There’s a giant landfill site near Maputo, Mozambique’s capital city, that covers 42 acres and rises to 15 metres in height. Young men roam it hoping to find things that are either valuable or can be recycled. These people play an important role in the local economy but they are marginalised by Mozambican society. When I started thinking about photographing the tip roamers, people warned me it would be dangerous: they are “uncivilised”, they said, they would steal my camera, attack me, even kill me.
At the beginning of any project, I do lots of research. I need to understand a place and its people, establish contacts who can introduce me to new communities, and build trust with whoever I’m photographing. I don’t work like a photojournalist: I’m not tied to strict deadlines. I like to spend time with the people I photograph. We eat together, play games, get used to each other, so that by the time it comes to shooting, they’re comfortable.
