'aime bien le fait de voir tous les visages sur la photo. Beau travail.
Xavier

marietom (34611) 2009-04-15 2:54

salut Yannis,

Jolie sc鑞e, dans ce pays que je voudrais voir un jour... Beau clich� noir et blanc, que j'aurais bien aim� voir aussi en couleurs... (on ne se refait pas !)
Bonne journ閑
Marie

devimeuxbe (58557) 2009-04-17 13:51

Bonsoir Yannis
C'est une sc鑞e familiale sympa. On se sent invit� � prendre le th�. L'ambiance est belle
amicalement
Bertrand

noborders (1010) 2009-05-27 13:42

Une photo tr鑣 int閞essante ! J'aime la fa鏾n dont tu parais avoir 閠� accept� dans leur salon, ils devaient 阾re occup閟 � regarder la t閘� mais l'enfant est distrait... C'est � mon avis le genre de photos le plus int閞essant et le plus personnel, un genre qui ne se r閜鑤e jamais puisque chaque fois les circonstances sont un peu diff閞entes... Le texte est aussi int閞essant � lire... Et j'aimerais beaucoup d閏ouvrir ce pays, tu m'en donnes aussi l'envie !

Bravo, bien vu et amicalement,
Cath.

ninaL (21348) 2009-08-15 22:53

Excellent family photograph.
Simple but very accomplished.
Poeple in their daily context, I like this a lot.
Best regards. Grazyna