Taiwo
A Photograph by Sierra Nallo
Once you see it, it is what there is to see: the hue of robe worn by the sitting figure is similar to that of the wall and window frame, also that of a jug seen through an entrance on the right, and the same hue with an item placed on a white chair to the left. That such an ordinary setting is transformed by the interplay of colours is noteworthy, although what is of greater significance is the mood indicated by the light: a stranger, even an apparition, sits beneath a bulb, with the restful manner of someone intending to stay longer.
Sierra Nallo: “My approach to photography is always organic and feeling-based.”
The photograph was taken in Lagos, Nigeria.
We walked through an area in Lagos and a restaurant kindly allowed us to use their space. It came about quite naturally.
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.
Photography has been personally impactful by being a 'soul mate' of sorts. A strong, definite connection inseparable from me in this lifetime. On a grander scale, photography has the power to be the ultimate truth-teller, as well as storyteller.
Two other photographs by Sierra Nallo
About Sierra Nallo
Sierra merges editorial and documentary elements in her work, drawing inspiration from her Sierra Leonean, Canadian and British heritage to touch on her personal experiences with identity and diasporic subcultures. She graduated from Ryerson University’s Chang photography program in Toronto, Canada. Find out more about her work on her website.
Last Week — Nelly Ating
While in Yokossala, I saw a force of unity against evil. As I continuously interrogate my documentation of the aftermath of the Boko Haram insurgency between 2014 and 2020, I find something beyond resilience: fortitude. Creating a shared community was also a force of resistance towards the very reason Boko Haram thrived. Together as a collective, they aimed for self-sufficiency without relying on the government, thereby preserving their dignity.
Read more: This War Has Found a Home
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This is the 39th edition of this publication. The newsletter can also read on web (best for viewing images), and via the Substack iOS/Android apps. Every week I feature one photograph and the photographer who took it: you’d read a short caption from me, and a statement from the photographer. My goal is to set up conversations with the work of early to mid-career African photographers. If this newsletter was shared with you, consider subscribing, and if you have already subscribed, please forward to a friend who loves photography.
beautiful!
Sierra Nallo seems to like orange. Even in the black and white photograph of the boys, I can hazard a guess that there is an orange hue.
I think about sitting and standing as yin against the yang that is lying down. Moloney street, Lagos, represents sitting and standing, the way Ikoyi, Lagos might represent lying down.