Africa in focus
(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2004-10-22 10:11

For anyone with a love of wildlife, Africa is the perfect destination and a photographic exhibition now opens in Shanghai, entitled "A Day in the Life of Africa," takes viewers into the heart of the mysterious continent.

Claiming to be the largest scale photographic undertaking ever mounted in the world, nearly 100 of the world's top photographers crisscrossed the 53 countries of Africa on one day -- February 28, 2002.

They each set out to capture the landscape and the way of life of the people living in each of the countries throughout the 24 hours of that day.

The shots they took ranged from the sands of the Sahara to the jungles of the Congo and from the Sphinx bathed in the light of a rosy sunrise to the snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro. The 250 photos on display at the Westgate Mall were selected from 50,000 shots that were taken on the day.

Unlike other photographic exhibitions, each photographer was provided with the same type of digital camera.

"More than half of them had never used a digital camera before," said Ding Ying, a staff member of the organizer, Olympus Imagining China Co Ltd. "They went to three training classes in New York and Paris."

According to Wang Rongping, president of the Shanghai Photographers' Association, high-quality digital cameras are able to catch the subtle nuances of different hues in a dim backdrop.

Besides acquiring digital camera skills, the photographers also had to prepare themselves psychologically for the hardships and difficulties they would encounter on the assignment.

They showed their concern for humanity in the pictures they took of people living in poverty-stricken areas or those tortured by disease.

But what is directly unveiled by their camera lenses is the free spirit of the peoples of Africa and the continent's varied landscapes which defy description. The exhibition has been to New York, Tokyo and Seoul. To help combat Africa's severe public health problems, including AIDS, all the proceeds from photo album sales will be donated to a medical relief foundation.

Date: through October 24, 10am-9pm
Address: 1/F, 1038 Nanjing Rd W.
Admission: Free
Tel: 6272-1111

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