Description:
Ouidah, Benin. Lake Toho. The dark silhouette of a fisherman paddling a slender pirogue stands out at the centre of the lake's vast grey surface. A low horizon, marked by the continuous line of forest on the opposite shore, amplifies the sense of open space. The pale sky and flat, even light give the image a mood of calm and solitude. Stripped of any extraneous element, the scene captures the essence of traditional lake life in Benin: a lone figure on the water, continuing a practice handed down through generations.