Djenn� at dawn, a photo from Mopti, South

Photographer's Note

In 1988 the UNESCO awarded two Malian towns the status of world heritage. One was Timbuktu, the other was Djenn�.

Six years earlier, in early March 1982, I arrived in Djenn�. The town is rather strategically situated, partly surrounded by a winding river. To enter the town in 1982 I had to be ferried across the river. Unless there is now a bridge, this secluded location may have saved Djenn� in recent years from being attacked by Islamist militias. Many other places in northern and central Mali have been attacked and ransacked, but as far as I know Djenn� has remained calm.

Djenn� is famous for its unique mosque built of mud and a remarkably uniform civilian mud architecture.

I have posted a few photos from Djenn� before. I had several other photos but they turned out so miserably when I scanned them that I couldn't show them here. Recently I made new attempts and was much more successful.

So now I am pleased to be able to show you some more of the photos I took one early morning before the usual strong light had destroyed the colours.

The main photo shows women starting the day by drawing water from a public well, soon after 6 AM. The out of focus background gives you an idea of the town architecture.

Two more photos from the hazy morning can be seen in the WS. As usual they were all scanned from Kodachrome slides.

This is the start of a short series of revived photos from Djenn� . My next upload will be dedicated to the famous mosque, then followed by civilian areas.

Fis2, pajaran, PaulVDV, ikeharel, pierrefonds, jhm, Royaldevon, GyurMaster, PiotrF, papagolf21, jean113, ricardomattos, ChrisJ, worldcitizen, tyro, adramad has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Fis2 (170839) 2020-07-12 0:52

Witaj Gert my neighbour today!
Another beautiful scene from daily life.
A very interesting place, a well is life for these people.
Good POV, composition and colors.
Excellent reportage shot.
Well done.
NIce sunday.
Krzysztof

rychem (72187) 2020-07-12 1:10

It is really important to have clean water, no wonder that this is the central meeting point
good photo reportage
regards Ryszard

pajaran (115963) 2020-07-12 1:26

Greeting.
beautiful views and moments, a well-shown place with a well and visitors, beautiful colors, text and a captured moment.
Beautiful photos in the workshop and memories.
I wish you all the best.
Paja.

PaulVDV (62970) 2020-07-12 1:27

Hello Gert,
The architecture of Djenn� is world famous and I'm certainly looking out for more pictures of that mud architecture. I also like places with uniform architecture a lot.
These photos from everyday life show a fascinating place. The main picture shows beautifully several people gathered around a well while no one is standing with his back to your camera.
In the background we get to see the contours of the well known architecture. Very beautiful with the battlements of the building in the centre.
Regarding to the picture of the river branch and other previous pictures of you: I have the impression that the landscapes around the water in Mali are usually quite disconsolate. These landscapes feel more cheerless to me than a desert. Maybe it抯 just an impression and I would find it differently on the spot.
So far I抳e never scanned an older photo or slide but from your note I deduce that the process isn抰 really that easy and the first time it doesn抰 always lead to the desired result.
For the time being, I still have enough new photos to continue. Maybe even longer than the existence of TE (of course I hope not).
Best regards, Paul

lousat (139308) 2020-07-12 1:37

Hi Gert,it's nice to know that this village is still peaceful after the recent attacks in Mali because its strategic position. And the pics are beautiful,daily life scenes from the morning,i like the 3D effect of the main,great show too by the woman washing clothes in the river too! Have a nice Sunday and thanks,Luciano

jmdias (115230) 2020-07-12 3:19

gert

amazing these three images with scenes of the local people and the hard daily life there. we can see how water is so important and how , at same time, they don't preserve its quality. excellent views. TFS images from this region few people knows.

take care

jorge

pierrefonds (114516) 2020-07-12 4:23

Hi Gert,

Getting water at the well is part of a daily life routine. The point of view is showing the details of the buildings and of the clothings of the persons. The light has a good effect on the colours. Have a nice day.

Pierre

Silvio1953 (221695) 2020-07-12 6:00

Ciao Gert, nice scene, lovely composition with fascinating fortress in BG, fine details, wonderful colors, excellent clarity and splendid light, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

jhm (211736) 2020-07-12 6:18

Hello Gert,

***Reply to your writing on my photo of Bruges, masks:
You are surprised that people do not wear a mask
Yesterday 11/7 the first day is mandatory to wear face masks in all shops and public buildings, but not on the street, not in cafes and restaurants. Difficult to eat and drink with mask !!!***
Nice daily life picture with only women
Everything sharp and clear to look at
An excellent composition.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice day,
John.

Royaldevon (85932) 2020-07-12 7:28

Hello Gert,

I love this!
It is early morning routine and though very different from what I have experienced, it reminds me of my grandmother on washing day, which was always a Monday, and she and nearby neighbours would catch up on all the weekend's gossip, as the pegged out their washing!
Of course, a washing machine, was a far cry from washing in the river or collecting water from a communal well!

What splendid memories and records you have!

This is a very well scanned photograph, lovely colours and good use of shallow dof.

Whatever the w/s photographs lack in technical expertise, they more than make up for in their subjects and interest! Can you imagine, just lighting a fire in the street ... !

Thank you for sharing these,
Bev :-)
I am finding it a little tedious proving I'm human, very often! How about you ... or are you escaping this routine?

dekanski (9365) 2020-07-12 10:09

Great! Rally nice scene!

Regards

Sa歛

kasianowak (17676) 2020-07-12 10:25

Hi Gert
Delightful scene - people wearing colourful clothes, going about their daily chores. But the image is really about a mixture of the scene and the scenery, the architecture makes for a dramatic background and creates a strong sense of place.
But the WS photos... I'm so glad you didn't banish that street shot. Quality? To hell with quality (and I can't see what is wrong with that image anyway). What a brilliant travel photo. I love the people and how you captured the smoke.
You keep posting photos from Mali... as if you were trying to say to me "go!". Now, when I'm vaguely planning a trip to one of the three countries remaining on my "red" list (Y, S, M). I'm sure you only need the initial letters to guess. :-)
Best wishes
Kasia

GyurMaster (24838) 2020-07-12 14:11

Dear Gert,

Its an excellently captured shot! The only reason for me not faving it that you would remind me to the limits... Otherwise it would fit the cover of the NG...

Best Wishes,
GY.

PiotrF (54758) 2020-07-12 15:27

Hello Gert
A very nice daily life scene from Mali.
Great photo from your archive.
I like good composition, nice colours and good quality.
Good work, fine presentation
Regards
Piotr

ifege (48135) 2020-07-12 19:30

Hi Gert
Looks like an interesting town from the background. The people around the well look great in the large view. A good photo of what must be a hard daily chore.
cheers
Ian

SteveH (8220) 2020-07-12 22:46

Hi Gert, I'm very much enjoying this series of images from west africa. This one is excellent; love the building in the BG. The women provide a good focal point. Terrific scan! cheers, Steve

papagolf21 (152607) 2020-07-12 23:12

Bonjour, cher Gert,
Difficile de croire que cette prise de vue date de 1982.
Le rendu est tr鑣 bon.
L'effet bokeh est parfait pour cette r閍lisation.
Amiti閟.
Philippe

Tue (92442) 2020-07-13 11:20

Hej Gert,
Et godt billede med dagligdagen i byen med de fem kvinder omkring br鴑den. Morgenlyset og den tomme by i baggrunden med de store brune v鎔ge danner en stille og rolig atmosf鎟e. Godt fanget.
Lars

Miguel82 (47110) 2020-07-13 12:13

Gert, this shot shows how the resource is爌recious in that arid region. The inhabitants gathered in that well to collect water in buckets. The well represents also a meeting point in the neighborhood where the women can talk about the local stories and rumours. The two workshop photos present two interesting slices of life. Fine colors, good sharpness, regards.

jean113 (27893) 2020-07-13 12:56

Hello Gert, three excellent pictures from Djenne. The subject of each picture gives us a real slice of life from 1982.
I can't decide about the expression on the face of the woman in white; is she straining to draw a bucket of water from the well?
The shallow depth of field in this shot works really well.
Lovely work, keep them coming!
Kind regards, Jean.

ricardomattos (17460) 2020-07-13 18:12

Hi Gert,

A beautiful scene from the daily life of this world heritage city. Another photo that inspires a good documentary together with your excellent explanatory note. Beautiful work.

Congratulations

Ricardo

ikeharel (113411) 2020-07-14 0:43

Good morning Gert,
A great take shows those women drew water from the lcal well.
water is still a problem in this region, among other many places in our planet.
this is a marvelous picvture, we get good faces shown here, the poses of hard work in progress.
WS's also give good info about the area.
Have a nice new day,
Ike

ChrisJ (171878) 2020-07-14 5:50

Hello Gert,

A good daily life shot from the communal well of the women fetching several pails of water. Good colour, sharpness and framing. Tfs!

emka (158204) 2020-07-18 4:18

Hello Gert, Finally Djenne, the most famous in Mali. Lovely scene at the well. Such scenes one can observe in many places, especially in Africa and also poor Asia. Having just water in a tap, we do not appreciate it how precious water is. beautiful clothes of African women. And they make the hardes work.
Have a nice day

MAlgo

worldcitizen (16086) 2020-07-20 14:03

Hello Gert,
I like the sharp focus on the women by the well, and the softly-blurred architecture in the background. The red bucket and green dress really catch my eye. Nice daily life shot. Take care!

tyro (30513) 2020-07-23 10:27

Hello Gert,

Another truly fascinating note and a fabulous main photograph too!

You have captured this scene of the womenfolk gathered around the well in early morning perfectly, the main characters and the well perfectly sharp and clear and with excellent bright colours while the architecture of the town, in softer focus in the background, can still be very clearly appreciated.

Your two workshop images, though lacking the striking impact of your main image, are excellent too considering that they were both taken in poor light and in difficult conditions.

Excellent!

Kind Regards,

John.

CLODO (45116) 2020-07-24 23:36

Hi Gert

Fetching water is the ladies first hard work in the morning to prepare the meal. Theyb seem to enjoy to be togrther and maybe exchange a few news during the waiting time.
Best regards
CLODO

adramad (73006) 2020-07-25 3:42

Hi Gert.
A painful scene that these women have to go with buckets to look for the water from the well with buckets, God knows from a distance from their house, from the tourist aspect the different suits bring a great chromaticism to the scene.
Sharpness, lighting, color, and the magnificent composition; they are all perfectly made factors, in this good image.
Well done. I like very much.
You have a good day.
Very best regards.
Luis.