My long odyssey is starting with a bang with a quick (hey, everything is going to be quick) visit to Mali in Western Africa. We visited Djenne and its spectacular mud walled mosque. Loved walking through the streets grabbing street scenes with the 16-85mm.
The street vendors were ambitious, but not obnoxious. People were cool about being photographed, by and large. If they didn’t want it, they good naturedly wave a finger. But there’s so much to shoot, you don’t even feel a pang of regret if you have to walk away from a great photo. There’s another one around the corner.
I’m guessing the reason the vendors are not as aggressive as some other places I’ve been is because not that many tourists make it out here. It’s, as they say, hell and gone from everywhere.
This evening, we enjoyed a performance of Dogon dancers in a hotel courtyard. Perfect place to practice slow synch flash, or shake and bake, or strobe and burn, or whatever you call the technique of panning with a slowish shutter speed and firing the flash.
It’s onto Luxor and a desert oasis from here! I’ll keep you posted.
Paul Dymond
24 Mar 2010My first big overseas trip (by myself) was nine months travelling down through Africa. My Dogon coat sits in my cupboard and gets an airing every now and again. Thanks for bringing back such great memories Bob.
Bob
24 Mar 2010Paul: Sounds like a great trip. Not sure I’d have the stamina for it at this point, although two or three days in Mali is a tad on the short side, I’m always glad to get here for however long I can! cheers,Bob
mike a
26 Mar 2010love that top photo