A morning shoot in shamba

If you want to see the sun come up over the ocean in Zanzibar, you have to leave Stone Town early.
I start the car while Zakia does a last minute check on our camera bags and at 4AM we leave the secure parkinglot, ready to meet the new day.
Today, we are going on a photosafari, Zakia has also been infected by the photograph virus and is a model student. For now, I have only explained to her how the Nikon works, the next lessons she will take in the photography class that starts in March.
It will be a project of “the beautiful eyes” and will be given to local students who are interested in an in-depth understanding of art photography.

The already sparse traffic signs are not visible in the dark and a couple of times we head out for the wrong direction. Just before the golden, round ball announces and brightens the new day, we are set and the camera’s are active. On this beautiful white beach we try to capture our deeply felt stillness.
To be able to captivate these moments of tranquil silence through a camera, and take them home with me, is a gift I thank the Gods for, every day.
When, after the shoot, I find the eyes of my photo partner, we do not talk. Only the eyes can express what can not be said on moments like this.
These moments are full of bliss, connections to nature and the now.

In the small village we find a restaurant that serves spice tea with chapati and maandazi.
After the small meal, we continue our travel and stop to buy a fresh mango in one of the many stalls that you can find by the side of the road.
You can find the mangos in little booths or sometimes just laid out on a small rug, in piles of 3 or 4 together. Of course negotiating the price is a part of the ritual.
By now, I have pretty mastered the art of drinking the juice right out of the fresh mango.
We decide to buy some candy to put our models at ease since they do not often get to meet a mzungu (“white person” in swahili language).
With the camera ready, Zakia precedes me into the small paths. Without trouble she seems to know exactly where to go.

For a group of children, seemingly captivated by their play, the confrontation with the big Nikon camera with zoomlens proves to be still too much.

Even Zakia’s reassuring words do not help when we try to zoom in for a second time although the candy is apprehensively accepted by the older children.
When we see one of the younger children being comforted by her mother, near one of the small houses, we decide to join them and to wait……at least the candy is now accepted by even the little ones.
We realize that we can win their trust by just taking our time.
Zakia is absorbed by her creative play between her camera and the now reassured children.

After seeing the portrait, the little model wants to do it all over again, people sharing joy in the moment.
When we leave the small village, hidden deep in the forest, we are followed by a group of children asking us for more candy and portraits.

To make art photography for our galary in Stone Town, has become a way of life for me here. Another gift from the Gods. All the pictures with this post are made by Zakia, who truly enjoys her newly found career as a photographer.