As I came out from the car I found this woman carrying her child behind her back, she was waiting for the group of visitors just outside the village. The spot was empty as all other photographers were rushing to go inside the village.
I gave the child a cherry candy and I waved my camera to ask the woman if it was alright to take her pictures, she signaled back with her index finger showing number 1.
I clicked my shutter, thanked her and moved to join the others inside the village.
This was my first visit to a Masai Tribe in Tanzania, I was just about entering the village when I heard some singing coming from inside the Village.
I rushed inside and found thous women singing to welcome us. Taking pictures in busy environment while everyone is moving was totally new experience for me; I noticed that the women in the middle was slowing down her movements so I got ready and clicked the shutter as she looked at my direction.
I made the final edit in B&W to add more dramatic look to enhance the overall of the photograph.
Arriving the Masai Village when I was visiting Tanzania for the first time made my first Safari some how different; I would consider as my first dedicated People’s Life Photography.
In this trip I encountered many different characters, some played a major part of controlling our group visit and collect cash money so we can enter the village, they informed us that our payments will cover the whole village, we don’t have to pay any more.
Unfortunately things when you travel to high demand are totally different, I found myself forced to choose between giving extra money to the people I want to photograph or choose different person or I just take standard snapshot style picture.
People’s Life Photography was something I didn’t always do, I always think that the joy and pleasure I found in photography is the thing that moves me but, after my first visit to the Massai people in Tanzania I found that taking pictures of people while they in their daily day life is something great to do.
Here I found this Massai woman holding her child, he was busy playing with her Nickless while I was getting ready to take their picture, another woman came and said that I have to give the mother some money because she needs some support to raise her child!
I wasn’t sure how true was this, but after all, we are human, giving and supporting others is something great to do.
This alder Masai women was just sitting near her cottage wearing the usual Masai beaded earrings and necklaces. The light was magical and her face and the way she look to the other direction was perfect.
I asked and she didn’t mind taking some pictures, I only used natural light and a white reflector to fill the shadows.
I believe that crossing the black & white edit added more to the overall of this shot.
This shot is all about how this older sister was taking care of her two young brothers, they were just sitting at the entrance of their humble cottage/ Home. You can see how she is holding and caring for her brothers. I noticed that many of the tribes I visited during my photo journeys and workshops, that the older sister is always taking care of the younger ones in the family. Is this part of her duties or a tradition to make her ready for her coming life as an adult! I am not sure !!! But in any event and for what ever reason I think this is a great social activity.
A very famous say that describe the eyes as the window to a person’s soul”. I am a believer of this states. As the eyes are the gate or the door that thru them you can know what that person is about; thru them you can see their hidden emotions, attitudes and thoughts.
I found those Three girls sitting just near one muddy wall, I already shot one portrait of one of them but seeing the three of them together was another great photographic subject.
I am not sure what is the relation between the three of them but they all meet at one point; it’s their shyness. all of them were very shy and their eyes look gave an amazing impression.