Le fils de la Mer (The Son of the Sea)
A photograph by Ibrahim Ben Saïd Camara
This is the 165th edition of Tender Photo, a digital platform of African photography.
A young man stands shirtless on a pier, gripping a mint green rope and the edge of a blue boat. His skin bears faint, lighter patches that stretch over his collarbones and shoulders. Likely due to extended exposure to saltwater. Sand clings to his arms and face, and his gaze is steady, though it seems to soften and shift over time. The boat is weathered and worn, its blues peeling, rope fraying, and cracks visible along the wood. Behind him, a woman in a colorful headwrap, a man in a yellow patterned shirt, and a small child in a white cap and grey shirt walk up the pier. The older man and child hold onto each other, their hands in the background mirroring the young man’s firm hold on his boat.
— Max Diallo Jakobsen
“What inspires me in photography is the ability to capture emotion in a single image.”
This photo was taken at the port of Boulbinet after a crossing from Kassa Island. I conducted interviews and took some photos with my friend Djiba. During these crossings, an experienced adult steers the boat, while a younger person at the front assists with docking. This young man impressed me with his confidence: shirtless, muscular, standing tall at the edge of the boat, unafraid. I first photographed him from behind; then, upon arrival, he agreed to let me take his portrait. His gaze, both tough and tender, sincere and unpretentious, struck me. I love the details in this image: his haircut, the grains of sand on his face, the ropes, the marks on his skin, his rolled-up shorts... Each element tells a part of his story.
Portraits best define my photographic style, and this image reflects everything I love: authenticity, the intensity of gazes, and the richness of color. What inspires me in photography is the ability to capture emotion in a single image, to tell one or more stories, to explain social facts, and to depict cultural or religious habits, conveying all of this to the viewer. It is this power of storytelling that fascinates me and that I strive to express with every shot.
— Ibrahim Ben Saïd Camara
About Ibrahim Ben Saïd Camara
Ibrahim Ben Saïd Camara is a Guinean production director, photographer, and filmmaker. He was introduced to photography in 2016 through Jean-Michel Landon and the association Espoir et Création, and has since explored its social potential through projects such as Figures: Portraits of Sarcelles and Racism and Discrimination: Crossed Portraits in Sarcelles. He is the co-founder of Pauz Média, Pauz Studio, and Guinean Lens, a newly formed collective and platform dedicated to supporting Guinean photographers and creatives, fostering a professional artistic community, and connecting local talent with broader audiences. In 2022, he and his wife launched Kouri, a digital platform that celebrates and shares Guinean cuisine. Follow him on Instagram
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TENDER PHOTO is a digital platform of African photography, founded by Emmanuel Iduma. This edition is edited by Max Diallo Jakobsen, 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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