honorable mention
George Baxter united kingdom
title
A Portrait of Rural Ghana
What I found to be the case with many of the portraits I captured in Ghana, was that each person seemed incredibly shy and yet inquisitive at our presence at first. However, as soon as I pointed the camera towards them, they instantly transformed into this confident, carefree subject. Furthermore, once the image was taken and I showed them what I had shot, their response would be to laugh or show general nonchalance. This was such a refreshing outlook compared with the self-obsessed, negative vulnerability that accompanies much of the western opinion on self image.
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entry description
This series was shot throughout regions of rural Ghana on a charity project. I wanted to capture a series of images that conveyed the love, beauty and kindness of the people in the area. The sense of community was overwhelming as we were welcomed into their home. When moving around the district, we would greet people saying: 'Hello, how are you?', in which they would respond in unison: 'We are fine', a poignant reminder that despite the lack of facilities and luxuries in this part of the world, their richness of relationships and community was an integral and vital part of their well-being and happiness.What I found to be the case with many of the portraits I captured in Ghana, was that each person seemed incredibly shy and yet inquisitive at our presence at first. However, as soon as I pointed the camera towards them, they instantly transformed into this confident, carefree subject. Furthermore, once the image was taken and I showed them what I had shot, their response would be to laugh or show general nonchalance. This was such a refreshing outlook compared with the self-obsessed, negative vulnerability that accompanies much of the western opinion on self image.
about the photographer
George is a photographer and director based in London. He works on a range of subjects from cars to portraits, whilst all the time attempting to convey emotion and character regardless of the subject.back to gallery