3 Children + 9 Frames, Dakar, Senegal, 2006

The contrasts in the streets of Dakar gave me pause. Without exception the children were sweet and curious. Since I am without children of my own, I imagined how my friends with children would feel seeing children with tattered clothes, facial scars and a layer of dirt/dust on their precious skin. To this day I wonder how these children fared in life, and hope that they survived their childhood. 

Etsy 

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Woman, Water Collection, Somewhere in Senegal, 2006

We were on the road for  just a little bit when we can across this woman and a younger companion near a water well. They were just finished with water collection when we arrived, and let us speak with them for a few minutes. They then allowed us to make their portraits, giving us just enough time to set up before walking away.

She was doing just that when this image was made. My memory tells me that she has a natural toothbrush between her lips, the brand that's sold on the streets in bundles by vendors. The area around us was as seen in the image above, open and expansive. We were on our way to the interior of The Gambia and had a long road ahead of us.

Much of my work today is planned, scheduled and repeated. The people in my portraits are familiar to me, and I can identify their streets and homes from a satellite view of our globe. Her portrait and all other portraits from my time in Senegal are more mysterious. I will never be able to visit this place again, and am thankful for at least this image.

Perhaps I should refrain from using the word never, because I do have family in Senegal and they do remember the driver. He might just remember the path taken and just might be able to take me once again to this well. Regardless I have come to accept these single portraits, and cherish them actually. There are so many more spirits to document, that she will forgive my absence I believe.

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Halim Ina Photography

Young Woman, Courtyard of Home, Outskirts of Dakar, Senegal, February, 2006

While having been to Africa before, this can be described as my first photographic experience on the continent. My trip to Senegal and Gambia began as a visit to my family, and ended up launching my work on the continent.

On the day we met this young woman, we decided to explore another neighborhood of the capital. Two young men accompanied me during my days, both of whom ran small businesses near my cousin's home. One young man ran a small fruit stand and the other owned a small corner store. They knew my cousin and took it upon themselves to help me with my work.

Most of the time we would walk up and down streets, looking for a moment and a face. Whenever we set up the camera, children would come running from everywhere to have their pictures made. At first it  would seem like four, then that number would multiply by six to become well over a dozen. My friends would always joke with me that we needed to set up a video camera just to record from which houses the people came.

On this day however we were coming back from a day of photography when I glanced to my left and saw this young woman's face. She and her family were standing at their doorway, and my friends were walking in front of me looking forward to going home. She however caught my attention and rather than asking my friends to inquire for me I raised my hand and made the motion of clicking the shutter of a camera. She smiled approvingly and made me want to walk across the street.

I asked my two companions for permission and they gave it. We walked across a dirt street filled with tire tracks and potholes to meet her and her family. They quickly invited us inside without hesitation. We walked past a doorway and into a courtyard. We sat down for a little bit and then asked to make her portrait. They again allowed us without hesitation and the camera was set up for such.

One year before I learned the technique of making portraits without a hint of a background while working in Cuba. In this instance, the courtyard not only had a white wall but also an open sky and access to the setting sun. She was asked to stand with her back to the white wall and her face to the sun. She did so and allowed me a few exposures before the sun began to set behind the building.

To this day my mind has a difficult time grasping the idea of being allowed into the lives of others with such ease. The number of people met, the tens of thousands of negatives exposed and the hundreds of hours spent have yet to provide me with an explanation. I can only be thankful for the trust shown to me and the kindness attached to that trust.

I know that I will never see this young woman again, unlike the others in my portfolio. I do however appreciate the image above and what it represents for me, a single moment in an afternoon of my life when the face of kindness presented itself to me.

Halim Ina Photography

National Missing Children's Day, Child, On the Streets of Dakar, Senegal, 2006

In the streets of Dakar six years ago this young boy and two of his friends approached us. They were curious and respectful, had little more than the shirts on their backs and pants just as worn. My mind wondered where they lived, whether in the capital or far away, having come to the capital to find something to earn.

When they approached me I was making pictures of a wall. They seemed nice enough and I offered to make their portraits. They quickly accepted and the portrait above is the result of that moment.

Today is National Missing Children's Day. Even though I lack children of my own, I cannot help but imagine the horror of losing a child, or thinking that one's child is suffering a life on the streets like the young boy above.

Nearly 800,000 children go missing each year in the States alone, and an equal number of girls for example in India suffer a similar fate due to a preference for boys by parents. Regarding the latter more can be learned through the following link:

BBC News Article

I have never forgotten him and hope that he has found a better way.

For more of my work, and to contribute your thoughts regarding this project, please visit the newly designed website below, courtesy of Patrick Luu.

Halim Ina Photography