Photo Gallery

Tuareg blacksmith woman (Tézirzek well / Aïr / Niger / 1992)

Wife of Chanounou, chief of a traditional Tuareg tribe (North of Aïr / Niger / 2001)

On indigo fabric background, nomad woman's hands and traditional Tuareg jewellery

Shepherdess of the Iférouane region (North-Aïr / Niger)

The trees feed the goats, which feed the nomads (Nord-Aïr / Niger)

Niger - The Tuareg chief Abakaoua from the Aïr region

A cradle made of goat leather for little Djamila. (Toufouchi, Aïr, Niger)

Tima using her goat´s milk to make a cheese called Tukemarine. (Toufouchi, Aïr, Niger)

Tuareg nomads selling salt cakes at the camp site. (Camp Aouï, Aïr, Niger)

Filling up with water for people and camels at the Takarit well. (Oued Takarit / Aïr / Niger)

«Water is life» – filling the guerba, made of goat leather. (Guelta Baloumat / Aïr / Niger)

The great outdoors… - The caravan moves southeast, towards the endless Ténéré. - Niger / Ténéré / 2000

Guelta of Agamgam - Among volcanic walls, clan chief Abakaoua leads his camels to a drinking hole and its amazingly fresh, cool water.

Niger - salt caravan (Azelaï) between Bilma and Agadez

In the camp at Oued Agamgam - Aïr - Niger

Tuareg women take care of their goats in the camp near Oued Timia - Niger

Entering another world
The caravan is about to enter a mineral universe that is no longer the world of men but that of an intact nature where only the nomads can survive.
Niger - Aïr - Erg Izane - 2002

Abakaoua
In his indigo outfit, chief Abakaoua ag Kanom, a symbol of the stubborn resistance of the Touareg Kel Tédélé people, proudly wears his 72 years and underlines the tenacious will of his gaze with a line of khol.
Niger - Aïr - 2003

Caravan
In the Aïr, the guide searches on foot for the best passage for his caravan through the dunes. Niger - Aïr - Erg Izane - 2000

In the morning light
Caravan in the Temet wadi.
Niger - Aïr - 2003

Azalaï in the sandstorm – Niger – Tenere

Getting into another world
The caravan is about to enter a mineral universe that is no longer the world of men but that of an intact nature where only the nomads know how to survive.
Niger - Aïr - Erg Izane - 2002

Well of the Ténéré tree
At the bottom of this 36 meters deep well, the water is of poor quality, but necessary for caravaneers. It is brought to the surface by muscle power or with the help of animals.
Niger - Tenere - 1967

Decorated hands of a Targuia in the camp at Oued Timia - Niger

Nomad children in front of their tent in the camp near El Meki near Timia - Niger

Waterhole of Eres near Temet, Niger - Canisters are filled with the precious water by the Tuaregs and then transported by camels.

Tuareg girl in the camp of Mechovi - Aïr - Niger.

Last efforts in the Ténéré before arriving at the well - Erg Izane / Ténéré / Niger

This Tuareg boy´s hair plaits are consecrated to Allah. - Campement Abakaoua / Puits de Faris / Tezirzek / Aïr / Niger

Mother and children at the Arali camp site. (Oued Issaouane, Aïr, Niger)

Aïr / Tagueït / The guide In the desert, it is always the man of knowledge and experience who chooses the best route to preserve the resources of the caravan.

Aïr / The "taguella" Cooking the taguella owes everything to the desert. The sand acts as an oven, heated by the embers of wood carried on camels.

Erg Izane / Getting into another world The caravan is about to enter a mineral universe that is no longer the world of men but that of an intact nature where only the nomads know how to survive.

Ténéré / The long walk Beyond the dunes of Izane, the massif of Tahmert will be the point of arrival in the evening of a long and beautiful day sailing through the Sahara.

Ténéré / Erg Izane / Stop in the shadow No tree, no rock as far as the eye can see. For the rest of a few minutes, the only shadow is that of the camels, but they can only turn their backs to the sun.

Aïr / Tamgak / The relaxation In the mountains, men finally find the time and the place of a real relax where water and fire get married.

Aïr / Toufouchi / Beauties of the desert In the camps the camel-drivers find their wives dressed with their finest attires, like the sailors on their return to the harbour....

Touareg caravan - On their way to a distant water source, the caravan stop before nightfall, and then the camels are fed with the hay they carry on their packs. - Niger / Ténéré / Erg Izane / 2000

Crossing the Tagardet pass in the Aïr mountains.

Near the waterhole of Baloumat, a great boulder offers shelter.

Taguella is bread made of wheat and baked in the sand.

At the edge of the Ténéré, Chef Abakaoua leads the way.

Arrival at the Kel Tédélé camp site.

Sheltered by trees at the Kel Tédélé camp site.

The pantry – or the best way to keep food out of animal reach.

The chief’s toothbrush - Boubakar ag Mohamed does not smoke. He uses this piece of wood, taken from a very widespread bush in the Sahara called the «Abesgouin», to clean his teeth – which by no means detracts from the authority in his eyes! - Niger / Aïr / 2001

Niger - The caravan leader Mohamed ag Boubakar with his toothbrush.

Portrait of a young Touareg - Faris / Aïr / Niger

The Tuareg Kel Tédélé - Kogo / Aïr / Niger

Tea time in the small village of I-n-Jitane (Niger, Erazer valley), in the middle of the Sahelian region.

Guelta of Enghar - Probably the coldest water in the Aïr! The sun never shines into the depths of this rock cleft on the trail to Toufouchi. - Niger / Aïr / 2001

Tuareg warrior - With a single blow of his Takuba, Boubakar ag Mohamed has beheaded a jackal... what a feat! As the leader of a clan of ten families from the Kel Takriza tribe, formerly feared in the Sahel because of their raids against black farmers, today he is the most peaceful of Tuareg dignitaries – and the one wearing the most makeup! - Niger / Western Aïr

Abakaoua, a Targi of the Kel Tédélé tribe - Symbol of the stubborn resistance of his people, chief Abakaoua ag Kanom is proud of his 72 years of age and wears an indigo cloth covering his head and shoulders, as well as khol makeup.

Niger - caravan in the evening light - Erg Izane

Exploring - Like a Scout leader, Abakaoua explores the narrow passage that leads to the top of the dunes of Ifiniyane.

Light caravan - For one-day trips, the camel drivers leave behind bags, riding saddles, food and feed supplies at the camp. They will only ride the camels when the heat makes walking unbearable. - Niger / between Aïr and Ténéré / 1999

Caravan leaving for Gouloukou - Gouloukou is marked on the map! The sound of the name is reminiscent of gurgling water. This is not surprising: Gouloukou is a fountain where tadpoles like to have fun. - Niger / between Aïr and Ténéré / 1999

The only possible way - In a narrow canyon, the caravan of camels examine the only passable route through the rocky chaos. - Abri Ilem / Niger / Aïr

A bit of family history - Abdelkrim ag Ahrmed, son of Ahrmed ag Chaoua, is the grand-son of Chaoua and comes from a dynasty of caravan leaders. In the language of the Tuareg, Tamacheq, “ag” means “son of”. - Niger / Aïr / 2003

Tuareg child - Framed by a tuft of hair dedicated to Allah and amulets bearing verses from the Koran, the look of this boy scans his whole future dedicated to faith. - Tezirzek / Aïr / Niger

The two sisters of Toufouchi - Their features are clean; their look, determined. And a firm will is needed to survive in these inhospitable latitudes. The two sisters of Toufouchi look after the goats, cook, fetch water and find enough time in between for jokes and laughter.

Kids games - When his feet touch the ground, it will be time for the older child to become a man. Then the carefree days of childhood and adolescence will come to an end. - Niger / fountain of Tezirzek / 1992

Selima and son - Called «cul-nu» by the photographer, the son of Selima hides his tiny garment under the wide skirt of his mother. - Niger / Aïr / Zakkat / 2001

Touareg woman at the well of Faris - Aïr / Niger