The Crisis in Kenya (Warning: Strong Content)

[spyros]

Greetings,

This is my first post here. My name is Spyros and I am an amateur photographer living in Nairobi, Kenya.

I recently embarked on a photography project to document the impact of the current crisis in Kenya on the lives of those who are most affected, and to bring out the details--both negative and positive--that the press usually glosses over in pursuit of the 'big' story. I am working with a Kenyan freelance photographer and a videographer, and we hope to present some of our material later next month.

I've attached a couple of photographs below. Additional photographs can be found at http://www.pbase.com/sdimitriou/misc_photos. There is also a photoblog which I update periodically, and which can be accessed at http://www.pbase.com/sdimitriou/the_crisis_in_kenya.

Thanks for looking, and please feel free to share any comments or criticisms that you might have.

With best regards, Spyros

Photo 1: Destroyed shops in Kibera, Nairobi. Entire commercial districts in Nairobi's slums were destroyed in the riots that erupted after the elections on 27 December, depriving many people of economic livelihoods and access to goods.

http://www.pbase.com/sdimitriou/image/92362942/original.jpg

Photo 2: Young girl emerging from her house during a day of high tension. For most of January, people lived in a heightened state of fear due to the continuing violence and fears of ethnic reprisals.

http://www.pbase.com/sdimitriou/image/92475719/original.jpg

Photo 3: Boys playing in a camp for the displaced in Nairobi. Almost 600,000 people were displaced as a result of post-election violence. Many of these people have had their homes and possessions destroyed, and have nowhere and nothing to return to.

http://www.pbase.com/sdimitriou/image/92354587/original.jpg

[Naturalist]

Welcome to the best photo site on the net!

It is sad to see the plight of others where they cannot live in and enjoy the relative peace and security that we take for granted too often.

You have some powerful images here and perhaps they can be used to alert others to the problems that are encountered in Kenya.

[Howard Barlow]

Spyros,

You have done well, sir. Please, do not stop. Do not stop your coverage of events, do not stop posting here.

Thank you,
Howard

[L.Morey]

Very powerful and dishearting that man can be so inhuman to each other

[int3rc3ptor]

It's people like you being in the right place at the right time that win awards and accolations for just one simple shot. Keep taking them!!

Cheers

Darren

[oreca]

Very touching photos, I very like their composition too.

My personal taste tells me that #2 should have a bit more contrast.

Welcome aboard the forum!

[two40]

#2 is just amazing. well done for sharing.

[MDJAK]

Great documentary work. My heart goes out to those fine people who are senselessly being brutalized. It is such a shame.

mark

[Ballen Photo]

Hi Spyros, WELCOME to POTN!
Your image's along with the story of why they are in this dire situation show good photo journalistic style.
Thanks for sharing these touching photos. ;)
-Bruce

[Mike-DT6]

Excellent shots and an excellent project opportunity.

Keep up the good work and post some more of your photographs here. :-)

Mike

[TheHoff]

^^ My feelings exactly. Please keep showing your work.

[BigBouncyBall]

WOW!

That second one is absolutely amazing. As in award winning. Seriously. You need to enter that into every competition you can (prize money to a kenyan charity perhaps!)

Get it up on Alamy/Getty images too - you might find a magazine snaps that one up. Just bump up the levels and contrast to give it a bit more impact!

Gosh i wish i could take shots like that, though we all wish we'd never have the chance to of course

[Mississippi]

Was the first one your shop? How are you doing personally?

[BottomBracket]

Thank you for sharing this. As others said, you have very powerful images. You are in a unique position to take these photographs and convey the plight of the people over there to the world. Technically, I would suggest bumping up the contrast or burning the shadows a bit to make for a grittier outlook. Thanks again for sharing, welcome to the forum and be safe over there.

[SlowBlink]

Welcome to POTN Spyros. Powerful images, thank you and keep shooting.

[spyros]

Thanks everyone for your warm welcome and encouragement, and for the comments on the photos. It's great to know that there are so many people out there who care about the situation. Your comments on my photos also give me courage to keep going out there! Thanks again, and best regards, Spyros

[BigBouncyBall]

just take care for god sake. don't be a hero. good luck!!

[TeeTee]

The girl walking down the stairs with 'PEACE WANTED ALIVE' written on them is powerful.

I've saved it to my very selective and limited 'Inspirations' folder. I think you've done an outstanding job, keep up awareness please.

[Sparky98]

Keep taking and sharing your pictures. The world needs to know what is happening there and since most people are visual learners your pictures can make a real impact around the world.

Take care of yourself and be careful while taking your pictures.

[Ospi]

Nice shots, it's sad what is happening everywhere in Africa, unfortunately the whole place is in turmoil these days :( Glad i left when i did tbh. Keep safe.

[Prssinglecut]

Welcome Spyros from the (UK) side of the pond. Love the photos although I dont like the suffering the country is going through. Its a beautiful country, which I was honoured to visit last year. I hope they can work it out, we would love to go back.

Phil

[Shingle]

Very powerful and emotive images Spyros, many thanks for sharing them and like the other have said, keep up the good work.

[senthildent]

all the images are great , your photos brings the whole situation in front of your eyes. Hope it gets well soon. Please keep us posted

[spyros]

Thanks again everyone.

Here are two portraits I took during yesterday's outing. We are currently working in Kibera, which is known as Africa's largest slum, population 1 million. The youths featured in the images below are members of a local vigilante group providing security to communities in the absence of any real law and order. These kids are part of the marginalised urban poor and are both the victims and perpetrators of the violence. Some of them are trying hard to stay clean, others are in real trouble, yet they are all trapped in a situation not of their making. We intend to follow some of these youths in their daily lives to document this extreme state of vulnerability, and to illustrate how they are part and parcel of both the problem and its solution in Kenya.

Thanks again for looking, Spyros

#1 - Mark

http://www.pbase.com/sdimitriou/image/92944935/large.jpg

#2 - Moses

http://www.pbase.com/sdimitriou/image/92944937/large.jpg

[BigBouncyBall]

they're fantastic!

[kona77]

Welcome Sypros,

Stunning images from many latitudes away. Distance has a way of sanitizing events and are easy to just brush aside. Your photography brings your world back to our attention. Capturing people during extraordinary times brings power to those who need help. I can not fathom one million people in peril let alone trying to live and photograph the same.

Stay safe good luck and I look forward to seeing your photos on the cover of Time Magazine.

[S.Horton]

Powerful post.

[BigBouncyBall]

seriously - if you can get together a large collection of portraits from the people of Kenya during this awful crisis, it would make a fascinating photography book. I'm sure publishers would be interested in a collection of photos from you.

[Darsk47]

Wow - number 2 is an awesome image. Photographically I agree it needs more contrast, but the capture is perfect.

[neil_r]

Excellent work, great pictures providing a real window on this tragedy.

[blackwize]

Nice shots, it's sad what is happening everywhere in Africa, unfortunately the whole place is in turmoil these days :( Glad i left when i did tbh. Keep safe.

Ospi, what are you saying? What do you mean by "the whole place is in turmoil"?, or "it's sad what is happening everywhere in Africa"? The last war that involved gunshots in Ghana was in the early 1950s when we were trying kick the british out. We have lived peacefully ever since. There are many such examples across the continent, and you don't need to look that close to see that. Please choose your words carefully, because such insensitive, sweeping statements don't anybody any good

[belmondo]

This is a photo sharing forum. The photos will have to speak for themselves. Comments and opinions on the situation they depict do not belong here.

Limit your comments to the photos only, please.

[Hamlet]

You have a healthy sense of irony that shows up in your pictures. I notice that you manage to include the word "peace" in many of them. Additionally, I like the photographs of the bombed out chemist shop and the Fashion shot.

That sense of irony will help your cause. Keep up the good work.