Mosque of Djenne Distorted
Djenne, Mali 2001
I wonder if anyone goes to Djenne nowadays what with Boko Haram and all. We were lucky to go back in the day. I didn’t go with a photo tour so I had to get my shots on the run. Above you see the famous mosque of Djenne, the largest mud structure in the world. Why didn’t I get a shot of the whole thing, you ask…I ask that myself. I remember clutter in the foreground, though. I worked in the darkroom in those days and I couldn’t get rid of clutter in my shots.
Ramadan in Djenne
It was the end of Ramadan. The men wore their best grande bou-bous. I remember trying to get a shot of one of the men.
Architecture of Djenne with Malian Men
This was on a different trip…still getting my shots on the run. I wanted to shoot the beautiful, flowing architecture of the neighborhood we passed through.
Mud Architecture of Djenne
This is a doorway to a home. I imagine the family living here was an important family.
Architecture of Djenne
Another doorway…mysterious, isn’t it? Our photography instructor wanted mystery, contradiction and ambiguity in our photos. He learned that at a seminar. My friends and I emblazoned the words on our brains…we were old and we tried hard. I don’t know if the young ones paid attention. They went with their own ideas. I’m still not sure what the phrase means exactly.