This is the 168th edition of Tender Photo, a digital platform of African photography.
In the narrow, fluorescent-lit corridors outside Wagen Suuq, there are three figures; one, far around the corner, sitting with his knees close to his chest, appears deep in contemplation. Closer to the front, the other two figures are facing each other at a close angle. Almost silhouettes, they stand just outside of the reach of illumination. In the spaces they occupy, the pair and the lone individual are oblivious to each other, even if held within the intimacy of the small zone of light. Above them, a large sign lit from within reads “Wagen Suuq.” On the pale blue wall beneath it is a door barred shut with a grille, and to its right is a code of sorts, written by hand. A tree branch intrudes, albeit gently, slightly obscuring the sign. A pillar in the foreground might be seen as an interruption to the scene, but in some way, enhances the raw quality of the scene.
— Michelle Angwenyi
“I see photography as a tool, like writing, to interrogate and make sense of things.”
This photograph was taken in Garowe in April 2023. It was a spur of the moment shot – I had been driving around with my cousin on one of the roads in Garowe where this market is located. This scene came upon us; these people standing near this market that’s closed, illuminated by its light and the streetlight, the dead tree. There’s a man I didn’t see at first sitting on the ground on the phone, oblivious to the road and its happenings.
I like this photo for its natural quality. Like a perfectly arranged scene, it seems to say something about the night scenery of Garowe. I see photography as a tool, like writing, to interrogate and make sense of things. Initially the appeal of photography was to document my surroundings, my experiences, the moments that stood out, to record memories of experiences, the trips I went on, like those photographs my family kept of old times. In each trip I’d think about the photograph or group of photographs that’d define it. Lately it’s also about using it to make sense of issues that feel close, like the experiences of being a woman in Somalia, the segregation, the inequality and also the women pushing boundaries, changing everything – and their joy.
I’m always inclined to photograph women-only spaces in restaurants when I’m there which are always terrible and worse than the men's spaces. I also like photographing the pile of junk we keep around houses in hopes of using it in the future which is a very Somali household thing. So, photography to me is a tool to use to pay attention to and try to make sense of things and hopefully eventually produce something meaningful from that.
— Faduma Mohamoud Ali
About Faduma Mohamoud Ali
Faduma is a documentary photographer based in northeastern Somalia. You can find more of her work on Instagram.
RELATED — “Taiwo” by Sierra Nalo
The photograph feels mystical to me and is a conversation in colour and mood between the model, Taiwo, and her surroundings.
My approach to photography is always organic and feeling-based. I do also enjoy playing more of a role in the construction of certain works.
LAST WEEK — “Douz Conversations” by Sana Badri
This photograph was taken in December 2024 while documenting the final day of the Sahara Festival in Douz. I spent the day walking around the festival, chatting to people and documenting the various elements of the event.
TENDER PHOTO is a digital platform of African photography, founded by Emmanuel Iduma. This edition is edited by Michelle Angwenyi, one of our editorial fellows. Our newsletter aims to engage with life on the African continent through photography. We publish narratives about the people, places, and events pictured in photographs, contributing to nuanced and layered perceptions. The newsletter also read on web (best for viewing images), and via the Substack iOS/Android apps.
Every Wednesday we feature a photograph, a short caption about it, and a statement from the photographer. In the past, we have published commentaries or photo-essays in response to photographs previously featured on the newsletter, including CORRESPONDENCES, CONCORDANCE, KINDRED, INDEX, and AFFINITIES.
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