Dogon Children 2nd version

Dogon is the mountain area of Mali. Very hard way to arrive to that part of land. No roads and it is a very rocky region . They grow, in small fields, onions for the entire country.

 

Thanks for your thoughts. Pnina

 

Thanks , Pnina

Although it lacks some sharpness, I think it is a beautiful and well composed picture (apart from the blurred rock in front that somewhat stands in the way). Excellent subject and timing.

I thought I could get up early and catch up with your photoessay. (sigh...) You beat me to it. :-)

 

Anyway - if you number the children from left to right, #2 and #3 look *angry*! It is sad to me to see a child so young so angry. The external world does that to a young soul ... I have never (NEVER) met an angry child who hadn't been previously damaged. What will be the long-term fate of these children? That's the question that keeps coming back into my mind. Are their lives destined to repeat those of their elders? Is that such a bad thing ... or am I just prejudiced by my Western way of life?

 

Pnina - I believe that you are giving each of us an opportunity to ask ourselves some very difficult questions. Thank you for that.

Thankk you both.

 

Frank, I know it is a bit blured in the fg. but it was important for me to upload that one, exactly because of Lou Ann's comment.

 

Lou Ann, one of my observation seeing the children was that many many of them don't smile.!

 

I thank you Lou Ann for being so attentive to that folder,there are so many question to ask and no answers!

I like the way the children are grouped together. As Lou Ann says they don't look happy but there could be a hundred reasons for that!

Pnina,I agree with the previous comments. I add,as a picture,I like that tide grouping in the rocks.The mother has them all behind her,and even wears earrings,at least they are with her, what not all Your pictures show.The red color gives a little lift.

Just add, maybe it is not the mother?

The out of focus foreground is good, keeps the eye on the children, and the red shirt really lifts this contrast-wise. The poses of the two children on the end are interesting, almost as though they've just had an arguement and the others are seperating them.

"...there are so many questions to ask and no answers!" I agree there are "many questions". No answers?! Forgive me but there is one simple answer: MONEY! (you may use another word: POWER). PN is not a political / philosophical site and for that reason I do not write more about this subject. I agree with Frank concerning the sharpness but the blurred rock for me works because by this way the group of children has more strength. Very good photo. This is an image with an enormous message.

Colin, Alix, Stephen and Paulo.

 

Paulo, you are right about the answer, Money...yes, but that answer is missing.You are right again, that is not a place to discuss the subject...

 

I'm glad the blurred area on the fg. is not too disturbing, I thought it accentuate the sharp line of the children, your feedback, helped.

Agree w/ the FG comments - no problem here. Also agree re: the red shirt - then the blue sash - the colors frame the children in between. As to the "smiling" - do the adults smile much? I wonder if it is not a cultural phenomenon, rather than some sort of statement of deprivation (not that they AREN'T, because their lives are obviously incredibly poor!). Just a thought...

Pnina, love the group of children how their expression vary, how none of them is really looking at the camera, how their expression tell a story.

Looking at them I can imagine how dry the place is. Marvellous how humans live and adapt to extreme living conditions.

Lee, the adults smile...I was not there long enough to know why many children don't smile,but I observed it. I'm sure there are smiling children in Mali too...Thanks for your thoughts.

 

Paula and Alec, thanks for your comments.

 

Paula, while photographing children, I showed them the result on the camera screen, you should have seen the wonder on their faces, they enjoyed it very much...

 

 

Alec, in the summer time the heat is about 47-50C...People adjust.

 

Pnina

...I love the way the children are clustered together on this arid and parched landscape. I believe it is symbolic of their need to pool their resources together to survive the seemingly harsh realities of their day to day existence. An excellent capture. Regards, Kelvin.

Dogon! It sounds mysterious to my ears. Many cultural anthropologists have been researching on their cultures, especially their detailed knowledge of astronomy(Some people who take myth of Dogon straightly allege that they have learned astronomy from Alien in ancient times! I really love this kind of talk).

 

Unfocused FG and BG work to me too.

Pnina, Considering these childrens facial expressions with the other one, is thought provoking.....These two shots have me wondering if these little ones lives contain any joy at all, do you think they know what it is to feel good and play and laugh as kids usually do?.....Jim

Kelvin, Hiroya and Jim.

 

Hiroya, I don't know anything about Dogon Astronomy,seeing their hard life I hardly belive they can practice that.

 

Kelvin and Jim, Yes they stick together, they have community life.

 

Jim, I think they have their good moments if they survive, as children mortality there is high. Anyway it is not what we know in the west.

Well, now I picked two horizontal and one vertical for the centerpiece! I love three together! Again, many compliments and thanks.

Mel, thanks for your extensive visit and comments, Pnina

As it has been pointed out, the OOF foreground and background play well the game in getting us concentrated onto the kids. The red shirt is a great eye-catcher, and plays a good role in letting us look at that kid first -the most quiet of the bunch, with the expression which less stimulate our flow of thoughts. It is interesting that I then look at them one by one, and cannot escape attaching lots of other meanings to the image.

Clearly, if it makes us think, it is a good shot!

Off theme, but since the point was raised a bit earlier, here a skeptical review of the issue about the astronomical knowledge of the Dogon tribes.

Salvatore, If it made you think,I have fulfilled one of my aims,as aside from my photographic aim ( to do the best I can) it was my way to raze awareness and thinking.

 

Thanks as well for the link about Dogon's astronomy, after the remark I have entered the internet and found some articles about that subject, really interesting.Pnina

Googled "DOGON TRIBE" and I got 52,300 results! Which one do you like? I have visited web page which Salvatore linked above. I think that gives appropriate explanations and informations about Dogon's astronomical knowledge. Thanks!