Up Like Sun, Down Like Sun
A Photograph by Ian Gichohi
This is the 171st edition of Tender Photo, a digital platform of African photography.
The figure in the image is bent over in half, with arms dangling over shins in a well-timed shot. The smoky shadows that dance over the light grey fabric of the subject’s suit stand in sharp contrast to the brightness that illuminates the jewellery; a bracelet of brass and green tones rests on the right wrist, and silver rings glisten through the shadows on their fingers. The sharp lines by the ankles of the suit, and the glint of the shoes, give away an appreciation for a polished appearance. The crumbly stone in the background lends the image a grounded feel, even as the individual’s pose, clothing and adornments reveal a person in a liminal moment.
— Michelle Angwenyi
“My work is a way to catalogue experience and show evidence that I have interacted with the world around me.”
The photograph was taken in Nairobi, as part of an ongoing project, thinking through the inherent tension and unease that accompanies the journey of growing up and forging an individual path.
The project involved photographing friends, at home and elsewhere. This particular image is from 2022. The model is bent over, spent, but somehow still has the energy to keep his fit fresh. I liked how complementary the tones were, so I chose to go real close and give focus to that.
I chose this photograph because I feel drawn to these images. The constant friction of navigating societal expectations, personal desires, and the uncertainties of self-discovery – I think I'm still working with these ideas, these challenges, these moments of self-determination, so I feel drawn to these images.
My images oscillate between a desire to hold onto a particular moment or emotion and more deliberately orchestrated compositions. My work exists in that space between what we see and how we perceive the things we see. They are a way to catalogue experience and show evidence that I have interacted with the world around me.
— Ian Gichohi
About Ian Gichohi
Ian Gichohi is a photographer living and working in Nairobi, Kenya. Taking place as a central theme, Gichohi’s compositions highlight the ways in which objects around us offer insight into the ways we live. His image-making is an exploration of our relationships with our environment, and the function of everyday objects as vessels for subjective meaning. Striving for a painterly softness, Gichohi creates images across the genres of still-life, landscape, and portrait photography. You can find more of his work on Instagram.
RELATED — “The Egrets” by Blessing Atas
The entire body of work from this project is special to me because it was the first time in a long time I caught myself happy to create. I also challenged myself. The project speaks about one's journey to find freedom.
My approach to photography is keeping things simple. I was inspired by a photographer on creating with what you have, and that you can make something powerful from simple things.
LAST WEEK — “The Signal” by Alice Kayibanda
I chose this picture because it captures one of those rare, instinctive moments where everything comes together: the light, gesture, emotion, and meaning. In the photo, a young boy looks into the camera as he plants a wooden baton into the ground, a delicate white flower tied to its top. It was a small but deeply symbolic act that quietly indicates the sale of igipende, a traditional local drink, in that community.
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.
Thank you for reading. If this newsletter was shared with you, consider subscribing, or forward to a friend. Please whitelist the newsletter to ensure you never miss it.
 | A guest post by
|