Someone told me that my lense only shows a certain slice of Dakar, Senegal.
They are right. I take photos of what captures my interest, what I look at and immediately want to immortalize.
Like this beautiful spot off the coast of Dakar in Les Almadies
But that someone was right. There's an entire other side of Dakar, filled with poverty that is unimaginable, trash that is unavoidable,
and infrastructure that is nonexistent--where you have beautiful mansions in Les Almadies (the "ritzy" part of Dakar)
right next to lots like this where trash is burned, stray dogs huddle, and children play with refuse.
And you see lots like this and are impressed by how clean it is and then wonder how long before a squatter builds a cardboard house like this one
I find myself standing next to (or often in) trash all the time. Like this trash at the light house in Dakar.
I'd rather remember the light house like this and show the world Senegal's beauty then focus on where Senegal might be lagging
I'll stand here but I'd rather take this photo at the Mosque by the Sea than this one of trash
So yes, I may provide a specific slice of life in Dakar, but I think the world hasn't seen enough of the beauty Senegal has to offer.
Hooray for trash!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I think you do an excellent job of capturing both sides of Senegal- and the fact that you "always" show photos of such beauty is not unusual at all...there's magnificence and trash everywhere in the world; some places just do a better job of hiding it...