The Space Between
There is symmetry in the arrangement of the clotheslines. The nearest line sags deeper than the one above it, and both are weighted to such a degree that it is easy to have a clear view of the leaves and trees across the fence. That fence, as well, is a neat divider: between the houses slightly higher than the woman in the frame, and the towering building a distance away. The hint of commentary can be found in the attentive pose of the little boy as he looks towards the photographer, a glance that seems to ask why—Why am I pictured on this side?
— Emmanuel Iduma
“Photography can be understood by different audiences without the need for translation.”
This photograph was taken in Deep Sea, a slum in Nairobi, Kenya, tucked in between two affluent neighbourhoods.
I chose this photograph because it depicts the “space between” quite vividly. In the distance, one can see the high-rise buildings in the neighbouring community but in the foreground are the homes and hanging lines with clean laundry of Deep Sea residents.
Photography is an incredible communication tool, one that can be understood by different audiences without the need for translation. It has the power to create empathy, connection and break barriers.
— Josemarie Nyagah
About Josemarie Nyagah
Josemarie Nyagah is visual artist and storyteller, based in Nairobi Kenya, whose photography explores the vastness of the human experience and our connection with the planet. See more of her work on her website and Instagram.
LAST WEEK
— “Friends” by Amina Kadous
On a slow Friday morning in the Almeghrabeleen neighborhood behind Al Khayameya (Old Cairo district), a group of friends sit beside each other while the Friday prayer calls. As I pass by, taking photographs of the chickens and the chaotic beauty of the neighborhood, one of them calls out, “Aren't we better looking than the chickens! Give us one good picture together!”
— “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” by Billie McTernan
There were five years between her and her sister. So they didn’t really play together as children. Theirs was mainly chatting, she says, about little things, nothing in particular. Her sister passed away two years ago and with her their play. Her sister was the chatty one. Over more than eighty years, I think about the two of them gossiping and laughing and bickering, and of course in praise. Her good, good friend.
SUPPORT TENDER PHOTO
This is the 84th edition of this publication, which also read on web (best for viewing images), and via the Substack iOS/Android apps.
Every Wednesday I feature one photograph and the photographer who took it: you’d read a short caption from me, and a statement from the photographer. Every Friday, I publish a series of commentaries in response to photographs previously featured on the newsletter. The ongoing series is KINDRED. My hope is to engage with early to mid-career African photographers, and to create a platform in which photographers lead the cataloguing and criticism of their work.
Photographers can now submit their work for consideration.
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