In the streets of Leh (3-5), a photo from Jammu and Kashmir, Nord

Photographer's Note

I proceed with my series of photos from the streets of Leh, the small town which is the administrative center of the Ladakh region of Jammu & Kashmir state in northwestern India.

Today's three photos all feature Leh's 16th century former Royal Palace. It was actually hard to avoid this strange building which totally dominates the city view on a steep hill. It is a bit similar to the much more famous Potala Palace of Lhasa, Tibet, but much smaller and more modest, like a "poor man's Potala", just like Leh is a kind of "poor man's Lhasa".

I spent a couple of hours in the palace on a Sunday morning, but I had to read my diary to remember anything at all. Apparently I was rather confused by the dark passages and steep rocky slopes between various parts of the palace, and I had trouble finding the entrances, but wherever I entered another room there was always a monk waiting to issue an entrance ticket, always at 5 Rupees a piece.

I only decided at the last moment which photo to use as the main upload. It could have been any of them, but finally I settled on this one taken in the main street. In the WS photos I moved gradually away from the center and saw the palace from different angles. All photos were scanned from Kodachrome slides.

Here is a larger version of the main photo.

WS #1

WS #2

ikeharel, mauro61, snunney, Ilonka1974, pajaran, PaulVDV, Fis2, papagolf21, jean113, pierrefonds, Cricri, ChrisJ, jhm, COSTANTINO, Royaldevon, notrap, bukitgolfb301, rychem, macjake, GyurMaster, alvaraalto, aliabazari, cornejo, adramad trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

mauro61 (53411) 2019-02-09 1:35

ciao Gert,
un scena di vita giornaliera ben rappresentata con tutta questa gente che va su e giù per la strada.
Mi piace molto l'inquadratura con la costruzione il alto che domina l'immagine,
buona giornata
Maurizio

ikeharel (98874) 2019-02-09 1:40

Good morning Gert,
Choice of the main photo was right, it well depicted the daily life more than 30 years ago in this town (which only learnt about from your TE pictures).
no cars and obvious clear air, visible to a great extent - but I can assume this would be already changed.
A fine scan, could easily thought it was from the digital camera.
Wish you a nice weekend,
Ike

snunney (130965) 2019-02-09 1:43

Hello Gert,
An image that neatly blends a busy daily life scene with some imposing if rather austere architecture. There is much to see especially at street level. Well rendered colours and good sharpness.

BennyV (30476) 2019-02-09 1:47

Another great one from the archives, Gert. Superb combination of daily life and the architecture above it. It's a bit unusual (to me) to see the temple in stone grey, blending in with the rocky environment. I'd expected it to be either dark red or bright white.

Benny

Ilonka1974 (5495) 2019-02-09 1:58

Hi Gert,
A wonderful composition. Great pov and wide angle. the color and lighting and people add vibrancy of this picture.
Unique style of architecture, very well defined in your POV.
Best regards
Janusz

pajaran (92259) 2019-02-09 2:40

Dobar dan.
Lep pogled, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Dobar rad sa lepim fotografijama u radionici, lepo pokazano, lepe fotografije i secanje.
Zelim vam lep dan, sve najbolje za vikend, srecno.
Paja.

Good day.
Nice view, interesting and good text ...
Good work with nice photos in the workshop, beautifully shown, nice photos and remembering.
I wish you a nice day, all the best for the weekend, good luck.

PaulVDV (49028) 2019-02-09 3:02

Hello Gert,
I truly like all three pictures. They're the kind of photos I'd like to take.
Even more, your photographs of Leh give me the desire to visit Ladakh again.
Your main picture combines different interesting elements: a lot of people and most of them curiously walk prudently on one side of the street, some of the ordinary houses, the 'poor man's Potala', a beautiful stupa and behind it the rugged, dry Himalayas.
Whoever finds no reason to go to Leh on this photo may be on the wrong site.
Wonderful to see this back.
Best regards, Paul

Fis2 (142795) 2019-02-09 3:42

Witaj Gert!
Next a very curious picture.
View makes impression.
Interesting scene from street, people add flavor to this composution.
I like this daily life shot.
Well done.

Tue (72006) 2019-02-09 4:48

Hej Gert,
Et godt billede med den travle gade i forgrunden med forskellige markedsboder ved kanten af vejen. Baggrunden giver et helt andet syn på byen med de høje bjerge og det kongelige slot med dets høje mure. Lyset var perfekt.
Lars

papagolf21 (145196) 2019-02-09 6:13

Bonjour, cher Gert,
La caméra explore le temps. De belles images d'archives qui feront date.
Heureusement que votre mémoire est aidée par vos carnets (du moins, je le suppose).
Merci de nous faire profiter de ces merveilleux voyages professionnels.
Amitiés.
Philippe

jean113 (16141) 2019-02-09 7:04

Hello Gert, three fantastic pictures, the quality is excellent, hard to believe that they are scanned.
It looks very impoverished, I wonder if it has changed?
The ‘palace’ really dominates the scene, but that is no bad thing, as it gives us a good impression of the place.
Thanks for sharing, regards Jean.

pierrefonds (93657) 2019-02-09 7:23

Hi Gert,

You have captured well the action on the street with the people walking. The point of view is showing the details of the houses and of the palace. The light is bringing out the colours. Have a nice day.

Pierre

Cricri (176) 2019-02-09 7:39

Hi Gert
Beaucoup de monde dans la rue avec les marchand au bord de la route, intéressante architecture simple et particulier du palace, deux versions bien présenter du village
bonne journée
cricri

mesutilgim (115528) 2019-02-09 8:40

Hallo Gert,
Ein schoener Beitrag aus dem Archiv. Wieder aufgenommen mit gutem Blickwinkel und Sachaerfe.
Wieder eine Bestaetigung der Qualitaet von Analogphotographie.
Danke schoen und mfg
MESUT ILGIM

lousat (121125) 2019-02-09 10:03

Hi Gert,same place but 3 excellent and different ways to show something from there,the main pic is a great watch on the street with the imposing background that i can see better in the ws,i like the close up on the houses too in the other. And the note are Always interesting,this time you remember all about this day very well..hehe..have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

jmdias (92071) 2019-02-09 10:08

gert

the little potala impressed me, looks like a modern massive building, those ones with few windows. nice view of the street and the other buildings around.

take care

jorge

carlo62 (81031) 2019-02-09 15:21

Ciao Gert
oltre alle belle foto e alla nota, stavo riflettendo su quello che hai detto sugli appunti, io non ho mai preso nessun appunto e, pensandoci bene, non è la cosa più giusta.
Ovviamente i tuoi viaggi sono stati molto più interessanti e avventurosi.
Come dici tu, il palazzo non è proprio bellissimo, però domina il paesaggio ed è piacevole vedere tutte queste persone che si muovono.
Buona domenica
Carlo

ChrisJ (152524) 2019-02-09 17:41

Hello Gert

Although not as spectacular as Lhasa the bg palace is still very interesting and provides a nice focal point that anchors the shot. The fg street gives linear perspective and the crowds animate the scene. Good sharpness too. Tfs!

ifege (21019) 2019-02-09 22:03

Hi Gert
This is the best of the htree because it shows more of life in Leh without being overburdened by, as you say, this strange palace. A well balanced old image.
cheers
Ian

Nicou (188578) 2019-02-10 0:56

Hello

quelle rue animée et vue de cette petit ville quel de monde dans la rueret les stand les échoppe et ce temple ne fond quei domine le tout et la montagne et cette roche quel ensemble et vue sueprbe.
Bravo et amitié
Nciou

fabianoleite (13575) 2019-02-10 4:36

Very peculiar city region, with these rocky constructions. You show it well, with an ample composition, very inclusive of people and places. I like it, thanks for sharing!

Silvio1953 (191367) 2019-02-10 5:30

Ciao Gert, great perspective on fantastic palace, lovely composition with a lot of people, excellent clarity, splendid light and wonderful colors very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

jhm (191483) 2019-02-10 8:56

Hello Gert,

34 year old but it seem a picture of yesterday.
Perfect scanning Gert.
Wonderful done and perfect photographed.
An excellent perspective and nice panorama view.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

ktanska (36445) 2019-02-10 10:04

Hej Gert,
Certainly a building that catches attention. And it's wonderful to read that it has been there for centuries. Otherwise it seems to be simple life far away from bigger cities. Huge mountains in the background catch attention too.
Kari

COSTANTINO (93535) 2019-02-10 23:04

Hello dear Gert and have a nice time
and a happy new day
photo from the street of Leh
many many years ago
your experience is fantastic
I would like to be you Gert
having all these trips in my past!!!!
welldone
regards
Costantino

Royaldevon (64434) 2019-02-11 3:22

Hello Gert,

This series of photograph, very well scanned, reveals details of the town, very much a step back in time! The main street looks busy with the many stalls and shoppers, whilst the palace is totally dominant. It must have been such an effort to build it so high, into the mountain side.

When I compare my experiences of shopping in 1985, with well paved, electric lit streets, shops with big window displays, buses, cars ... the contrast is quite striking.

I do enjoy perusing such interesting photographs, noting and wondering how things may have changed.

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

bukitgolfb301 (53382) 2019-02-11 4:39

Hi dear Gert, a great world traveler!

Your Leh sereis is so impressive for me, passing 34 years still vivid. Compared wit recent shots, the main architecture was before renovation. Leh is my next destination, maybe 2020 or 2021, as I hve to go to Myanmar and Bhutan this year, waiting for your further posting, and thanks for your sharing.

All the best and have a good day! Takero

gervaso (27399) 2019-02-11 6:35

Hello, Gert!

This is the kind of image that makes us feel as if we were there, a very nice daily life scene you captured here with an imposing view of the mountains in the background! Very good light, and the colors are also very good for such an old photo! Wonderful composition!

rychem (68021) 2019-02-11 7:52

A very nice reportage of three photos, this is really a strange structure, it seems to be a defensive building not a palace, very well captured with a town street in the FG
regards Ryszard

macjake (92637) 2019-02-11 9:38

Hi Gert
first of all, its great that you wrote a journal, i can almost assure you 99.99% of people no longer do that. Today's version of a journal is Facebook or Instagram I guess. this is an awesome view of the city, its almost as if it isn't real. Like its something out of a movie. It would be great to visit this exact same street view today for comparison sake. love it!
cheers
Craig

GyurMaster (16686) 2019-02-12 0:39

Dear Gert,

I think that your decision is correct. Though all of them is good, eg WS 2 is a good nothing special with the man heading somewhere in the alley, and WS 1 has better sky with dark blue saturation, composition-wise it is better: the road serves as a good starting point, which leads my eyes towards the castle. The pedestrians offer a lot of details to be observed. And I didn't even mention the Kodachrome colours...

Best Wishes,
Gy.

alvaraalto (38742) 2019-02-12 4:47

Hello Gert,
Three beautiful photographs that clearly show how this remarkable palace dominates the small town. A striking unattractive architecture.
Three equivalent photos where the number of people in the photo seems to determine the order. Good choice here.
Together with the informative text we get a good picture of Leh.
Have a nice day, groet Rob

aliabazari (17248) 2019-02-13 9:30

Hi dear friend Gert
Valuable pictures of the contemporary history of a country and its people. Beautiful shot. The clarity and exposure are well done. Thanks for sharing

cornejo (61222) 2019-02-16 11:00

Hello Gert, very good view of the villa with daily life scene, very well captured in this great photo. An interesting image with very good sharpness, depth and quality. A great job perfectly done, my congratulations my friend. Thanks for sharing this beautiful work.

Good night and happy Sunday.
All the best from the south of Spain.
Angel.

claudeD (47754) 2019-02-17 12:02

Hello Gert,

very fine street view from Leh showing much details. Excellent composition.Very fine contribution to TE.TFS.

With regards from Luxembourg

JC

adramad (62756) 2019-02-20 11:10

Hello Gert.
Sensational the three photos that focus on the impressive palace of Leh, is a superb fortress in the style of these great constructions of Tibet, the simple houses of the city in comparison, seem more of a village, the lively atmosphere of the street , adds a great vital touch to the image. Great scan job.
Point of view, sharpness, luminosity, color and the composition chosen are excellent.
A very beautiful photo. I like it.
You have a good day.
Best regards.
Luis.

mcmtanyel (54677) 2019-02-20 20:50

Hello Gert,
Thre fine photos from another world, another time. My favorite is WS #1.
Regards,
MT

kasianowak (14055) 2019-03-02 3:14

Having a good look at all three I would also choose this image as the main upload. Even though the angle in the WS images make the castle look more imposing and the blue sky in WS#1 is really lovely. But like the people-and-stalls-lined road leading straight to the "poor man's Potala" here.
In any case, wonderful series of photos.

Miguel82 (36014) 2019-04-14 12:03

Gert, Leh people are roaming in a street next to the Royal palace. Some stands retail all sorts of goods. That street is full of life in summer. The bare typical Ladakh mountains appear in the bg. Superb daily life scene