November 11, 2007
November 7, 2007
Krista Miller: Crazy Fish
Copyright Krista Miller 2007This fish was so crazy and exotic looking! I wanted to use it as a feature photo, but when I approached the owner of the pet store he bit my head off and said that he hates the media and doesn’t want anything to do with my photos. I was pretty disappointed in his negative aspect of the media, so I didn’t even ask him what kind of fish this was – I just left. It seemed like everyone today was down on my taking photos and I’m not sure why. Just bad luck I suppose.
– Krista Miller
– Krista Miller
October 25, 2007
Hugh Carey: Monte hits
Copyright Hugh Carey 2007Shutter: 1/125
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 400
Focal length: 140mm
What I like about this picture is the ample supply of action blurriness, including the goal post that Monte is hitting…while Monte is still in focus. It is sort of a panning shot since the shutter speed was 1/125. But at least I captured how Monte is really hitting the goal post then flipping all over the place; he (or she?) uses the arm instead of the chest to bump the post.
– Hugh Carey
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 400
Focal length: 140mm
What I like about this picture is the ample supply of action blurriness, including the goal post that Monte is hitting…while Monte is still in focus. It is sort of a panning shot since the shutter speed was 1/125. But at least I captured how Monte is really hitting the goal post then flipping all over the place; he (or she?) uses the arm instead of the chest to bump the post.
– Hugh Carey
October 20, 2007
Hugh Carey: A blur of Autumn leaves
Copyright Hugh Carey 2007Shutter: 1/50
Aperture: f/20
ISO:400
WB: Cloudy
I wanted to find a good ‘autumn leaves’ feature before winter falls through. It’s pretty hard to shoot colorful leaves for a black and white newspaper. So I went for a picture with many leaves as possible in the frame and that had human element in it. The grassy mounds at the Mansfield Mall were perfect. The leaves were on hills next to sidewalks. I didn’t have to go up a building and shoot high angle shots of people and the ground. So, I walked around the Mansfield Mall looking for the right angle to get layers of hills with leaves on it and sandwiched it with telephoto lens.
– Hugh Carey
Aperture: f/20
ISO:400
WB: Cloudy
I wanted to find a good ‘autumn leaves’ feature before winter falls through. It’s pretty hard to shoot colorful leaves for a black and white newspaper. So I went for a picture with many leaves as possible in the frame and that had human element in it. The grassy mounds at the Mansfield Mall were perfect. The leaves were on hills next to sidewalks. I didn’t have to go up a building and shoot high angle shots of people and the ground. So, I walked around the Mansfield Mall looking for the right angle to get layers of hills with leaves on it and sandwiched it with telephoto lens.
– Hugh Carey
October 16, 2007
Blog Action Day photos
Copyright Kristine Paulsen 2007A bicycle wheel propped up over a garbage can urges River City Roots Festival-goers to be responsible recyclers.
I like this photo mainly because of the subject matter. It's just such a funky way to ask people to recycle.
I like this photo mainly because of the subject matter. It's just such a funky way to ask people to recycle.
Copyright Hugh Carey 2007
Copyright Krista Miller 2007Spotted knapweed is a biennial, or short-lived perennial found throughout Canada and the U.S. except for Alaska, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. It can be easily confused with its relative, Russian knapweed, which is also found throughout Canada and the U.S. The plant flowers from June through October. The flowers are pink to purple, and each flowering head may produce 25 to 35 flowers, and this weed produces 1,000 seeds or more per plant. Knapweed, as it is commonly known, releases a toxin that reduces the growth of surrounding vegetation. The seeds may remain in the soil for five years or more, so infestations are likely to keep occurring unless repeated soil treatments and controlled growth areas are constantly attended to. Spotted knapweed has few natural enemies and may be consumed by grazing livestock when no other vegetation is available. Knapweed reduces biodiversity and increases soil erosion. The potential annual loss to Montana’s economy from spotted knapweed alone is estimated to be $42 million.
Copyright Shane McMillan 2007Three rotting oil barrels sit near the train tracks in Missoula last week. With almost a century of use, the area around the tracks holds many signs of the carelessness of industry and modern man. The oil from these barrels in undoubtedly joining the water cycle and probably won't leave it for quite some time.
October 10, 2007
Shane McMillan: Bus stop cat-lady
Copyright Shane McMillan 2007My friend April and I went on a little photo expedition the other day. Toward the end we ran into this woman named Carol at the bus station. She really liked cats. She was pretty sore from a car accident and was having a pretty bad day, but she let me take her picture while she sat on the bench. The interesting part came when her bus arrived, she got up and headed off and I snapped this frame. I really liked something about her stance and the rain on the sidewalk and light, it was just interesting. So here it is...
– Shane McMillan
– Shane McMillan
Shane McMillan: Walking with elephants
Copyright Shane McMillan 2007I shot this in the back of The Badlander a few weeks ago for a story about local artist Noah Ptolemy. I really loved it, but it wasn't really a newsworthy photo, so it hit the cutting room floor. I have been working a lot more in black and white and this was really one of my favorite images. There is something in the movement of the man walking past the elephants that makes it really interesting. It's not wild, but it's one of my favorites as of late.
– Shane McMillan
– Shane McMillan
Shane McMillan: Defeated Great Danes
Copyright Shane McMillan 2007This shot is from a few weeks ago. It was at the end of the Griz game against Albany State in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. After the game I was walking around and was sort of thinking of going home when I saw the Great Danes slogging back the ramp in the corner of the stadium. I underexposed a bit to get the sky right and kicked up the contrast to capture the mood of the moment. They were pretty bummed and I think the photo really captures that. It may not be the most original picture, but it's nice.
– Shane McMillan
– Shane McMillan
October 8, 2007
Krista Miller: Griz fans
Copyright Krista Miller 2007
Copyright Krista Miller 2007These photos are from the Griz game day last Saturday (October 6, 2007). I actually went to the game just to watch, but I couldn't just leave my camera at home!! So I snapped a few shots of the crowd. Enjoy!!
– Krista Miller
– Krista Miller
Hugh Carey: Deer on the Oval
Copyright Hugh Carey 2007The chances of finding deer while walking on campus at night are very high; especially on the Oval where the deer prefer the open space. I waited out long enough for the deer to get in front of a light source so I can make a silhouette out of it. I’ll keep working on the deer photos at night throughout my college career and hopefully get a spectacular one some day.
– Hugh Carey
– Hugh Carey
October 1, 2007
Hugh Carey: Homecoming Parade Shriners
Copyright Hugh Carey 2007Shutter: 1/60
Aperture: f/11
ISO: 400
WB: Cloudy
A homecoming parade would be a little boring without Shriners whizzing by in their carts. The word, “whizzing by,” couldn’t be made without a panning shot. I had plenty of time take many photos to get the right shutter speed as they made multiple drive-by loops by me. I also had to find a good background. I looked around parts of the parade route for a bigger crowd lined up along the street plus darkish background to bring out the color of his green cart and jacket. When I found a spot, I advanced ahead of the Shriners and got on my knees and set the right shutter speed and clicked away as they passed by.
– Hugh Carey
Aperture: f/11
ISO: 400
WB: Cloudy
A homecoming parade would be a little boring without Shriners whizzing by in their carts. The word, “whizzing by,” couldn’t be made without a panning shot. I had plenty of time take many photos to get the right shutter speed as they made multiple drive-by loops by me. I also had to find a good background. I looked around parts of the parade route for a bigger crowd lined up along the street plus darkish background to bring out the color of his green cart and jacket. When I found a spot, I advanced ahead of the Shriners and got on my knees and set the right shutter speed and clicked away as they passed by.
– Hugh Carey
Hugh Carey: Homecoming Parade Boxer Band
Copyright Hugh Carey 2007Shutter: 1/250
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 400
WB: Cloudy
I’ve always thought all marching band members are nerds in formal uniforms. But this guy probably needed a break from dressing as a “formal nerd” and let the fresh mountain air breeze through his boxers. I spotted him by noticing his white, skinny legs flowing with the mob of black dress pants. I followed him for a while to compose the photo with different angles. I think I could’ve got a better angle by having the viewers see the row of uniformed members first, then notice an “undressed” band member secondly, to make the photo more readable. Oh well. Keeping a sharp eye for unique photos in a common event all day has paid off for today.
– Hugh Carey
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 400
WB: Cloudy
I’ve always thought all marching band members are nerds in formal uniforms. But this guy probably needed a break from dressing as a “formal nerd” and let the fresh mountain air breeze through his boxers. I spotted him by noticing his white, skinny legs flowing with the mob of black dress pants. I followed him for a while to compose the photo with different angles. I think I could’ve got a better angle by having the viewers see the row of uniformed members first, then notice an “undressed” band member secondly, to make the photo more readable. Oh well. Keeping a sharp eye for unique photos in a common event all day has paid off for today.
– Hugh Carey
September 25, 2007
Krista Miller: Dog at Holter Lake
Copyright Krista Miller 2007This is Timber, my favorite dog ever. He's riding in my grandparents boat on Holter Lake, which is the reservoir of the Missouri River that Lewis and Clark traveled long, long ago when it was undammed and discovered the Gates of the Mountains. The Gates of the Mountains host Mann Gulch, a site that killed 13 smokejumpers in the 1960's because the fire burned so hot. The summer of 2007 brought drought and more fire in the Gates of the Mountains wilderness, burning the Mann Gulch site again. The fire has burned for weeks and my grandparents, as well as recreationists, had to evacuate the lake due to fire proximity. My grandparents own a lake house on the lower lake (Holter Lake is actually 26 miles long from upper to lower lake) and were able to return to their home after 2 1/2 days without fire consequence.
– Krista Miller
– Krista Miller
Krista Miller: Holter Lake
Copyright Krista Miller 2007This photo is looking at Meriwether campground, the site where the fire began. From the lake it’s hard to see much detail, but it wasn’t too far off the water that lightning struck and devastated the entire wilderness area, as well as affecting recreational and private areas nearby.
– Krista Miller
– Krista Miller
Krista Miller: Shane McMillan hard at work
Copyright Krista Miller 2007So here is a picture of Shane hard at work. He looks so serious, but don't be fooled, he was having an awesome time. We were shooting the Griz game last Saturday for the Kaimin and the GameDay Kaimin. I gotta say, I always wanted to get to the sidelines of a Griz game and it was pretty cool rubbing elbows with Rick Graetz and Tom Bauer from the Missoulian. Just thought you might want to see what Shane looks like. I won't dare say I'm working too hard to post anything else today.
– Krista Miller
– Krista Miller
September 24, 2007
Kristine Paulsen: Smoking quail
Copyright Kristine Paulsen 2007I get a lot of enjoyment just poking around places. This picture was the result of that. Though not for the Kaimin, I had to take this shot just because I enjoy humor...immensely. And for some reason, this cracked me up. Especially with the juxtaposition of the smoking quail and the more "renaissance" look of the painting in the upper right hand corner. It's as though the quail is saying, "Whatcha staring at?"
I should also point out that I'm easily amused.
– Kristine Paulsen
I should also point out that I'm easily amused.
– Kristine Paulsen
Kristine Paulsen: Kill Your TV
Copyright Kristine Paulsen 2007I shot this one evening while searching for a feature for the paper. This technically wasn't for the paper at all, but the bright colors and cool graffiti inspired me in an artistic sense. I especially liked the desk at the end of the balcony with the words "Kill Your TV" spray painted onto it. It fit perfectly with the kind of day it was. Blue sky, golden evening light, long shadows. I'd kill my TV, too, if I had one.
– Kristine Paulsen
September 19, 2007
Hugh Carey: Gets the blood flowing
Copyright Hugh Carey 2007F-stop: 5.6
Shutter: 1/250
ISO: 400
Lens: 300mm
WB: Cloudy
After searching for a feature photo all over campus on foot on a dull, cloudy morning, I spotted some people bouncing and floating in the air in a backyard behind a 7-foot tall wooden fence. I figured it was a trampoline, but I still wanted to hide it to make viewers more curious. Though I could’ve made the subject much sharper by increasing the shutter speed. I thought 1/250 was fast enough. Dang. Ah well, I’m happy to have spotted them at the right time. The longer the time and the more area you cover, the chances of finding a spontaneous photo increases.
– Hugh Carey
Krista Miller: Attempting the summit
Copyright Krista Miller 2007I just did a photo story for my “Outside Montana” project in my multimedia class on this guy Don who is 52 and has been skiing every month for 26 consecutive months. It was one of the most amazing and fulfilling experiences I have had in a long time. Don picked out a trip to Stanton glacier, just off the summit of Great Northern Mountain located between Hungry Horse Reservoir and the southern boundary of Glacier National Park. Our hike was a steep elevation gain of 5,000 feet in 5-6 miles. We encountered mountain goats and did a little scrambling to summit the peak, which is considered the tallest in the Great Bear Wilderness area, a part of the Bob Marshall protected areas. Don skied about three runs on the glacier, which is pretty much solid ice and was a little soft on top due to the melting. We also spotted smoke coming out of the wilderness area while on the summit. The views are amazing and I am honored to have seen and touched something many people will never see. I almost forgot – about 10 turns were had by yours truly.
– Krista Miller
– Krista Miller
September 18, 2007
Shane McMillan: A nip in the air
Copyright Shane McMillan 2007Aperture: f/3.5
ISO: 200
Shutter: Auto
White Balance: Sunlight
This isn't really a special image, but as I was riding to work this morning I decided I wanted to get a shot that captured the change of the season a bit. I got on my bike and within a few pedal-strokes I was zipping my coat and tucking my hands in my sleeves. Summer has ended, but still on the banks of the Clark Fork this little flower clings to those last warm rays of sunlight and struggles to bloom even as the entire force of the atmosphere shifts. I guess that is a lot of thinking for a picture of a flowery bush thing, but it just got me thinking.
ISO: 200
Shutter: Auto
White Balance: Sunlight
This isn't really a special image, but as I was riding to work this morning I decided I wanted to get a shot that captured the change of the season a bit. I got on my bike and within a few pedal-strokes I was zipping my coat and tucking my hands in my sleeves. Summer has ended, but still on the banks of the Clark Fork this little flower clings to those last warm rays of sunlight and struggles to bloom even as the entire force of the atmosphere shifts. I guess that is a lot of thinking for a picture of a flowery bush thing, but it just got me thinking.
Hugh Carey: Banner photo story
Copyright Hugh Carey 2007I shot this one while backpacking in Capitol Reef National Park, which is in the remote backcountry in southwestern Utah, far from any paved road. What I like about this photo is the diversity of exposure. There’s a silhouette, exposed subjects plus a little bit of over-exposed background. The caves of Utah are pretty much the biggest playground for photographers who love to play with extreme exposures. So come on down!
– Hugh Carey
Kristine Paulsen: Creative coersion
Copyright Kristine Paulsen 2007A bicycle wheel propped up over a garbage can urges River City Roots Festival-goers to be responsible recyclers.
I like this photo mainly because of the subject matter. It's just such a funky way to ask people to recycle.
– Kristine Paulsen
I like this photo mainly because of the subject matter. It's just such a funky way to ask people to recycle.
– Kristine Paulsen
Kristine Paulsen: Banner photo story
Copyright Kristine Paulsen 2007This photo was taken on Flathead Lake this summer for my internship at the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell, Mont. I was super psyched to get this assignment: go and hang out with sailboat racers on Flathead Lake in the evening. I mean, come on. That's a pretty sweet setup for an intern. I was even happier to think about how great the light was going to be and it was amazing just as I thought. The reporter and I hung out with the two manning the boat for a couple hours, just waiting for the cool air to drop down and start filling the sails. And then it all began happening.
The sun slowly started to sink behind the mountains. The light skipped across the surface of the water turning its texture to shining jewels. The sun got caught in the billowing sails, causing them to glow softly, sort of like large softboxes all over the lake. People began to move around their boats, readying themselves for the beginning of the race. The tinny sounding horn blared a tiny blare, and race we did, oftentimes barely missing other boats. I could have jumped across to them if I had wanted to, which I didn't. I was sure to anchor myself firmly to the mast with one arm, shooting with the other and hoping I was steady enough for a sharp shot. (That's another story in itself...it's pretty darn difficult to shoot on a rocking sailboat. And I sure as heck wasn't going to be “that intern who fell into the lake.”) So, we raced. And raced and raced. And, what do you know, we won! The couple who actually did all the work was ecstatic because they'd never won before. They, very nicely, told the reporter and I that we were their good luck charms. We headed the boat back into the slips, sipping beers as we lazily maneuvered in the general direction. It was right before we docked that I took this photo. I was so happy to have experienced such a wonderful evening with so many photo opportunities and so much laughter – and then I saw this shot with Brian and the masts silhouetted in the waning light, oh, and that light on the water resulting in such beautifully rippled reflections. It was delicious. I took the shot, drove back to Kalispell and put together a nice package for the Sunday paper. Voila. I love being a photographer.
– Kristine Paulsen
September 17, 2007
Hugh Carey: Sunset couple
Copyright Hugh Carey 2007Camera: Canon EOS 20D
F-stop: 22
Shutter speed: 1/200 sec
(with flash)
As I was riding my bike along the river with my eyes peeled out for a feature photo, I noticed there was a couple sitting on the riverfront rail right across the river. Bingo. Found a feature. I rode my bike almost as hard as I could to get to the nearest bridge and prayed that the couple would still be there when I arrived. I breathed a sigh of relief as I got to the couple relaxing and enjoying the view of the Clark Fork and Mt. Sentinel bathed in the goldish color of sunset. I politely asked the couple if I could take pictures of them and they happily allowed me. The sun was just minutes away from sinking behind the mountains. I decided to compose the dramatic photo of the sunset with the couple in foreground. I hooked up the flash to my Canon 20D so I could expose for the sunset and use the flash to keep the couple exposed in the foreground. It was hard to get the right angle because I was reaching out off the rail as far as I could before almost falling 10 feet onto the large rocks. That would make an embarrassing phone call for the couple to get ambulance for some guy who wanted to take pictures of them. But nope, never fell and got the shot. Whew.
– Hugh Carey
F-stop: 22
Shutter speed: 1/200 sec
(with flash)
As I was riding my bike along the river with my eyes peeled out for a feature photo, I noticed there was a couple sitting on the riverfront rail right across the river. Bingo. Found a feature. I rode my bike almost as hard as I could to get to the nearest bridge and prayed that the couple would still be there when I arrived. I breathed a sigh of relief as I got to the couple relaxing and enjoying the view of the Clark Fork and Mt. Sentinel bathed in the goldish color of sunset. I politely asked the couple if I could take pictures of them and they happily allowed me. The sun was just minutes away from sinking behind the mountains. I decided to compose the dramatic photo of the sunset with the couple in foreground. I hooked up the flash to my Canon 20D so I could expose for the sunset and use the flash to keep the couple exposed in the foreground. It was hard to get the right angle because I was reaching out off the rail as far as I could before almost falling 10 feet onto the large rocks. That would make an embarrassing phone call for the couple to get ambulance for some guy who wanted to take pictures of them. But nope, never fell and got the shot. Whew.
– Hugh Carey
Krista Miller: Banner photo story
Copyright Krista Miller 2007This was a great photo opportunity! The Tour De Fat is an event sponsored by New Belgium Brewing Co., one of my favorite Missoula events. This gal won the Fat Tire cruiser bike given away as a raffle prize at the 2007 tour in downtown Missoula. She was so shocked and surprised, and she had such great facial expressions! I have only won something like that once, and I imagine that if I had won that beautiful bike, I would be that excited too! To get this image I was in the right place at the right time with my camera ready.
– Krista Miller
– Krista Miller
September 14, 2007
Tim Kupsick: Banner photo story
Copyright Tim Kupsick 2007I noticed this couple on the corrals at the Fourth of July Livingston Round Up in Livingston, Mont. What I first noticed about this image was the couple's body language. He was preparing for the saddle bronc, which in my opinion seems to be the most difficult event at a rodeo because of the extreme risk it takes to get on top of this animal three to four times your size and ride him. I never grew up around horses or bulls, being from Portland, Ore., you don't usually see too many rodeos in the city or the surrounding burbs. One of many things I enjoyed about my experience interning at the Bozeman Daily Chronicle was the number of assignments that I had never experienced photographing. Thank you for taking a look at the Montana Kaimin photography blog, we appreciate the traffic, and any comments on the photos and back stories are appreciated. Enjoy the coming weeks of pictures.
– Tim Kupsick
– Tim Kupsick
Shane McMillan: Banner photo story
Copyright Shane McMillan 2007Camera: Minolta Z1
Aperture: f/3.5
Shutter: 1/250
ISO: 200
White Balance: Cloudy
This picture was taken at the end of a long day at the edge of a national park in northern Ghana. Some friends and I had spent the morning hiking through the bush taking pictures of elephants and warthogs. By the time the sun was peaking it was too hot and we returned to our huts outside the park. We were exhausted, as were the batteries in my Nikon.
As it cooled down I grabbed my little backup camera and headed into town. Shooting in Africa proved to be an interesting thing. With my small camera I felt like a tourist, which I guess I was. With my professional camera I was nervous and I felt a bit more intrusive than I normally would. No matter where I went I stuck out a little as a white person, especially in little towns I got a lot of attention. Blending in, as I try to do here, isn't as easy when you are a novelty item.
Larabanga is one of those small towns. It sits in north central Ghana and is on the edge of one of the region's largest national parks. It is a village that is inundated with tourists and yet it is poor.
At the edge of town this young boy followed me for a while. In our guidebook there was a section about the mosque in Larabanga. It is in the town and after some walking we found it. We had to pay two dollars to walk down the street; the passage was blocked by a teen on an old bike and a elderly blind man in a reclining chair. Once we had paid we were allowed to pass. This young boy continued to follow me. I spoke to him, asked him questions, but he was sullen and didn't respond.
The mosque is old, one of the oldest buildings in the region, it is said to have been built in 1461. A man approached us as we neared the mosque and introduced himself as our tour guide. We weren't sure if that was included in the $2, but he insisted we follow him and he led us around, telling us the story of the town and the mosque.
At one point this boy stopped and watched our little group move around the building. I saw the diffused light softly lighting his face and the mosque behind him and I had to get a shot. He was silently watching the rest of the group walk away as I snapped a few shots. I spoke to him again, but still he was silent.
A few minutes later we were leaving the court in front of the mosque and this boy stayed there. He didn't wave, as most of the other kids in town would do, he simply stood there and watched us walk away, kicking up dust and parting herds of chickens that were foraging in the streets.
I don't know if I will ever go back to Larabanga. It was an amazing place, with an amazing story. Everyday the people there wake to the call of the muezzin doing his morning calls, fighting the sound to the evening in the bush that surrounds it. Then the roosters chime in. They go rekindle their fires and herd their goats out of the streets onto the fields around town. They live simply, not that life is simple for them. They live well, not that they are all doing well.
I still don't know his name. I haven't lived his life, but somehow I felt I knew the kid in this photo. He had a strength that overpowered his bloated stomach and his tired eyes. For him, life will not be easy. This photo isn't of a child dying in a famine, or of malaria, or AIDS, or any of that, but still, for him, life will most likely be hard. I think it is a beautiful snapshot from my trip, but in many ways it is much more than that to me. It captures something that I can't explain in words, something that is purely emotional. It is something I think you can only know when you experience it. At the very least, I hope it opens peoples’ eyes to the world and shows them that there is beauty in the good and the bad, in the sad and the happy and the silent.
– Shane McMillan
Aperture: f/3.5
Shutter: 1/250
ISO: 200
White Balance: Cloudy
This picture was taken at the end of a long day at the edge of a national park in northern Ghana. Some friends and I had spent the morning hiking through the bush taking pictures of elephants and warthogs. By the time the sun was peaking it was too hot and we returned to our huts outside the park. We were exhausted, as were the batteries in my Nikon.
As it cooled down I grabbed my little backup camera and headed into town. Shooting in Africa proved to be an interesting thing. With my small camera I felt like a tourist, which I guess I was. With my professional camera I was nervous and I felt a bit more intrusive than I normally would. No matter where I went I stuck out a little as a white person, especially in little towns I got a lot of attention. Blending in, as I try to do here, isn't as easy when you are a novelty item.
Larabanga is one of those small towns. It sits in north central Ghana and is on the edge of one of the region's largest national parks. It is a village that is inundated with tourists and yet it is poor.
At the edge of town this young boy followed me for a while. In our guidebook there was a section about the mosque in Larabanga. It is in the town and after some walking we found it. We had to pay two dollars to walk down the street; the passage was blocked by a teen on an old bike and a elderly blind man in a reclining chair. Once we had paid we were allowed to pass. This young boy continued to follow me. I spoke to him, asked him questions, but he was sullen and didn't respond.
The mosque is old, one of the oldest buildings in the region, it is said to have been built in 1461. A man approached us as we neared the mosque and introduced himself as our tour guide. We weren't sure if that was included in the $2, but he insisted we follow him and he led us around, telling us the story of the town and the mosque.
At one point this boy stopped and watched our little group move around the building. I saw the diffused light softly lighting his face and the mosque behind him and I had to get a shot. He was silently watching the rest of the group walk away as I snapped a few shots. I spoke to him again, but still he was silent.
A few minutes later we were leaving the court in front of the mosque and this boy stayed there. He didn't wave, as most of the other kids in town would do, he simply stood there and watched us walk away, kicking up dust and parting herds of chickens that were foraging in the streets.
I don't know if I will ever go back to Larabanga. It was an amazing place, with an amazing story. Everyday the people there wake to the call of the muezzin doing his morning calls, fighting the sound to the evening in the bush that surrounds it. Then the roosters chime in. They go rekindle their fires and herd their goats out of the streets onto the fields around town. They live simply, not that life is simple for them. They live well, not that they are all doing well.
I still don't know his name. I haven't lived his life, but somehow I felt I knew the kid in this photo. He had a strength that overpowered his bloated stomach and his tired eyes. For him, life will not be easy. This photo isn't of a child dying in a famine, or of malaria, or AIDS, or any of that, but still, for him, life will most likely be hard. I think it is a beautiful snapshot from my trip, but in many ways it is much more than that to me. It captures something that I can't explain in words, something that is purely emotional. It is something I think you can only know when you experience it. At the very least, I hope it opens peoples’ eyes to the world and shows them that there is beauty in the good and the bad, in the sad and the happy and the silent.
– Shane McMillan
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