There is something about this photo that captures me. Maybe it's the faces of the women or the colors and reflections of light. Perhaps it's the every-day moment, so common here in Maputo, Mozambique, and so new and different to a New York City girl like me. The elegant Italian frame juxtaposed to the raw marketplace matches the juxtaposition of the marketplace to the world I know at home.
Maputo is both beautiful and extremely rough. I had wonderful conversations and interactions with the locals, and also had to fight off pick-pockets, and once was yelled and by a truckload of police, who threatened to arrest me if I didn't give them money. It was scary. They bluffed. I bluffed too and did not pay! Still, most people are good and inspiring. Let love, not fear, be your guide.
People in Africa do not generally allow their photos to be taken. Most Americans have this myth that Africans think photos will steal their soul, but I asked often and never heard that in Africa. They tell me that they don't like people making money they won't share from their image. Using a digital Polaroid I am able to pierce this barrier and freely take photos as everyone is excited to get theirs. It draws a crowd and allows me to interact for hours with people I might not have had the chance to speak with otherwise.
Photo: 4" x 6"
Framed: 6" x 8"
