Equatorial HighWay, a photo from Cuvette, North

Photographer's Note

"Highway to Hell" was reportedly can be best suited for this picture ... This was a few weeks that I was in the Congo and I started just to accept the transition from the free, honest and friendly Burkina ...
It was my first time in the “North” and takes advantage of the late afternoon for a trip by canoe on the Alima. After 2h, return to "port" of Oyo, presidential capital. A timid "Yamoussoukro" in a way ... A few hundred meters away, I noticed a gathering of people and military (presidential guard with purple berets) ...
The first lesson of Congo ... Legacy of the Marxist influence and mark of a far-sighted democracy a camera in the hands of a “Moundйlй” is first suspect a few distance from the presidential city, and especially good opportunity to make black money ... Arrested, stripped of passports and took away to the house of the commander of the port by non friendly and armed soldiers...
Threats, intimidations, multiple controls of the "pieces", palavers, breech slappings from Kalach ' and especially the D200 which passes from hand to hand, menaced at any moment to fall heavily...
Four hours later and 40,000 CFA lost, I went out free with my camera and shots (digital helps) ...
Lucky, but keep in mind basics are never applicable every where… and especialy in such arreas you will be spoted and past guilty.

holmertz, thor68, Dpbours, melmcree, albertopiubello, macondo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

filidor (56) 2007-10-31 3:55

:) Welcome to the other planet :) Anyway great vide perspective!

kai (422) 2007-10-31 4:19

Nice angle and panorama crop is beautiful done for this image. : )
KAi

holmertz (102650) 2007-10-31 4:22

Hello Frank,
Another fine shot of travelling in roadless Africa. A good choice to have the canoe coming into the picture from the side. Your description of soldiers being dangerously suspicious of cameras sounds very, very familiar, infortunately.
Best wishes,
Gert

thor68 (5586) 2007-10-31 4:58

jeez, what a frightening experience, and good to read you "only" lost some money...
this makes this an even more special photo than it already is.
terrific view along the river with its wonderful green banks, superb addition of the man in the canoe on the left side.
well done & take care, thor.

Dpbours (222) 2007-10-31 5:41

Hi Frank,

Good story you have written there and quite truly your comment on basic not applicable everywhere. Well, Congo is a good example of the non-applicability of basics. Good story afterwards, but even better not to end up in such a story at all.
Why 'Highway to hell'? What is the direction we are looking at? He seems to go with the flow, which could only be North-Western to the sea - which is the highway out of hell then, coming from Eastern Congo.

Dennis

melmcree (18) 2007-10-31 8:06

Hello,

I was first attracted to the dynamic light coming in from the side when I saw this picture in the thumbnail. It adds very nice highlights where it needs them and creates shadows along the shoreline trees which adds to the drama of this man paddling his way down this large river. Even with all these great elements your story is even more engaging. I'm sorry that all happened to you but good to hear you came out of it ok. Sounds like one scary situation to be in.

Best of luck,

Mel

albertopiubello (2623) 2007-10-31 10:41

Bonsoir Frank,
voici un bel exemple du photoreportage! Je connais trиs bien la situation dont tu parles ayant vйcu 12 ans en Afrique centrale (quelle diffйrence avec l'Afrique de l'ouest!!!)
Mais tu est vraiment parti de l'autre bout du monde! A Oyo... comment es-tu arrivй jusqu'а lа? Je sais que les liaisons sont trиs difficiles.
La photo rend honneur а ce fleuve majesteux.
Alberto

macondo (20449) 2007-11-02 5:06

Another great shot, superbly composed and cropped. Great light and colours, enormous effect of perspective. I think the title of the photo in the frame is a distraction from the man in the canoe; I think it would look better if you moved it to the right side.
Regards,
Andrew
PS Are you in the Brazzaville Republic of Congo or the Kinshasa Democratic (what a joke!) Republic of Congo?

yuo (1184) 2009-12-01 16:19

Bonjour Frank,
what a wonderful nature scene.
I just feel like I'm board on a boat..
This is a really nice photograph where atmosphere is told me.
TFS! Yuo

vladic (4563) 2010-03-07 12:03

Salut Frank,

Cet endroit est un lieu privilйgiй pour son calme et les beautйs de la nature. J’aime beaucoup le point de vue choisi joliment йquilibrй et bien mis en lumiиre. Ce magnifique ciel donne beaucoup de relief au paysage,
Vous avez parfaitement su donner vie а cette composition.

Bravo !
Wladislaw