This week I have chosen a photo series by Dirk Rees, which highlights warriors from some of the most feared and respected tribes in the continent of Africa. Dirk seems to stop his shutter speed down to maybe create a certain color scheme in all of these photos. If he had used a digital camera, theres also a possibility he could've used a combination of shutter speed, and white balance settings to create the mood he's achieved in these photos. I like that in two of the three photos he's chosen such a contrasting background to the dark skin of his subjects.
Dirk uses the color palette of the warrior's garb as well as the sand and the sky to create a beautiful temperature for the photos. The bright colors of the warriors' garbs compared to the muted color of the sky and the sand centralizes our focus on the men wearing the bright colors against the dark browns of their skin. I also love the way Dirk uses the light in the first to pictures to shape and define the bodies of the young men photographed. the creative choices employed here most certainly work together to create a beautiful tone and theme for these pictures.
I enjoy the content of these pictures because, like in previous blog posts, these pictures show Africans as more than just starving children. In a place like Kenya, specifically in this tribe of peoples, the Samburu, gender constructs hold as strong as a constitution. It is interesting for me to see these young men fulfill their family legacy and prophecy as protectors of their tribe. The use of dead animals and skulls was a little primitive for me but I do understand the concept of portraying them as conquerors.
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