Trading Places

Nairobi is a place where slick advertising has made few inroads and shopping malls and supermarkets remain a rarity. As across Africa, that is an opportunity for an outpouring of creativity. This title presents a portrait of the small traders of Nairobi.

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For this latest project, Steve Bloom has stepped away from the magnificent wildlife and landscape photography with which he made his name to create a unique portrait of the small traders of Nairobi. This is a place where slick advertising has made few inroads and shopping malls and supermarkets remain a rarity. As across Africa, that is an opportunity for an outpouring of creativity. Businessmen and women paint their own hoardings and signs, or call in friends who happen to be handy with a paintbrush. The results are delightfully quirky – an authentic form of popular street graphics that is endlessly fascinating. Through his images, a master photographer gives us an unforgettable picture of one of the world’s most intriguing communities.