Crossing the Confluence

This is the 196th edition of Tender Photo, a newsletter on African photography supported by MPB.com.

A ferry moves across a broad brown river, its wake scarcely troubling the surface. Cars occupy most of its length, while a motorcycle waits at the bow. Beneath a corrugated metal roof, some passengers cluster in shade while others stand exposed to the midday light. Their bright garments interrupt the muted palette of the water. Beyond the crossing, a low line of trees softens the horizon. The ferry appears as a temporary arrangement of distances, carrying roads across water. The river is an everyday measure of passage, joining shores through repetition.

—Olaniyi Omiwale

This photograph was taken at River Niger, Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria. I took the photograph during one of my trips in the other side of the Niger, while also inside another ferry.

I chose this photograph because it captures more than people crossing a river, rather it documents a way of life. From the ferry serving as a vital connection between communities, carrying people, vehicles, and livelihoods across the water. It is an ordinary scene that quietly reveals the realities of life and movement.

My approach to photography is rooted in the little details of life. I see photography not as a way of making beautiful images, but as a means of understanding people, preserving history, and encouraging meaningful conversations.

Before I make a photograph, I spend time observing, listening, and building trust with the people and communities. As a documentary photographer, I am interested in the lives of ordinary people and the stories that often go unnoticed. My photographs become visual records that can help future generations understand who we were, how we lived, and the challenges surrounding our existence.

Photography is impactful because it has the power to make people see what they might otherwise ignore, and also to bear witness to moments that matter, voices that are often overlooked, and contribute to a collective visual memory.

Finally, I hope my work encourages viewers not only to look, but to pause, reflect and make a meaning out of it.

— Caleb Ishaya Oseshi

Caleb Ishaya Oseshi is a documentary and street photographer, visual storyteller, and photography educator. His work explores human diversity, culture, memory, and everyday life, creating visual documents that connect the presence experiences with the future. Through photography, he examines identity, community, and social interactions as a tool for storytelling, preservation, and intelligent engagement. See more of Caleb Ishaya Oseshi’s work on this website and on his Instagram.

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Under the theme Fashion Regenerated, the 2026 Textile Exchange photography competition, in partnership with Atmos, invites photographers and filmmakers to document how raw materials can be grown and produced in ways that enable both people and landscapes to thrive. At a time when interest in the regenerative potential of fashion is rapidly growing, the initiative aims to build and amplify the visual evidence illustrating what beneficial change looks like across different contexts, countries, cultures, and materials.

The overall winner will receive a paid collaborative commission to the value of $10,000 with Textile Exchange to develop a new body of work documenting the evidence of regeneration, working closely with us to identify the right story and access. The winning work will be published through Atmos, Textile Exchange, and on show to an audience of more than 1,300 changemakers at the 2026 Textile Exchange conference.

Deadline: August 2, 2026. Get the full details and submit here.

This newsletter is the flagship project of Tender Photos, a digital platform of African photography and visual storytelling, founded by Emmanuel Iduma and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀. Our ongoing project, Tender Visions, funds new work by photographers and writers on the African continent in partnership with the Open Society Foundations. Partner with us.

The Tender Photo newsletter is supported by MPB.com. MPB helps you buy, sell or trade used camera gear at the perfect price. By recirculating over half a million items annually, MPB is promoting a brighter photographic future for visual storytellers of all experience levels. When you change your gear with MPB, the planet (and your pocket) will thank you.