Tozeur, Tunisia

Tozeur is an oasis in south west Tunisia, with a medina (old city) famous for its brickwork. Some scenes from « the English Patient » were filmed in a house close to this street in 1995. The area must have been busy at the time but everything was then back to desert silence. November 2000. Tozeur est…

Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia

This old man is selling jasmine in the Café des Nattes in Sidi Bou Said. This beautiful location is said to have had many famous French guests in the past: André Gide, Colette and Simone de Beauvoir, among many others. November 2008. Ce vieil homme vend du jasmin au café des Nattes de Sidi Bou…

Zaria, Nigeria

Zaria is a city in northern Nigeria you can no longer access these days as a foreigner. Years ago, the atmosphere was already heavy. In the streets, you would meet boys on their way to the Koranic school. They were forced to memorise the Quran. March 1990. Zaria est une ville du Nord du Nigeria…

Ankpa, Nigeria

Masquerades are a traditional cultural expression in many parts of Nigeria. I took this picture in the small town of Ankpa in Kogi state. Masked people may even go into a trance and as a photographer you do not always feel comfortable. March 1990. Les processions masquées sont une expression culturelle traditionnelle dans beaucoup de…

Cairo, Egypt

Khan el-Khalili is the old bazaar in Cairo. The bazaar district used to be one of the city’s main attractions for tourists. I am not sure nowadays you still feel safe walking there on your own. November 2002. Khan el-Khalili est le vieux bazar du Caire. Le quartier du bazar a été longtemps une des…

Geji, Nigeria

According to Joshua Project stats, there are no more than 6,000 representatives of the Geji ethnic group in the world. I still remember the day I met them in 1990. Like all other women, this grandmother had some tattoos and holes on her face, above and below her lips. I remember people commenting she looked…