My friend Duncan has started a photo project called Perspectives of Poverty. The project pairs two images: the first image shows one of his friends looking stereotypically 'poor' (the more common type of image coming out of Africa), and second one shows the person dressed to impress. He wants to change people's perceptions of Africa. I thought that it was a great project, and I inadvertently (and with much less photographic skill) conducted my own photo experiment.
Last time I was visiting Tchale village I was happy to see that Regina had learned to walk since my last visit. (She's a niece and neighbor of the Tchale family.) As she was toddling around I took a few quick pictures. As soon as I'd taken the photos her mom swooped in and it was bath time (beloved by all children). Then, Regina returned clean and dressed in her best (I've printed many of the photos I've taken in the village and given them to their subjects - so now I may have a reputation that I'll have to continue to fulfill). I obliged and took a few pictures of Regina. The differences are quite striking. Bear in mind it's the same child in the same place, only ten minutes apart.
Check out Duncan's project at: http://waterwellness.ca/2010/04/28/perspectives-of-poverty/
Heya Trooper:
ReplyDeleteLove the work you are doing over there.
Out of curiosity, what camera are you using, you take such clear photos. My digital has been relegated to cyber heaven and the need for a new one is calling.
Cheers,
Barry Harvie
Thought you might be interested in watching a short film we made about orphan girls in Malawi and the challeges they face, particularly in achieving an education.
ReplyDeleteYou may have to copy the link into your browser
http://www.rumblelimited.tv/malawi