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Turns out that when on safari in Africa there are other things to photograph than lions, leopards and wildebeest. Turns out there are people who live in Africa and they make great subjects for photography.

Now I realize that for many of you out there the thought of taking a picture of a person is bordering on absurd. But that is, quite frankly, foolish thinking. Taking a nice photo of a person is no different than taking a nice photo of an animal- you need pretty light, a good background and a great expression. With animals you can’t control any of these so you have to work with what you are given. With people you get to control the light, the background and you get to influence the right expression. It’s easier than wildlife photography.

Notice the similarities? Photographed inside or in the shade outside, at their eye level, with the light coming from either an open door or filtered through leaves. This way I can eliminate all the surrounding distractions, pick a good background and get a nice portrait.

The catch is too many of you don’t want to try. All you have to do is be pleasant, interact a little bit, smile a lot and what do you know, a pretty portrait!

To become an accomplished photographer one needs to try all types of photography not just a narrow segment. So quit being so stubborn and telling yourself “I don’t do people.” Give it a try, you might be surprised. Here are a few more from that village: