~~~~ A photographer tells ~~~~

Captured in Imitation

I was taking some photos here on the beach of Lake Malawi, this time using a tripod. While adjusting my composition, I suddenly saw him: Chisomo Msiska.

There he stood, with his homemade camera, crafted from an empty plastic bottle. His tripod was built from thin twigs, tied together with bits of grass, all found along the lake.

It was a clear imitation of me and my camera in action—silent, focused, as if he were copying me, but in his own way.

Cheers,

~~~~ A Photographer tells ~~~~

Colorful Acrobats in the Garden

They regularly flutter by in our garden in Malawi, as well as in the riverbed next to our house. Sometimes they rest on twigs and leaves, both among the greenery of the garden and along the water’s edge. Wherever you look, they always seem to be in motion – or perfectly still, in quiet balance.

Dragonflies – graceful, almost otherworldly insects – are a fascinating subject to capture. Their metallic shimmer, vibrant colours and impressive wings make them true works of natural art. Some hover motionless in the air, others sit quietly on a leaf or twig.

With their large compound eyes, slender bodies and powerful wings, they seem built for both speed and elegance. Dragonflies can’t sting, but their presence is unmistakable – a vivid detail in the landscape.

In the photos, you’ll see several dragonflies both in motion and at rest.

Cheers,

~~~~ A Photographer tells ~~~~

Wild Fruits and Red Fingers

The football match in Chitimba had not yet started. The first supporters were already standing along the field when I saw her standing there: Mery Chavula. Her lips and fingertips were strikingly pinkish-red, a color you wouldn’t expect. I knew immediately where it came from. Mery had just eaten wild almond fruits.

The fruits fall in the tree’s season and the children pick them up from the ground. They peel the fruit with their mouths, after which the juice from the pulp causes the pink/red color on their lips and fingers. The pulp itself has a slightly sour taste, but the real reward is the almond inside the large pit of the fruit. The children crack open the pit and eat the nut.

When I saw Mery standing there, with her strikingly colored lips and fingers, she was calmly looking at the people along the field. She had no idea I was observing her. As I took a few photos without her noticing, she suddenly turned around and looked directly into my camera, a moment I immediately captured.

Cheers,