I broke the law Photo

Photographer’s Note

Among all the conservative, puritan towns in the Algerian M'Zab valley, Beni Isguen is known to be the strictest. The city gate is locked at sundown and no outsiders are allowed to enter efter dark. Photography within the city walls is prohibited, which of course made me very anxious to get some pictures there.
When this girl appeared through a hole in a wall, and noone else was around, I quickly took a picture of her. But she knew the rules and started to scream. Lots of other kids came running and started to throw stones at me to chase me away. I had to leave in a hurry to protect myself and my camera, also anxious that no adults would interfere and put me in bigger trouble.
I hope I can be forgiven for this crime since almost 34 years have passed. This picture from 1975 was scanned from a Kodachrome slide.

saxo042, Jonathan_Tree, boa, bukitgolfb301, mikolaj_kawa, fanni, MarcT, scroller, Asiulus, skippy007 trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

jasmis (50841) 2009-05-05 1:52

Important note. Fine pose of a model.
Regards.

saxo042 (16096) 2009-05-05 1:57

Hej Gert,
A memorable picture, at least for you. Maybe you caused her some traumatic memory of this event as well, but I hope she has learned to live with this. You at least you created a very fine photo here, good colours and a fine composition. Seems like you have a lot of very fine pictures in the deepest part of your archive!
Hälsningar
Gunnar

serp2000 (9637) 2009-05-05 1:59

Hello,Gert,
Fine shot! I like expression and point of your view. Good title and interesting note.
Thanks.
Serghei

nirvana73 (8814) 2009-05-05 2:00

Hello Gert
documentarial shot
consider shot
thanks for sharing and important explanations
best regards
Ozhan

Jonathan_Tree (4599) 2009-05-05 2:44

Hi Gert!
Wonderful portrait. Very dynamic composition. Amazing colors.
Cordially!

boa (1400) 2009-05-05 14:03

Hi Gert,
you were lucky twice i guess. For the first,you survived.For the second, you did a very good photojob.(and now we are lucky, who can see it :-)
Very strong facial expressions, great colors and composition.
Maybe a tighter crop would improve, i`m not sure. I like the blurry f.g, it leads the eye to the subject. Interesting photo, and i hope to see more of your old Kodachrome slides from your impressive list.
Bästa hälsningar
Boa

emka (22057) 2009-05-05 14:33

Hi Gert, Interesting note. indeed, in many countries making photos can be dangerous. Strange, that the girl already knew the rule. But all well what ends well and after so many years you have still this photo. And the girl is over forty... Splendid colours and very good quality.

Regards

Malgorzata

bukitgolfb301 (4850) 2009-05-05 16:44

Hello my dear Gert

Very nice shutter chance and good color contrast of blue and light chocolate. Framework is also perfect. Sharpness is a little lack due to a big trimming ?

Best regards and thanks for sharing

Takero

mikolaj_kawa (30879) 2009-05-06 1:21

Hello Gert! Splendid colours. Perfect light and bright. Very nice scene. Good capture. Original work. Good luck!

Glint (3052) 2009-05-07 12:13

hello Gert,
it really looks like you stuck your neck out to get this one.Just as well you deicded to make a quick getaway. Still, you managed to get a shot with a lot of impact, both for its story and the image which is quite powerful.
Bev

fanni (8761) 2009-05-07 23:44

Hej Gert,
:) Sometimes breaking the Law is excusable because it produces very good photos - and what would we do without them? We would have rather a poor knowledge of what's going on in the world - in reality :)
I very much like the story in your Note and this moment which you captured with your camera :))
Kind regards,
Elena

molla (6889) 2009-05-08 1:40

Hej Gert,
Absolutley forgiven!!!
Like her hand a lot, in a way it complements the face a lot in it's own expression
Anders

MarcT (21103) 2009-05-10 12:55

Hallo Gert,
That's a funny and stupid story.
Good you got away without more trouble...!
Best wishes
Marc

scroller (2883) 2009-05-11 4:23

Hej Gert ,
Looks like a cheerful moment. A fine portrait with the blue colour!
Hälsningar
/Stefan

Asiulus (1066) 2009-05-11 23:40

I like this picture, and it's the story behind it makes it easier to interprete. When I looked at the thumbnail, I expected laughter - well, positive emotions anyway - not scream... You had lock there were no adults.
How close were you?
Best regards
Joanna

skippy007 (7257) 2009-05-13 17:52

Hello Gert, After 34 years of sleepless nights you should be forgiven, you have paid for your crime. When I looked at the title before reading your interesting note I thought it was the child that broke the law, not you. If the children were throwing stones at you I wonder what the adults may have done to you. Nice shot with good colour & a good reproduction, certainly worth looking at & enhanced by your well written note,
Thank you
Regards
Santo

scalerman (25783) 2009-07-07 6:58

Gert: I've been remiss in my TE visits of late - fewer critiques and some apathy I'm afraid. Great shot here - impromptu humour and a fine composition. The kind of travel image I appreciate. best, c