Faces of Africa
Black Doctor Turned Photographer Shares Stunning Photos of African Tribes By Ayah A.
C
laire Johnson has captured some of the most beautiful and captivating photos of African tribes. She has found that she is able to spread joy to those she photographs. A proud mother of two adult children, Claire is a medical doctor by profession, however, she is also a skilled photographer and FAA-certified licensed drone pilot. Claire has spent the last three years working remotely, consulting for a healthcare company while she explores the world, documenting her travels through photography. Before that, Claire practiced medicine in Florida and various other places around the world as an obstetrician. In fact, she has delivered babies and performed surgery in many countries. Working in countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Chad, Claire began taking photos in her spare time when she was finished work. Some of the African tribes Claire has photographed include the Dassanach, Hamar, Silte and Mursi tribes. She photographed the Maasai tribe while living with them when she worked in one of their clinics. Claire has also taken photos of the nomadic Fulani tribe known as the Peul, which were featured on CNN Africa. Photographing the many people she met around the world, Claire discovered that she could bring more smiles and laughs with her camera and drone than she could through her work in medicine. “Although photography is not a critical lifesaving field like medicine, I could bring lots of joy and excitement and leave an impact in another way. In the Western world, we take for granted that we can see ourselves daily on our phones, in mirrors, and on cameras.” “Many do not have the same luxury where I have photographed. In addition to sharing what I’ve immediately photographed, I always bring an
Instax or Polaroid camera so I can give photos as gifts. They are greatly valuable. I have seen so much wonder from people being able to see what they look like. It is truly like looking within.” Claire recalls seeing the wonder on the faces
34 | ABA Publications | Africa TRAVEL | July 2021
