← Portfolio / Niger
Portraits of women and children in Niger.
This series of portraits shows women and children of Niger in their daily lives. It focuses on simple gestures, looks and places of life: a school yard, a mud house, a shop.
Niger is a country of the Sahel, in West Africa. In this series, documentary photography is first of all interested in people. The images show children on swings in a school yard, and a woman with her children between two mud walls.
You also discover the portrait of a mother and her daughter in pink, then that of a little girl pressed against her mother. The light is soft, the eyes are direct. Each photo keeps the time of the encounter.
A young woman stands at the door of her mud house. A shopkeeper, seated in her shop, waits for customers. These simple scenes remind us that women’s work keeps families and neighbourhoods alive.
Meanwhile, children are at the heart of the series. They play, watch, cling to their mothers. Together, these photos offer an attentive and respectful look at the lives of the women and children of Niger.
In this series on the women and children of Niger, photography looks for simplicity. There is no staging: people look at the lens, or carry on with their gestures. This approach makes their presence stronger and their dignity more visible. The shots are taken at eye level, close to the people. This choice keeps the series warm and respectful. It also leaves space for the quiet details of each place.
This story is part of Alexander Bee’s documentary photography portfolio. You can also discover Burundi: floods and portraits or Artisanal mines. To buy a print or use a photo, contact me. To learn more: Niger on Wikipedia.
Photos © Alexander Bee – all rights reserved. Prints and licensing: contact me.
