I chose this photograph because it was a quiet moment when Auntie Ntombekhaya was tucked away from the main path of the tour. It portrays care and attention through the activity being engaged in, grace in her posture, seated position and how the needle is held, while also giving context to the community within which this is unfolding.

This image was my favorite from the day’s photographs. It draws you into a private moment. A tension between three people you’re not fully let into. You don’t get the full story. You’re left with what you can gather.

The photograph was taken in Kariakoo, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 29 October 2025 during the general election. I went there to document the atmosphere in this densely populated area amid online calls from Gen Z for a peaceful protest against the current constitution. While moving through the streets, I encountered a security guard at this moment, which resonated with me, so I quietly captured the image without disturbing him.

The photograph was taken in The Gambia, during a visit to see family and friends. I worked slowly and attentively, often returning to the same spaces, allowing moments to unfold rather than staging them. The image emerged through this process of observation, guided by my interest in impermanence and the subtle tensions between memory and the present.

This photograph was taken in the homestead of my Xhosa family in Eastern Cape. We were all celebrating the end of a ceremony, and I was sitting in the corner with another Makhoti, a new family member, brought into the husband’s family through marriage (I am one of the two in the home).

This photo was taken in Abidjan, two days before the end of a skate tour organized by SurfGhana in October 2022. The goal of the tour, lasting a little over a week, was to bring together Ghanaian and Ivorian skate communities. I was tasked with documenting the journey. Initially, I was just going to take a group photo with all the skaters, but I am fascinated by movements. By instinct, I started moving my camera, getting closer to try to capture less frozen, less sought-after moments.

I captured this portrait of my parents in 2015. My aim was to explore the complexity of relationships and the challenges of communication, while highlighting the attachment and family values of my parent’s generation. During that time, I enjoyed performing in front of the camera, using simple props around the house to stage scenes. I liked to focus on personal narratives, relying on natural light and my DSLR camera.

This week, we are highlighting portraits from our inaugural year. We invite newer subscribers to learn more about talented photographers who have contributed to the Tender Photo newsletter. Features by our current editorial fellows will return next week.

The image is instantly recognizable to anyone who has done any roadside shopping in the CBD, where vendors and the city inspectorate are regularly engaged in a battle for control of sidewalks and paved pathways.

NOIR 40 is restrained and intimate, quite minimalistic and close to the skin. I set aside all accessories used in earlier works. Contrasts remain, but white exists only within black—to express Black identity in its purest, most intimate form and reveal the individuality of the sitter. My aim is to deconstruct and break stereotypes about the identity of the black woman by showing her dignity and inner strength.