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7 days in maliPP’s

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Words & pictures: Musa chowdhury

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Musa Chowdhury journeys through west Africa, a land of endless saharan sands, colourful cultures and extreme climates.

Playing drums in the middle of a swirling Saharan sand storm? This brilliantly impressionistic image could only have been taken in Africa, and captures the vibrancy and atmosphere of Timbuktu and its people. Of all Musa's images of Mali, this is the one that best combines his technical skills with his keen eye and sense of timing.

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behind the story DAy 1it’s best to let go of any rigid plans while in West Africa. With my tripod strapped to my backpack, i head out from Bamako, Mali’s capital city, and test my gesticulation and negotiation skills. First task: transport to the smaller, rural towns and villages. Arriving at the bus station, and not speaking a word of French or Bambara, i ask for a bus schedule to segou. Getting conflicting information from the various people behind the ticket window, i decide to simply wander around the station and follow the locals’ lead.

With conspicuous camera around my neck, i can’t so much as buy a mineral water without attracting the attention of many curious children. one girl softly slips her hand into mine and looks up with huge doe eyes, whispering in Bambara, “enichi!” i didn’t want to scare her by pointing a very ominous-looking lens at her; she reacted with surprising calmness for a 5-year-old girl.

DAy 2Arriving in Segou, 230km from Bamako, I’m desperate to get off the sweltering bus. No breeze, no open windows, just an overcrowded hotbox. Eager to stretch my legs, I head for the Bani River, one of two major lifelines to the town. Sunset brings a relaxed vibe to Segou’s bustling fishing industry, and the light dims as I meander through the winding streets. The boisterous whistles of cicadas fill the evening soundtrack.

The dry, crackled and rust-coloured houses provide stark contrast to the life-giving Bani River. I started shooting exteriors, hoping that I’ll eventually have the chance to enter through one of the impressive wooden doors and see what life is like beyond. The red ochre of the houses, streets and fields is enhanced by the glorious sunset, which I try to capture…

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Born and raised in Manchester,

Musa chowdhury specialises in

portraiture and architectural

photography. A keen interest in

history and culture led to his

exploration and global wanderings,

and as his skill as a photographer

developed, so too did his desire to

travel the less well-beaten track.

➽www.somedaysomewhere.co.uk

DAy 3

one of my goals is to photograph the djenne Mosque, the largest mud-structure in the world. With its forbidden aura, i’m determined to make the journey; however, i didn’t know it’d be so arduous. Buses only travel to djenne on market days, so i need to head for the larger town of Mopti and hitchhike. i ask, “is this carrefour djenne?” every time the bus stops, and it soon becomes a joke – the locals start to reassure me with a “not yet” at each stop.

the bus drops me at the djenne intersection. After an hour, a beat-up station wagon pulls up and the driver climbs out. i ask how much, load up and get in. “We now just wait for seven more people to fill the car,” says the driver...

i’m constantly reminded of the tried and true traveller’s mantra, “Hurry up to wait”. And waiting for a lift allows time to meet the locals and establish playful relationships with children and their parents. My camera is an icebreaker – taking photos and showing them to proud parents is a good way for us to communicate and bond.

After five hours spent waiting, the driver suddenly starts the wagon and yells for me to get in. i’m relieved beyond belief.

"taking photos and showing them to proud parents is a good way to communicate and bond"

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DAy 5the Fulani women are the jewels of their society. proud of their strong devotion to islam, their ornate amber beads and gold bangles, and invaluable contribution to family and village, they work tirelessly in the home, washing, cooking, and raising children. i also learn that many of them must find alternate means of providing for their family and can’t simply rely on their husbands for all the necessary provisions.

i’m struck by the innocence and serene aura of Kadia Yanoga, a young Fulani woman. in her piercing eyes, i see a quiet, enduring strength. Her hands, stained as a result of years of hard work dying indigo clothes, are testament to a hard and noble life.

don’t miss next month!south Africa-based fine art photographer Martin osner unveils his stunning portfolio, talks us through his favourite images and discusses what the terms 'fine art' actually means. Next issue on sale 2 december.

Why did you choose this shot?I sensed the photogenic attributes of the subject’s face and wanted to capture a face that told many stories, was unique in its features, and showed wisdom and experience. The close-up portrait intensifies his facial expression.

What’s the story behind it? I approached this man as he was retreating from the midday sun in Dogon country. After a very brief conversation complete with hand gestures and playful joking, I asked if I could photograph him. I’m not sure he understood what I was doing with the camera as he was calmly looking in different directions; when I tried to get his attention, he looked around and I took a photo of him.

What gear did you use and why?I used a 50mm f/1.4G lens on a Nikon D700, handheld. A head-on shot is usually ideal for portraiture. The depth-of-field with the 50mm allows you to build a sense of intimacy and intensity.

What post-processing was involved?Very little. I adjusted the Levels slightly and converted the photo to black & white in Photoshop CS3.

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today hits me with an astonishing overload of the senses. Leaving the ancient town of djenne, i head to dogon country, not knowing what to expect in terms of photo opps and definitely underestimating the impact it’d have on me.

dogon country is home to a group of people who live on the Bandiagara sandstone escarpment in central Mali. perched on the sides of the cliffs, ancient tellem villages are still intact. Modern dogons have abandoned these hard-to-reach cliff villages and chosen to settle on top of the plateau or just below on the plains. However, the dogon

continue to make daily treks up and down the steep rocky cliffs to trade at the markets, or to farm their millet fields.

i struggle to capture the enormity of the landscape. At 450m, i carefully navigate the treacherous rocky cliff to look for the appropriate angle for a shot. this is one of my favourite shots, as it shows the harsh environs of the cliff juxtaposed with the ancient tellem mud houses, modern dogon village and vast Malian plains. the lighting from the dry, dusty evening sky adds the final touch of drama.

musa’s favourite imagei wanted to capture a face that told many stories...

DAy 7timbuktu, the mysterious city on the edge of the sahara desert, is my next destination. the 24-hour journey is unpredictable due to countless stops for flat tyres, sand ditches, more passengers, and prayer times. With one of the world’s oldest universities and three illustrious mosques, timbuktu has much to offer. A stone’s throw from the town centre, i find myself traversing pristine sand dunes, called by the distant drones of a drumbeat. i discover a group of boys jamming on drums, untroubled by the swirling storm brewing, barely noticing my approach.

DAy 4 My alarm sounds at 4.30am. Today’s mission: photograph Djenne Mosque, inside and out. Due to a French photographer taking ‘indecent’ shots of models for a Vogue spread some years ago, non-Muslims and many foreigners have been forbidden from entering this UNESCO World Heritage site. I figure the only way to get into the mosque is to go early, right before morning prayers. I make my way in the pitch-black darkness, and can’t see any of the deep ravines in the mud roads, from which I have to retrieve my flip-flop on at least two occasions.

My heart pounds as I enter the foreboding mud structure, following the meditation echoing out of the mosque and into the narrow alleyway. The inside of the mosque is just as dark, so I set up my tripod and shoot a few long exposures of the passages and doorways. All I can hear is the reverberant humming and occasional moments of joyful, rhythmic chanting. A tingle of eerie spookiness runs down my spine.

The immense mud interior arches look even more dramatic as the sun starts to rise and light peeks through the windows. I return at regular intervals, even with a fellow woman traveller, to soak up the formidable experience of this historical and religious gem.

DAy 6

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