MY FATHER, THE VISIONARY: In this photo, my father, Michael Kirtley, is dressed as a Touareg, and sits contemplating the vast Sahara, and beyond. To me, this photo is symbolic of his essence. He is a visionary. When he looks in front of him, his vision is not limited to what lies ahead. He sees beyond, to the infinite possibilities that the world offers, which he envisions with boundless wisdom. Read more…
AHOUDAN, MY TOUAREG FATHER: Ahoudan is someone that if you continue to follow me, you will learn to know him well. Ahoudan knew my parents before my birth, and helped raise me when I was growing up in Niger. He was my parent’s guide when they worked as photojournalists for National Geographic and other magazines. Read more…
WODAABE FATHERING: If the pygmy is considered the best dad in the world, then the Wodaabe Fulani father doesn’t fall too far behind in ranking. One saying among the Fulani men is “you start living when you’ve been pooped on by a child”… hmmm… In many Wodaabe communities, childrearing falls completely in their hands for large parts of the year. Read more…
THE FAMILY PORTRAIT: In this photo, you can see Alhassan with his wife, Sadouan, and their children. Mouheini, who you might remember from another photo, is their eldest child. She was not present when this photo was taken, given that she was in her husband’s camp tending to her own children.
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ALHASSAN: In this photo, one of my best friends, Alhassan, watches his son adoringly as he takes a nap. Alhassan is not only a wonderful husband and father within his family, he was also my host father, and the person that introduced me to the Azawak. With his broken English that he learned in Nigeria, he and I were able to have long discussions without the help of a translator. This made me feel close to Alhassan rather quickly. Read more…