Apple Picture -- Azerbaijan Photo -- National Geographic Photo of the Day

May 21, 2013

Picture of winter apples stored in a Volga, Baku, Azerbaijan

May 21, 2013

Apples, Baku

Photograph by Erik Andre Juriks, Your Shot

This Month in Photo of the Day: The Stories Behind Your Shots

The snow made me treat myself to some side streets while looking for photo opportunities on my way to work, this bitterly cold morning in Baku. The rapidly changing capital of Azerbaijan always has something in store. Just outside the centuries-old Taza Bazaar, I came across the unlikely sight of an old Soviet-era Volga brimming with golden winter apples. The strange beauty of the scene brought back childhood memories of apples carefully picked and stored in the basement of our home in Norway, and the apples turning sweeter as the months of winter went by. —Erik Andre Juriks

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12 comments

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mojtaba seyedi

That's Funny

Irma Laghadze

Typical Soviet streets, buildings and car. I live in Caucasus neighborhood to Azerbaijan, in Georgia. Shot reminds me hard Soviet times and even more hard winters with no electricity, no fuel and a lot of poverty.... :(

T H

I have the same memories of my parents root cellar with apples carefully stored so they don't have any bruises, as those will quickly rot and spoil all the others it comes in contact with (1 rotten apple will spoil the whole lot...).
When I see how the apples are abused in our stores (pouring them on a pile) or at the checkout, I become aware how we gotten used to new food being available 24/7 and wonder what would become of r civilization if we all had to live w/o technology again one of a sudden!

Andrew Gilman

@T H I think this is EXACTLY the type of thing the photographer was thinking in this photo. Such an odd juxtaposition of a bunch of apples presumably for sale (near a bazaar) with a modern car. Some things never change, and some things do.

Cedar Waxwing

WHY !! I can understand the basement, but the question begs, why store them in a car?

The apples are the only interesting aspect in this photo. it would have been nice to now why they are there.

Cedar Waxwing

Oh, ok, that makes since. Thanks Elshan and Mustafa, I just thought a little more information as to what we were looking at might help me appreciate the photo more. And it does, thanks again.

To Andrew, come on, the apples are the photo. Even the photographer realizes that, "the unlikely sight - the strange beauty of the scene". Do you think this would still be a good photo without the car loaded to the top with apples? I apologize to Erik, if he interpreted my comment that way but I think, Andrew you may be a little sensitive.

Andrew Gilman

@Cedar Waxwing Within the context of your previous posts, I think it's a fairly accurate representation. But I admit that different individuals strive for different relationships with the world around them.

Andrew Gilman

@Cedar Waxwing Telling that you choose to use an anonymous screen name rather than your actual name, even in this new commenting system. Why did you have to insult the photographer by saying "the apples are the only interesting aspect in this photo"? If you were curious, why not just ask "why store the apples in a car"? Internet anonymity breeds modern insolence.

Mustafa Asgarov

2 Like

@Cedar Waxwing They are collecting the apples from different cities where there are grown and bringing them to the capital to sell. Obviously, this is the cheapest and efficient way of logistics for sellers. This is one option. Other option is as Elshan said!

Elshan Haziyev

1 Like

@Cedar Waxwing They store apple in a car for selling. Buyer drives through streets, yards and sells these apples to people who do not want go to market.