Welcome to my home, a photo from Matabeleland North, West

Photographer's Note

Ma Nkmo is a member of the Nambya tribe and lives in the village of Chisuma, close to the Zambezi Gorge, about 30 km downstream from Victoria Falls.

Like many other villages in this part of Zimbabwe, the village is spread out over an area of more than 50 sq km, with many families living in compounds that are about 1-2,000 sq m in size. I have posted a wide shot of part of the compound to the workshop to help you put this into context.

In Ma Nkmo’s compound there are six huts made of mud bricks with straw roofs. Each one serves a purpose. The one in this photograph is Ma Nkmo’s bedroom. There are separate huts for the living room, kitchen, and other bedrooms. There are no windows in the huts, just a single door, and they are very spartanly furnished because the villagers are poor. I have posted another photograph to the workshop of Ma Nkmo inside her living room.

Some of the Chisuma villagers work in the small lodge at which I stayed in Zimbabwe (Gorges Lodge), and it was through the lodge that I was able to make this home visit to meet Ma Nkmo and see how the Chisuma villagers live. This was not one of those ‘village tours’ that you see advertised in the tourist brochures. This was a private visit, enabled through the lodge’s connection with the village, and villagers take turns to host guests from the lodge who want to see a ‘real’ local village.

Mine was probably not the first home visit that Ma Nkmo had hosted because she was very relaxed showing me around her home, and was happy to have her photograph taken. I have sent her copies of my photographs.

PP: Cropped from a 12 mm wide angle shot, adjusted levels, and sharpened.

ryno, branley, jhm, celinaconroy, elmec, vagabondtravels, keribar, sergio1 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ryno (6863) 2006-10-28 12:22

Hi David, this is a great shot from my part of the world. I like the colour and texture of the mud house and straw roof. This is a very typical African home. A nice balanced composition, showing her next to her dwelling. Regards
Ryno

fayeulle (27827) 2006-10-28 12:40

Hi David
I like very much this shot, because private visits are not essy in such countries. Tou framed it very well and you got vivid color.
Cheers
JP

branley (3681) 2006-10-28 13:28

Hi David,

a lovely balanced composition with vivid contrasting colours. A fine capture, very well done.

Regards

Stephen

vincz (19113) 2006-10-29 3:41

Interesting colourful daily life shot. Wide angle is bringing some strange shapes especially in the face on the woman! Well done anyway!

celinaconroy (717) 2006-10-29 4:10

Hi David,
There's a real sense of being introduced to this woman and her home. A balanced composition and I can only imagine who dificult it must have been to get this image without intruding too much even if she was relaxed about it. Aside of that the image offers a perspective of village life. How clean the compound is when our streets are littered with debris.
Best wishes,
Celina

jhm (211734) 2006-10-29 6:07

Hi David,

I think this woman pose with a sense of honor for the camera, it's very spotless around her small house, you show us very lovely the life quality of the people in this very poor country, excellent picture of composition and colours! Very well done! Thanks for sharing.

Have a nice sunday,
John

ahmet54 (3590) 2006-10-29 6:21

Hello David,
great colours. The lady's face is because of the light too shadowed. You can't see her chin. But she looks friendly.
Kind regards,
Roland

elmec (12210) 2006-10-29 15:42

Hello David!
Great scene from his daily - life!
Good composition with portrait!
Best regards!

PJE (20758) 2006-11-01 22:17

Hello David. I can see the effect of this wide angle lens on the face of this lady. I was impressed with the neatness from the workshop viewpoint too. It must have been a very interesting place to visit. Excellent results and quite the eye-opener for others to see. Cheers!

mphotographies (1976) 2006-11-06 1:51

Hey David,
I like the 'earthy' feel of the village, the indigenous materials used in their houses somehow blend with the natural colours of the earth and sky. I like the inclusion of Ma Nkmo in the composition giving the sense of 'Welcome to my home'. I like this a lot ;)
Regards,
om

rbcy1974 (20758) 2006-11-08 16:58

Hello David
There is something very educational about a photo showing someone standing in front of their home,
this picture tells us a lot about this man's living conditions
Very good angle,
well done
Regards
Daniel

vagabondtravels (6511) 2006-11-09 21:02

Hi David

Nice comp and colors. The oranges are very good. Great capture of daily life and what a portrait. A little effect from the 12mm but works well.
Ben

keribar (43841) 2006-12-02 2:33

Hello David,

I looked at this one for a while: First I am wondering how secure is Zimbabwe for white people taking pictures in villages like this one. Then I must say that you balanced the picture perfectly, the woman and the hut. I am still thinking ( I can't help doing it ) how would I have framed if I was there and I would have perhaps tried a shot from below, I mean kneeling a bit. This is pure imagination, and in that case the woman would have had her head a bit above. But I also think that we would loose then a portion of the red earth which is also so appealing.
Brain exercices !

All the best - Izzet

sergio1 (12152) 2006-12-04 4:00