Ben Wilhelmi

Portraits in Tanzania, Sonjo tribe

 

 

As opposed to Maasai people, the traditional clothes have plain colors only.

 

 

 

 

 

The necklace on the left is one the few but typical jewels worn by the Sonjo women, usually representing the Tanzanian flag.

In South Sudan, random pictures

 

2 different styles of women.

 

 

 

Those kids always wait for passengers and heavy luggage. When someone goes back to the bush, supplies are expected for the families or simply business.

 

An unusual outfit for the bush.

 

A soldier stands on a destroyed military vehicle, in a burnt down village, Ayod.

 

soldiers and civilian refugees in a military camp surrounded by rebels, Ayod.

On a very hot Christmas day, these women found the energy and the spirits to sing and dance.

Breakfast in Ruaha NP

 

or lunch from one of the 2 restaurants of the gorgeous Ruaha River Lodge. 2 restaurants! And the other one is perched like an eagle nest on a rocky hill! This one lies a few meters away from the Ruaha river.

I normally don’t like to be disturbed while eating. But there are circumstances that are worth to make an exception. My big lens is always ready in case…

 

There are many birds in the Ruaha Nat’l Park. Here are 2 Egyptian geese taking off towards a waterbuck (un cobe)

 

Another goose (oie égyptienne). Sometimes, but only sometimes, the translation makes sense and is quite direct.

 

2 waterbucks showing affection.

 

The mountain opposite our lodge.

A bit of zooming and here is an elephant. He and his pals will come in camp soon.

 

A hippo is rolling in the Ruaha river. Just a few meter away from me.

 

An intermediate egret on a perfect landing. Pilots will appreciate the disturbed feathers on the wings due to the high angle of attack. (un héron intermédiaire)

 

A grey heron (un héron cendré)

 

Even when the animals haven’t arrived, the scenery is stunning. I can’t wait to resume watercolors.

 

The posse is coming to camp, ready to create havoc sometimes when they’re hungry or thirsty.

 

Fashion in South Sudan

 

The 2 main incompetent criminals in charge would have signed a peace treaty, for what it is worth. At the same time the president Kiir announced that journalists who do their job properly will be killed! Brazen or what? Many other dictators do that too but they have the minimal amount of neurons to deny it.

In the meantime, while I enjoy being back in Tanzania, I like to review old pictures of peaceful moments. Fashion is very important for South Sudanese women. A rare opportunity of happiness, to let the pressure go for those women I guess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wildlife, Ruaha Nat’l Park

 

Ruaha, the vast garden around my 2nd residence… a tiny selection of wildlife I saw in one day.

An aptly named lilac-breasted roller. Those birds are as fast to take off as Usain Bolt.

 

A fish eagle got a meal.

 

A cape eland, the biggest antelope in Africa. Up to 800 kg and still they can jump as far as 8m! Imagine a cow…

 

A proof that people are not always good witnesses. We were changing a flat tyre when this lioness ran past us. Not more than 4m away according to a passenger! I said 25m…who’s right…?

 

Stealthy crocodile in the Ruaha river.

 

A cool job or what? There were about 500 buffalos in the river alone but they kept on coming along from the west. This team used a drone and told us later that they counted 998 buffalos, 2% error!

 

An ox pecker sits on the buffalo’s head.

 

A fish eagle on take off. It is very similar to the American bald eagle, their national emblem. At least here in Africa the various psycho hunters haven’t managed to exterminate nearly all of them.

street photography, Arusha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a good old AK 47 Kalashnikov.

 

 

Cologne, Germany, street photography, 80's

 

I was born in Cologne, or Köln, and left when I was a teen but Mom stayed there for quite some more years. So when I turned 18, I asked a camera and got a lot of practice while visiting her on holidays

Street photography before it became fashionable. I was young, eyeing Doisneau, Cartier-Bresson…I learnt a lot with a great Minolta X700.

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah I know I should clean those white specks and scratches. But I wanted to show what it looked like in B/W before hitting the brush and ink and correct the whole lot. Painful work. As opposed to the various editing programs nowadays.

Tanzania, sceneries in the bush

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paris, street photography

 

A climb by foot to the Eiffel Tower 2nd floor is worth every step and sweat drop. Less people, a lot less, than for the elevator. And the view around is stunning.

 

 

 

Aux Tuileries…

 

 

 

32 Celsius for a few days, Japanese women were freaking out.

Portraits in Tanzania

 

A freshly excised Maasai girl. The black dress and the forehead jewels are typical of that status. She told me she was happy to get married soon with a young husband who was only 30. She is 15.

 

This one is a full Maasai woman.

 

A Sonjo girl

 

 

 

A Maasai warrior.

aerials in Tanzania

 

 

Private joke, I had just seen “Amélie” a few days before…. in memoriam of a real hedgehog pet, Muffin.

 

 

 

Brussels, street photography

 

 

Bicycle cop on foot.

 

 

 

 

Tanzania, portraits in the bush

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arusha street photography

 

 

 

 

 

 

Portraits in Tanzania

 

 

 

 

B/W aerial photography, lake Natron

 

 

 

 

Paris, street photography, 14th July

 

National Day in France, there was a military show at the “Invalides”. Kids were having a blast, they were allowed to climb in various vehicles, talk to armed forces professionals.

 

Well not only kids had a good time… This man is a “Spahi”, from a unit fitted for the desert, hence the sable cape. It refers to the times when the vehicles were horses or camels. The cape would hide a lot then.

 

 

 

A “Chasseur Alpin”, an alpine unit.

 

“Les Invalides” built by Napoleon to welcome the wounded soldiers.

 

 

 

 

A pilot must be multi tasked. Talking to a crowd is not my favorite part of the job.

Aerial photography, Tanzania

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Belgium, street photography

 

In Brussels with my new second hand camera, a Leica M8

 

 

Some things don’t change. Japanese people still love their portraits.

 

 

 

Arusha, street photography

 

 

 

 

 

Tanzania, sepia portraits in the bush

 

 

 

 

South Sudan, random pictures

 

The infamous Kalashnikov AK 47. 100 millions produced and counting. Here is a typical African modification: 3 clips taped together, inverted .

The kind of stolen picture that could result in my camera being smashed or me thrown in jail. It didn’t take me long to realise that. About one week to be arrested and sweat for 30 min, wondering if my Leica and precious 28mm F 2.0 would be smashed under Kalashnikov butts. That’s when I decided to steal most of my pictures with a smartphone, silent mode, pretending to make phone calls. Make sure there is a network otherwise you look suspicious or pretend you’re trying and trying again to make a phone call. And if you want your victim to look at you, pretend your conversation is heated. Italian style with gestures work well.

 

 

 

“Air Traffic”?

 

I have never seen so many hats in an African country.

 

 

Road traffic cop. I gave her a few rides for free. She came from a place I like to steal pictures. I thought she might be useful one day…but I was never caught again.

 

The typical attire for old men: a hat, a cane and sometimes an old-fashioned radio.

Street photography in Paris

 

Shopping in Paris…not a myth.

 

 

Bad day for the van owner…

 

Las Vegas style for this wedding photoshoot.

 

 

It took me 3 or 4 sightings to realize what Penelope was talking about. When the star is eclipsing the product…

 

 

 

 

Shot with my Leica M8, 28mm

various pictures, South Sudan

 

 

 

A patriotic lady: flagged toe nails. I have never noticed but I bet this could be spotted in America too.

 

 

Female police officer. She was the only on I have spotted in 9 months.

 

The modern South Sudanese army…

 

My protection after landing.

 

At a bus stand in the middle of nowhere. Nowhere…that term pretty much describes most of South Sudan. And this thanks to irresponsible and corrupt politicians.

Aerial images, lake Natron, Tanzania

 

This must be ma favorite place to fly over… all pictures here shot on the same day.

 

 

 

 

Belgium, street photography in Brussels

I just bought a new camera, I had to try it out here (and in Paris of course)

This man managed to sport the Belgian colors other than with a flag and then attract attention from unrelated people, just by smiling broadly.

 

Fashion victim, though from which fashion is unclear to me.

 

A pretty woman in awe at the Grand Place

 

Comic strips or various art pieces are to be seen on many walls.

 

All is said. Let me emphasize on the word “Belgium” when it comes to chocolate.

 

The kind of people to throw a coin in a fountain or a padlock on the Parisian bridges will also caress this statue, which has been fixed I don’t know how many times against wear and tear.

 

Double red double white. It happened in a flash. The Leica cameras (M8 here) are quick!