Photography is a process or art of creating still or moving
pictures using a camera. It is based on the physical
properties of light and requires high technology.
Handicraft ,on the other hand, is the art of making utility
and decorative items completely by hand or using simple
tools. Examples of this include wood carvings, soapstone
sculptures and hand woven bags and baskets. It is not
surprising therefore that photography has been for the more
developed western countries while handicraft has been an
art for the less developed countries like Kenya. But how do
these two arts relate to each other in today's global
village?

In this article, I will restrict the discussion to
situations in the East African game parks where majority of
visitors (tourists)to these countries end up in, thereby
making the game park a potential convergence point for
african handicraft and photography. Visitors to these parks
are not allowed to remove anything from the parks as
exemplified by one stern warning I recently saw at Lake
Manyara Game Park in Tanzania. It read "Do not take
anything from the park except: Nourishment of the soul,
Consolation for the heart and Inspiration for the mind".
The visitors could, therefore, legally carry only
photographs they had taken in the park or any of the
various wood and soapstone carvings readily available at
the gate. Is this enough?

To answer this question, one needs to look at these two
arts more critically:

- African Handicraft: The most common forms of sculptures
in East Africa generally represent human or animal form and
in wood or soapstone. Wood carvings are more popular with
the artisans because wood is found all over East Africa
unlike soapstone which occurs only in Kisii, in western
Kenya. In addition, wood being more malleable, offers less
challenge to the artisan who is equipped with basic and not
very advanced tools. But hardwood tends to attract more
experienced and better equipped artisans because it cracks
more easily than softwood. Hardwood also withstands damage
by insects and weather changes better. Hardwood carvings,
therefore, are not only more durable but should be of
higher quality. A park visitor will , therefore , be able
to choose high quality wood carvings and soapstone
sculptures that represent the real thing if armed with
enough knowledge. These are available in many varieties
,and are unique. Unlike photography, all are three
dimensional. Moreover, with the internet, all these
products are also available online.

- Photography: A good photographer at a game park can take
good still and motion pictures using very portable
equipment. But the pictures are not three dimensional and
require more expensive equipment to create.

African Handicraft and Photography, therefore, are like
opposite ends of the same thing to a game park visitor.
Used in combination and done correctly, the two arts work
synergistically and should never compete with each other as
they provide full and total satisfaction to the game park
visitors.