In memory of Turkmenbashi Photo

Photographer’s Note

"Copyright © – Attila Szili.
The reproduction, publication, modification, transmission or exploitation of any work contained herein for any use, personal or commercial, without my prior written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved."

This is one of the many golden statues of the first president of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov, better known as Turkmenbashi, meaning Father and Spiritual Guide of all Turkmens, died a few days ago, officially on the 21st of December. Now, the question is, what will happen in this country rich in gas reserves, and totally controlled by him. When in 1991, Turkmenistan was left on its own and became independent, with no real government, and no national identity, Turkmenbashi filled that void and built a nation and a culture based on him.
Turkmenbashi is so controlling that he has even rewritten the calendar, and he recently renamed the month of January to "Turkmenbashi." April is named after his mother Gurbansoltanedzhe. He's also on the Manat (national currency) banknotes, and he's even on the national vodka. Because of the just mentioned rich gas reserves, many countries are interested to extend their influence on Turkmenistan and so, it is very important for every of them, to have a "friend of mine" government in the future.
Stay tuned, the race has just started!

p.s. The monument in the background was erected for the 10th anniversary of the independence of Turkmenistan and is a kind of fountain, with ten horses.

vincz, jaja1970, abulafia, ktanska, parbo, meyerd, sufi, ahmetgedikli, chrisnet, maximage, siolaw, syd1946, cunejo200, chicken, papagolf21, stego, tjanze, anesugur, vinicio, Bjostad, albertopiubello, sergio1, kermit350, Photo65Net, imrek, riclopes, Cricri, t0mmm1, turkamerikali, jhm, Gerrit, PixelTerror, alper_ayhan, Rosa_d_MonteLua, vagabondtravels, linask, Leo71538 trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

Angshu (33947) 2006-12-27 6:39

Hello Attila
Very interesting is your note to compliment the picture. Taken with a low POV, the golden colour stands out against the blue sky. Like also how you've used the sculpture of the horses in the BG to fill the frame. Very nice!
Wishing you the very best for the coming new year
Best Regards
Angshu

vincz (19043) 2006-12-27 6:47

Great POV, beautiful contrast getween the gold of the statue and the blue sky. Men will never change it seems and such persons so much focused on themselves and only themselves will continue to pop up. Great TE shot on men crazyness.

jaja1970 (1286) 2006-12-27 6:52

Hi Dear Attila,

Fantastic job.
Very good compo, pov and sharp gold color.
God Bless Niyazov.
TFS & Merry Christmas,

Javad.

ben4321 (9807) 2006-12-27 7:06

Your point of view, shooting from below, has served to emphasise the power and impression of "greatness" of this striking and rather ridiculous atatue. No doubt that was the intention of it's creator, well apart from the ridiculous bit.
I've always been struck by this cult of personality built up by the rulers of certain Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries, and it seems that Turkmenbashi took it further than most.
You composed this very well, and together with the bright, saturated colours, this image has a lot of impact. I imagine Turkmenbashi himself would approve.

Cheers,
Ben

ktanska (16673) 2006-12-27 8:01

Hi Szili,
Very interesting and timely shot. It really sums up the legacy of this guy. Isn't it an army of golden statues that any country needs!
Kari

parbo (11002) 2006-12-27 8:12

Hello Attila,

Meaningful frame after Turkmenbashi died. Gold statue is telling us leaders are how ostentatious while their citizens living hungry in many countries, over all world. Excellent works, congratulations.

I would like to wish you and your family a joyful and peaceful holiday season, and a prosperous New Year.

Friendly Regards,

Ertugrul

Ulishna (2246) 2006-12-27 8:40

Hello Atilla,
very good note and nice photo. He was a great person, really...
Julia

mesutilgim (37076) 2006-12-27 9:23

Merhaba Attila,
Good capture and colors.
Very well done.
Thanks for sharing and happy new year
MESUT ILGIM

meyerd (1498) 2006-12-27 9:26

Good, Attila,
pour out those infos you have on Turkmenistan, show us your pics. Thank you for this one and above all for the detailed explanations. As you are well aware, once again a Nation will be in the News for weeks and months to come without us News-watchers having any background knowledge on it.
Cheers, Dietrich

sufi (9568) 2006-12-27 9:53

Merhaba Attila, my friend...
It's a beautiful poin of view... The tones of the golden and its contrast between the blue are wonderful... Also wonderful light, clairty and details... Thank you for your detailed note too...
TFS...
Stay well..
Salim.

AthaPan (0) 2006-12-27 9:54

Hi Attila

Just listened in the news about Turmenbashi, now you show us an appropriated photo. Excellent your low pov and the contrast between sky and monuments.

Well done
Sakis

ahmetgedikli (22010) 2006-12-27 11:19

Hello Attila,
Very nice composition and good point of view.
Pretty brightness, beautiful colors and good sharpness.
Thanks and I also wish you a very happy New Year.
Ahmet

chrisnet (20376) 2006-12-27 11:59

Hello Attila,
Good framing for this golden statue and very interesting note too.
Best wishes for you and your family and happy new year!
Christian

maximage (13508) 2006-12-27 12:18

Bonsoir Attila,
Dieu en photo!! c'est incroyable.
Très beau cliché d'une "chose" en tous cas vu d'ici, complètement absurde.
Ce qui est vraiment drôle, et la seule justice de cette histoire, c'est que ce personnage est mort.
Note intéressante.
Merci Attila.
Bonne fêtes à toi et à ta famille.
max

paura (38864) 2006-12-27 12:21

Attila,
Very beautiful and well composed photo. Nice colors and POV. Interesting note.

A happy New Year to you too.

Friends form Brazil.

Paulo

siolaw (25800) 2006-12-27 12:44

Hi Atilla
A good compo of Niyazov who just died, with nice monument in BG too.. good colors and reasonable sharpness...
Wish you a happy new year!
Laurent

syd1946 (17937) 2006-12-27 13:13

Hi Attila,
You made an excellent and very interesting composition here.The low pov you choose helps very much the stutue.It is and looks very impresive.And the golden color on it,in a great contrast with the whole scene and the blue sky.Thanks for the note,very informative!

My best wishes for the new year,full of health,love and peace!

Thomas

cunejo200 (7201) 2006-12-27 13:46

Hello Attila,
A fitting tribute to a good leader and statesman. Well composed with nice colors and sharpness. Happy New Year. Danilo

papagolf21 (56515) 2006-12-27 14:39

Bonsoir, mon ami Attila,
Difficile de me prononcer sur le personnage que je ne connais pas ou très peu !
Ici, je me contente d'apprécier le cadrage qui met en valeur deux éléments : le personnage principal et cette magnifique sculpture représentant des chevaux sauvages.
Très belle réalisation.
Je te souhaite, mon ami Attila, d'excellentes fêtes de fin d'année.
Amitiés.
Philippe

Fis2 (46143) 2006-12-27 15:10

Cze¶æ Attila!
Curious statue! Interesting photo. I like the frame and colors. Well done.
Regards
Krzysztof

stego (22376) 2006-12-27 15:25

Hi Attila,
Great pov of that Soviet-style monument, with the layers very well balanced and His Majesty, The Enlightened One very well enhanced. I won't be surprised to see this photo in any oficial propaganda panflet.
It could be clearer (well, maybe not, because of the sunlight on the golden statue). Specially the grain and the color of the sky are a bit disappointing, but nothing too important.
The note is very informative for someone like me that knew very little about that country before I heard the news about the death of this man.
TFS.

tjanze (5674) 2006-12-27 15:46

Hi Attila!
Good composition and sharpness in front and back.
I like a lot of lines on photo.Golden cut - excelent.
Well about dictators which raise monuments from gold in own name,I have special opinion,but this is not right site.I am living in ex Yugoslavia somethimes and know how this things works.Jeeez!
Regards!

izmirli (3241) 2006-12-27 16:58

merhaba my friend attila
wonderful composition and very good note.very good light and colours.well done my friend.
haapy new year 2007.
best regards.
gürkan akçakır.

anesugur (16930) 2006-12-27 17:22

Hi Attila,
Very well captured shot with very good note.
Thanks for sharing.
Happy new year.Uğur

albertopiubello (2591) 2006-12-28 3:13

Ciao Attila,
ecco un'altra delle tue bellissime foto presa da un'angolo magistrale e con un bellissimo contrasto di colori.
Ho letto molto sul Turkmenistan e sull'Uzbekistan che mi affascinano moltissimo ma... nessuno dei miei amici ci vuol venire (non parliamo poi della famiglia...). Ci si può andare con viaggio individuale? (detesto i viaggi organizzati).
La gente parla un po' di inglese?
Ciao!
Alberto

Graal (58403) 2006-12-28 4:27

Jó napot Attila,
interesting note and monument, good composition and colours. Here Turkmenbashi, who died, is as first after God for inhabitants of Turkmenistan. Well done photo.
Gr., Aleksander

sergio1 (12150) 2006-12-28 6:39

Hi Friend

Useful note and intersting shot. Great compo and pov. Well light control.

I like it,

Sergio

kermit350 (8988) 2006-12-28 7:10

Hello Attila, a rather incredible history of this president who changes the name of the months of the calendar, the photograph imposes some and I find this effigy glowing and extremely gravitational, particularly exposed in this way, sincerely

thea0211 (1355) 2006-12-28 7:52

szia attila, nagyon jo kep, hogy is lehetne maskep - ha te csinaltad!
nagyon ugyes kompozicio, lentrol veve meg erosseb - amit jelemez viszont azt nem igen kedvelem ... mi is atteltunk majdnem illesmit es most viszanezve, latom hogy nem mindegyk emlek szep ... igazan remelem szerencsesek lesznek az emberek.
minden jot neked,
dora :)

Photo65Net (43096) 2006-12-28 11:13

Hello Attila,
I've read some papers about this governant's habits, and it's impressive to see how huge the ego of this man can be.
Thanks for this reporter work.
JB.

imrek (4) 2006-12-28 12:27

Hi Attila,
very nice composition and gold and blue gives a good contrast, thanks for an interesting note...well done!!!
regards,
imre

riclopes (33077) 2006-12-28 14:39

Olá Attila, a perfect composition, including so well the monument in the background. The golden president is really impressive. He looks so proud and imposing from upthere and the gold really shines against the sky. Excellent work and very good informative note.
I wish you all the best in 2007!
Ricardo

Cricri (43436) 2006-12-28 14:51

Bonsoir Attila,
Note intéressante de ce personnage trop"sérieux"
beau cadrage et couleurs, compliment
amitiés
cricri

t0mmm1 (5434) 2006-12-28 14:57

Ciao Attila,
interesantissima la storia... sembra di averla gia' sentita ;))) Bellissima la resa dei colori con la statua d'oro in primo piano sul cielo blu!
Auguro a te e tutta la tua famiglia un felice anno nuovo!
Tomi

gilou530 (35488) 2006-12-28 16:37

salut attila
le dorée avec le bleu du ciel claque bien a l'écran imposante cette statue comme le bonhomme d'ailleur
amitiés
gilbert

turkamerikali (4772) 2006-12-28 18:19

Hi Attila,
Excellent Tribute photo to Turkmenbasi.
When I first hear that sad news I remembered about your Turmenistan photos.
Excellent pov,dof,focus,sharpness,colors,lighting,framing and note.TFS
Happy New Year My friend,
Tolga

jhm (83035) 2006-12-29 3:25

Hi Attila,

A very interesting is your note to compliment the picture, beautiful contrast between the gold of the statue and the blue sky, also the statue with the horses not forget, very nice composition and good point of view. Tfs.
Happy New Year 2007

Best regards,
John.

coco (27974) 2006-12-29 6:37

Hi Attila.

Very curios the story of this man. And the photo is a good proof of his strange behaviour.
Then, an interesting photo and... the note too.

Regards.

prezntime (3945) 2006-12-30 1:10

A remarkable golden statue. It is amazing, the taste of power, what it can do to an individual. To erect monuments to themselves and surpress the traditions and values of the people they control, incredible...I guess it's like being a parent 8?}
Superb colors again and the composition is extremely well seen.
Regards,
Chris.

markstaples (15670) 2006-12-30 4:18

Hi Attila
I like your POV to include the background monument too. The gold statue stands out nicely against the blue sky enhanced by the odd fluffy white cloud. The image has graphic qualities too with the steps and various shapes of the stonework. Nice one.
Best wishes
Mark

Gerrit (36035) 2006-12-30 4:36

Hi Attila,
great composition with the pathatic statue on the forground. Keep us informed.
Regards, Gerrit

PixelTerror (86494) 2007-01-04 5:00

Szia Attila, boldog új évet !
When I heard it in the news I was thinking about our exchanges concerning your experience of this country, I see now you heard the news too and posted this nice photo to the honour of this great democrat, no doubt he will be sadly missed ;-))
I like the angle to show the two monuments and hint they are not alone, also the gold covering the statue shows how far he went in the cult of personality. Did you get more news about changes there ?
I added a small WS for you.
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

[workshop] [compare] +

berek (28965) 2007-01-05 0:20

Hi Attila,
Meaningful sent my friend. good point of view and note.have a nice day.
Burak
my overall evaluation -> ****

Rosa_d_MonteLua (1504) 2007-01-24 16:16

Hi Attila!
Interesting shot in a very nice POV, with fabulous colors, and a perfect contrast between the golden statue and the blue sky.
Luminosity it's good, too.
TFS and best regards,
Rosa

vagabondtravels (6115) 2007-03-09 9:11

Hi Attila

Good comp and colors. It is nto often we see images from Turkministan. Really well done. I would like to visit.
Ben

grantcorp (117) 2007-03-10 17:14

An excellent composition with Turkmenbashi himself supported by the surrounding monuments and national flags under a beautiful sky.

noborders (14201) 2007-05-14 12:08

Ah Ah, great idea to have taken this shot ! when travelling there, I tried to avoid looking too close to all those portraits, statues etc, and I wonder what happened to the revolving statue in the park...

Interesting shot, great light and almost an "official portrait",

Congratulations for all your photos, they are inspiring !
Cath.

Photo Information

Copyright: Attila Szili (atus) (15476)
Genre: Gens
Medium: Couleur
Date Taken: 2006-06-20
Categories: Vie quotidienne, Oeuvres d'art
Camera: Nikon D70, Nikkor 18-70mm 1:3.5-4.5G ED DX, Hoya Super HMC PRO1 67mm Sky
Exposition: f/8, 1/800 secondes
More Photo Info: view
Versions: version originale, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2006-12-27 6:35