Celebrate!
Uzbekistan 2012: A coppersmith’s workshop in Fergana Valley
I have reason to celebrate today. I had re-formatted a 32 GB card of photos from the Fergana Valley. I knew it was risky to re-format, but I told myself that I’d downloaded the card and I was being a worry-wart. Trouble was the download didn’t download. When I got home, I realized that I had lost nearly a thousand photos. It was a blow, especially because I knew it was all my fault. “NEVER DELETE PHOTOS UNTIL YOU HAVE THEM SAFELY IN TWO PLACES.” That’s the rule. Maybe you can break it and get away with it sometimes, but don’t count on it.
I used a software called Rescue Pro Deluxe. Their technicians were helpful and in a matter of seconds, there were my photos popping up on my computer screen. A miracle! If you ever lose data, think Rescue Pro. I know I’ll never forget that software, but I am not going to delete photos until they are safely in two places. They also recover data from hard drives. I had a hard drive crash a few years ago and didn’t think it was worth it to send it off to a service like Rescue Pro. But if it ever happens again, I’ll use them. A hard drive would be expensive to recover for someone like me, but for a business it would be more than worth it. Another rule, backup your computer data. It is a chore, isn’t it, but you won’t be sorry if things go sour.
The man blowing the ceremonial horn is a coppersmith in Fergana Valley. He was just finishing the horn and gave it a try for us. The horns are used in Uzbek weddings. Men blowing these horns herald the arrival of the bride and groom. Very regal. There were many weddings during October. Our hotel was a popular venue for the modern wedding. The traditional wedding ceremonies are held in the mornings. We wanted to see one of those but weren’t invited to any.
The coppersmith’s workshop was dark and a lot of my shots are too dark. If they were slides, I’d be berating myself, but digital performs miracles and here you see a low-key photo, my fave: a lovely environmental portrait of a craft that will soon be just a memory.
The expression on the man’s face is sweet. He is proud of his work and happy that we admire it by photographing it. Which is better, the memory or the photo? I don’t know. I am just thankful for both.
To find our more about Uzbekistan or to arrange a tour contact Penelope at http://www.uzbekjourneys.com/