Learning Center
Ghana

For many of us, Africa is both captivating and intriguing. Charles Darwin referred to it as “the cradle of humankind” in his book The Descent of Man and most paleontologists and anthropologists believe it to be the oldest inhabited area on earth.

Professional Photographer André Costantini spent some time on the west coast of Africa in the Republic of Ghana working with a non-governmental organization (NGO) charged with delivering medical supplies and equipment. Costantini was engaged by the organization to chronicle their efforts.

Photography can be a great equalizer. Using his Nikon D3 camera and his Tamron AF28-75mm F/2.8 lens, Costantini’s series of images from this small African nation provides a unique narrative into the life of some of the Ghanaian people.

The Republic of Ghana comprises just 92,098 square miles of Africa’s 11.7 million total square miles. Some consider Ghana to be the geographic center of the earth, located just a few degrees north of the equator with the Greenwich Meridian passing directly through it. Yet even nearly a half a world away, there is a familiarity running throughout each photo.

“There are parts of Africa that have a great spirit,” says Costantini. “Children are the same everywhere. They see a camera and want to perform.”

In a small village between Kumasi and Tepa, Costantini encapsulates the collective spirit of a group of children who show off their uniqueness, running and smiling, hoping to be captured in his lens. In photos like these, Costantini advises to simply shoot, don’t try to compose a structured shot.

“You realize that you can’t pose these children in a better position then they have found for themselves.”

Costantini credits the Tamron 28-75mm lens with controlling the depth of field. The wide-open aperture was also important in bringing in more natural light since the shot was taken in the late afternoon as the sun was beginning to set. He used a focal length of 46mm with ISO 400 and a shutter speed of 1/125 sec.

“Most important is the focal length. The Tamron 28-75mm has the ideal range for using a fast aperture when dealing with low light conditions,” adds Costantini.

Tamron lenses are not only known for their quality and versatility, many photographers find their weight, averaging just 16-20 ounces, to be crucial when traveling. The 28-75mm is just 18 ounces with a minimum aperture of f/32 and a minimum focus distance of 0.33m (13”).

During his stroll through the village, he was introduced to a young shoemaker who paused momentarily to allow for a photo. The image was shot using a focal length of 28mm @ 1/60 sec. The aperture was set at 2.8, which helped bring in more natural light, with ISO 1600.

Prior to gaining their independence, Ghana had just one university and a handful of primary and secondary schools. Today, more than two million children attend over 27,000 primary, secondary and senior secondary schools.

Like every young child, school offers many benefits and challenges. The children gain freedom as they learn to read and write and long-lasting friendships mixed in with the occasional boredom. Costantini’s focus on the young girl daydreaming on her desk in the warm afternoon is a story that has played out for centuries, across the globe in every school room. He used the full length of the lens at 75mm, making sure not to disturb her. The aperture was f/2.8 @ 1/125 sec with ISO 125.

Similarly, the image on the previous page of the figures at play depicts the chaotic nation of children, dispersing with great force for parts unknown to the viewer.

“The unconventional composition of this image (pg. 7) creates dynamic tension.” says Costantini who was positioned four stories above on the school roof top. “There are three kids in the periphery moving out of the frame while the two in the middle of the courtyard act as an anchor. A moment later and the children at the edge would have been gone.”

To freeze the energy, Costantini set the aperture at f/6.3 @ 1/320 using a focal length of 38mm with ISO 320.

Perhaps the most difficult challenge for Costantini on his visit to Ghana was his desire to capture everything. Photographers by nature use their images to tell a story and provide insight. On this trip, he was charged with documenting the human condition in Ghana, where he consistently succeeds using Ghana’s future – their children – to provide us with their story. What we learn is that this small republic is very much like our own.

Costantini’s final photo of the smiling schoolboy (pg.6 ) gives us hope. Shot at a focal length of 28mm, with ISO 200, an aperture of f/2.8 @ 1/60 sec, we clearly see that he is happy and healthy. He also appears to be telling us something. Perhaps it is simply that the future is bright for the Republic of Ghana.