200th : walking to school Photo

Photographer’s Note

To mark the occasion of my 200th photos posted on TE (a bit missed yesterday), here is another RP... A miniature size, (larger version here, unfortunately it is losing quality when enlarged) : all my photos taken there are in the smallest size, all taken very hastily and often like here, only one shot, as I was constantly accompanied by various persons and on a tight schedule, in this instance by a local NGO supporting various "independent schools" far way from the capital, which are not receiving anything from the government.

Early morning, in the "Nippes" area, above Miragoane (a large "commune" named Paillant) - one of the schools there had only one large room for over 260 children (and 9 teachers) ; asking how many of the pupils had to walk for more than one hour one way to reach their school, about a third of the children raised their hands. Some of the parents have so little cash that they cannot even pay for the *annual* school fees, only 5 or 6 dollars ; the dedicated teachers are often paid only with farm crops or chickens (or other farm animals).

All children have to wear a uniform ; they are not allowed into the classroom if they don't have a pair of shoes (except for the new comers). The little girls have their hair combed with great care... (In the same area, we saw other schools which looked very neat and well managed and where this NGO did not have to intervene : the growing influence of various fundamentalist protestant churches brings new money in the countryside).

ChrisJ, hgupta, jonathan_hart, adelune, Silvio1953, faubry, elihesamian, axiotea, crckt, stego, cyrrhus, pawelx trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

ChrisJ (70357) 2007-12-28 1:11

Salut Catherine, & congrats on your 200th!

I think Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world. Good daily life scene from a locale not often seen on TE. I like the linear perspective, afforded by the dirt road. Merci pour ce partage. C'est tres bon!

hgupta (1320) 2007-12-28 1:11

Hi Cath,

Interesting set of information along with the picture. The picture looks good in the size technically. Colos are good and kids aong the road provide human face to otherwise deserted place. I also liked the color of the reddish road. POV is also nice.
Regards,

Hemant

sayeed_rahman (2299) 2007-12-28 1:29

Hello Catherine

Youve managed the light well in this place..seems the right exposure. The elements have been carefully used with the right perspective ..overall good depth and layers.. a good job :) Like it.

Cheers
Sayeed

jonathan_hart (22580) 2007-12-28 2:52

bonjour Catherine
une version un peu plus claire et recadrée,
déjà 200... continue de nous montrer tes belles photos
amicalement
jo

Bruno40 (6442) 2007-12-28 3:32

Hi Cath,
Congratulations for your 200th post, a fine daily life journalist photo showing us a country that we maybe will never have the chance to visit.
well done
best wishes for 2008!
Jorge

adelune (2) 2007-12-28 5:21

Une photo en guise de piqûre de rappel... le monde n'est pas que pittoresque... beaucoup de mélancolie. La photo et la note sont là indispensables l'une à l'autre. Merci Catherine pour ce témoignage. Amitiés, alain

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Silvio1953 (42379) 2007-12-28 6:28

Ciao Caterina congratulazioni per la tua duecentesima, hai scelto un ottimo soggetto, bella l'immagine dei bimbi che si recano a scuola lungo questa strada di cui non si vede la fine e che dona grande prospettiva a tutta la foto, brava, con Amicizia Silvio

photographer123 (5791) 2007-12-28 8:31

hi cath..
congrats for 200th post..waiting for next 2000 from a nice globetrotter...happy X-MASS...best wishes...subir

Partha_c (1985) 2007-12-28 9:58

Congratulations on your 200th. Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man - said an Indian saint in 19th century. And the primary schooling is the initiation of that manifestation. A good post. Regards.
Partha

faubry (32383) 2007-12-28 10:13

je crois que je l aurais laisse en grand, pas grave la qualite, l atmosphere est bien retransmise, alors deja 200.... j espere encore 10 fois 200... avec tes photos nous pouvons voyager et c est bien agreable... a tres bientot
amities
francine

elihesamian (26091) 2007-12-28 10:54

Hello Catherine,
Merry Christmas and Happy new Year !
and : congratulation on your 200th post in TE,Great work !
a good daily life scene with a perspective you show us that the poeple are going in the perspective and you composed the scene very well,good note,Thanks,nicely done,
Best Regards
M

lousat (15768) 2007-12-28 12:49

Ils ne marchent pas en direction de l'ecole,mais ils savent de tes 200 fantastiques photos et ils courent a la postation internet plus proche pour les voirs.eheheh...merci de partger ta fantastique galerie et bon 2008,Luciano

mesutilgim (37076) 2007-12-28 14:19

Hi dear Cath !
Congratulations to your 200th ! With this great capture. Very good pov, very good compo nice colors and a great mesage with your notes.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

axiotea (16193) 2007-12-29 1:01

Salut Catherine
Une 200ème qui nous décrit bien les conditions difficiles des étudiants en Haïti...j'ai fait un petit WS et tu me diras ce que tu en penses ;)
je te souhaite une très bonne année!
Marilyn

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pcp (3364) 2007-12-29 2:41

Hi Cath,

Congrats for your 200th :D God picture you posted a way to school is a way to survive our life. Well done.

TFS

Senthil

stego (22376) 2007-12-29 16:00

Salut Catherine,
Félicitations par l'occasion!
C'est curieux que, comme moi, tu as choisi de poster une de tes premières photos pour commémorer. Ta évolution au PP est notable.
Elle n'est pas une photo 'excellente', mais ce qui le manque en 'esthétique' est largement compensé par la situation qu'elle montre. Enfin, la compo est aussi bien faite, avec la route donnant une grande profondeur.
Amicalement, José.
Bonne Année Nouvelle!

hatti52 (12654) 2007-12-30 0:34

Hi Cath,
firstly congrats for 200 th post on TE
wonderful shot with information note
impressive
Happy new year

crckt (7088) 2007-12-30 6:19

Hi Cath,
My heartiest congratulations to you for achieving this milestone. Personally I can say that I've learned a lot from you from your lens and notes. You've definitely made a difference here in TE showing the world and making us LEARN through your photography. May the New year be happy for you and bring many many such good images.
Warm regards,
Shaeri

aadilj (17950) 2007-12-30 22:00

Thats a sight we see in several parts of India as well and with regularity. i like the documentary like feel in this one and the subject that it chooses which make me return to your image again. The composition is superb. Keep it up Cath!

Angshu (33947) 2007-12-31 19:57

Hello Cath
Belated congratulations on your 200th. While we tend only to scratch the surface of where we go, you have revealed through your pictures, the life within, the daily chores, the mundane (theirs, not for us), the beauty of which touches our chord (at least mine) & sometimes quite profoundly. A wonderful celebration through this post of the school going kids. Poor these people maybe, but at least there is a movement to learn & educate. Thanks again Cath
Best Regards
Angshu
Wishing you the very best for the New Year, full of happiness, joy & lots of travel.

cyrrhus (2878) 2008-01-12 8:35

Bonjour Catherine,
Je n'avais pas encore vu celle-ci. Elle a toutes les qualités d'une photo prise sur le vif... pas de tricherie... rien que de la vie quotidienne...
Le cadrage est très bon
Eric /.

pawelx (473) 2009-02-02 1:40

Catherine, this is probably the first time I'm commenting on a photo from Haiti! It's good that you've included an extensive note, it's amazing to know about the newcomers being the only ones allowed in without shoes..What a different world this is. Imagine that luxury resorts in the Dominican Republic are on the same little island. Good work, regards, Pawel