Strike A Pose - Male Beauty Contest In African Desert

• Photographer
  Sarah Jenkins
• Agency / Studio
  Sarah Jenkins Photography
• Technical Info
  Canon Eos R6 Mk Ii, 24-70mm F2.8 Lens
• Photo Date
  October 2023

The Gerewol Festival, held annually in the Sahel region of Chad, is a male beauty courtship contest where young men from the nomadic Wodaabe clans proudly beautify themselves with colourful ornate outfits and traditional painted faces, while dancing and chanting rhythmically to impress the young Wodaabe girls, hoping to be picked as the most handsome husband or lover. The embodiment of Wodaabe male beauty is tall stature, white eyes and teeth. Preparations for The Gerewol begin early morning with Wodaabe men meticulously applying their makeup and ensuring their hair is perfect.

Sarah is a freelance photographer who lives in Sydney Australia, but her wanderlust for travel has taken her to all corners of the globe; to 139 countries and all seven continents. She shoots travel and portrait photographs on a freelance basis. Her interest in disappearing cultures takes her to some of the more remote parts of the world. Sarah's images have been awarded international photography awards. Sarah is also the director of SignaturePhoto Photography Courses.