Onitsha, Nigeria
 

You never know where the net will take you or who you might meet. After searching for months for a Nigerian net pal that isnt trying to have me send my bank info for some dumbass money transfer, I found a good natured, trustworthy Nigerian man to take photos for me. His name is Richy and his photos are just starting to roll in from his small village 5 hours east of Lagos and in the "suburbs" of Onitsha.

The quality of the images is not top notch yet, but I'm fascinated with the things that are shown in the photos. Life is just so different there in Nigeria.

Many of the photos that coming in are not from his small village but are from his area.

I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do.

These files are very small so I'll post a few more of them than I would have larger images and files.

I have receieved more than 100 images so far but due to the logistics and technical problems of being that remote, there are not a lot of descriptions that I can supply at the moment.

Look at what the woman is wearing in the first one. Check out the muddy water that the guys there are drinking? Holy wow.

The first one is the Niger bridge. The second is just a cool looking shot from church with the light shining through.

First - Showing the medical college there (there's a sign but maybe too small to read) Second - The pool at a hotel while at a wedding cerimony.

Many of the images we have both agreed will not be published on the net without further permission. There are many that are just wonderful. The Nigerian people see the taking of a photo as an event and despite what I know are all their hardships there, are looking very happy and willing to have their photos taken along with their homes and businesses.

It must be Richy's magnetic personality or some story that he's telling them about the use of the photos :)

Thank you Toad for allowing me to post these here.

Did Richy say they were drinking? They could be panning. I like this new project of yours.

Please do post them, this is an outstanding idea.

It looks like you are right. They couldnt be drinking this muddy water. Richy normally sends the photos one day and then I take note of the image number and ask questions about that image

I pay for his internet time there because he has next to no money for this sort of thing there. The photos arent free to me but are worth every penny.

This project is not cheap by any means. Sending a cam across the world is trickey. You have to pay for the cam, the shipping, and the customs fees. Just finding someone that will take the money and pay the customs fees and not just leave the package go unclaimed, is tough.

I've spent more money on this than I care to think about. On the upside, I'm getting not just photos but a local perspective on a wide range of issues and questions.

The strenght of the dollar is still very high compared to most of the currencies. "Hiring" some locals for some photo work is still cheap though compared to many other hobbies.

So far, even with those that have left me flat without even following through with just taking possession of the cam, I'm happy with the return.

Thank you. There are a few that I work with that I explained what I was doing. One of which is a Nigerian immigrant. Most people just dont understand the satisfaction of the whole exercise.

Thanks for your encouragement and server space to post these.

It would be easy to give Richy the small amount of money that I am sending for the photos just as a gift. I'm trying to teach him how to provide a valuable service though and insist that he sends the photos per my special request, IE - take some cattle photos ( :) ) or what ever I might see in the background of one of the main photos.

I have a few projects or assignments in the hopper for him before he completes the current one.

It seems to be productive from both sides.

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Interesting project !!!

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Thanks Zip.

Notice the cattle. They seem so thin and almost sickly looking.


No pics of goats yet, I'll see if he knows of any to be photographed though, Griff. :)

Dude , tell these folks to be carefull , some gubments\dicktaters DON'T like the real stuff to be shown about their little fifedums !!!!

So dude keep the pics comeing but BE Mindfull of what you show !!!!

I ain't no cattle guy but those critters are of a different breed than we are used to seeing ( I beleve we are used to seeing a distingtivly more European version , bread for hardyness thru a long winter , thuss the stockeyer ,fatter look , theese critters are for hotter weather I THINK !!!) , they could be fat and healthy for all we know !!!

slang...did i miss something? what are you doing here?

I'm not there. A net friend is sending photos back from there after I shipped a cam for him to use.

I might be there someday but for now, just these pics coming in from there.

Having someone "on the ground" there might make a visit more enjoyable, possible and survivable. :)

Yes, that's my first considerations when ever giving an assignment.It seems frighteningly dangerous there for the locals. It appears to be normal to abuse commoners at will from those in power inside.

Plus there are all sorts of natural hazards that I dont even have a clue about.

For the most part, people there just dont want someone going in to take pictures that they will make money with, without sharing that money with the subjects in the scene. Aside from that, they seem more than willing to be seen doing normal things for pics.

The people there are also very interesting to see. Most are not polished and live a very simple lifestyle but are very good looking in all. Big smiles and friendly gestures. I've always thought that racial differences between people, genetic features specifically, to be very interesting so seeing many of these folks "from the old country" is cool to see.

The clothing is also just fascinating.


The instructions for each assignment are clear from many directions, technical, timelines, and background research to assure his safety. I even put expense money into each one to be sure that he has the funds to scope a place out beforehand or take some friends with him on assignment.

Since I dont really have a clue what's going on there we often have some funny commentary back and forth. This is a ficticious example:

Slang: Hey can you find some rhinos to photograph there? Maybe some girraffes too? I'd love to get some good animal photos back from there. Can you get some pics from a distance of these animals for me? Dont get hurt getting these.

Richy: Sure Slang! I'll go to the zoo next week and take the cam. Unsure what the fee is but will notify you. It's sad that these animals cant survive there in the cold. Getting pics of them here should be np. The fences are secure so no danger in doing this. :)

Slang: What?!! You mean they arent roaming around your back yard? :blush: Never mind.

Yes, that's my first considerations when ever giving an assignment.It seems frighteningly dangerous there for the locals. It appears to be normal to abuse commoners at will from those in power inside.

Cool , glad to hear you are being mindfull of the geopolitical situation in these areas , life is CHEAP in 3rd and 4th world countrys .

Here is a suggestion for an assignment for ya , get pics of the local sodas ( not brand name stuff , no *oke , or *epsi , etc,,, )
just a thought

That's a great idea Zip. I'll get on that immediately although Richy wont be checking in for another week or so.

Brahmin cattle, originally from India but all around the world in hot climates now. ;)

Thanks Bruce. You sure do know your bull (my best attempt to work that into something relavent) :)

Maybe Richy can get some better shots of them drinking sodas or Pepsi like drinks there.

Kill two birds with one pic.

Cattle crossing bridge
 

These just came in over the wire. Despite the grainy appearance of these pictures, the collection that just came in were of much greater quality from both the focus and lighting standpoint.

Still not world class photography but Richy's getting much better. That camera is also, in reality, is a real piece.

The images are self explanitory. Everyone there looks emaciated, even the cattle.

(thinks to self: or is it that I am just a fatass?)

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Street scenes
 

A view into another world, wouldnt you say?

Not that I wouldnt visit there and have a great time doing so....but not exactly where you would want to live.

Now I know why everyone wants to come live here.

Yes, I know....it doesnt take too many of these images and your curiosity is satisfied. That's if you had any to begin with.

Those posted today are just a few from a collection of about 150. If you're bored with these, you can just imagine how numbing the others must be since these are effectively the most interesting.

Some are from a farm settlement. Some from the "city". Some are just of a strip of road with not much to see.

Thanks Toad for the venue.

Thanks to Richy, who's doing much better with the images.

If anyone has ideas or suggestions as to where I might actually sell, not these mildly interesting photos, but other specific scenes...please PM me with them.