'Everyday Africa': Street photography beyond the stereotypes

Brian Otieno's photo "Dancing in the Streets" is part of his "Kibera Stories" series, which reveal a different, poetic and beautiful side of daily life in Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi, located in the southwestern part of the capital. Life there is particularly difficult for girls, who are often the victims of attacks. Otieno's picture shows a passionate 16-year-old dancer called Elsie.

Groomsmen driving brides down a dirt road on a motorcycle: Freelance photographer Ley Uwera discovered the procession in Beni, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Her photograph "Motorcycle Marriage" can be found on Instagram; Uwera has also published her works in international magazines.

Mustafa Saeed lives and works in Hargeisa, Somalia. His photo shows Mahad (left) and Mohamed (right) competing against each other during the final of the Somaliland Chess Federation's championship. Mahad ended up winning.

Sam Vox documents everyday life in Tanzania. He says he aims to share "stories about people, places and their various cultures and traditions." Vox has worked with organizations such as Water Aid and Everyday Education. "We are made of salt water, so pure and so calm like the evening sea," he's written about his mysterious pictures of water.

Edward Echwalu discovered tomorrow's cinema stars in a slum in Uganda's Kampala. He is proud to be part of "Everyday Africa": "Never in the history of Africa has there been a period where the most photographed and shared photos are not about wars, poverty, diseases, but about everyday life on the continent, and most importantly, these stories are told by Africans," he wrote on Instagram.

Nigerian photographer Yagazie Emez boasts a community numbering more than 140,000 followers on Instagram. Her pictures often tell stories about African women, and also about their hairstyles. For her work, Emezi travels through Tanzania, Zambia, Ghana, Gabon, Liberia and Uganda.

Tom Saater is a documentary photographer and filmmaker from Nigeria. His work has been shown in countries around the world, including at Venice's famous Biennale. This photo shows a prospective lawyer on the way to her exam in Abuja, Nigeria. Like all the "Everyday Africa" photographers, Saater wants to show normal life in Africa, a perspective that is seldom seen in Western media.

Rather than standing in line in front of banks or gas stations as many people do in Zimbabwe, these young people are enjoying their lives. The group called "Material Culture" consists of young residents of various townships in Bulawayo, the country's second largest city. That is also where photographer Zinyange Auntony works and resides.

Maheder Haileselassie took this picture of a man who is forging his way through water hyacinths. The flowers multiply rapidly, disrupting the biodiversity of the water, such as in Lake Tana in Ethiopia. Documenting environmental changes in her home country is an urgent endeavor of the photographer based in Adis Abeba.

Ghanaian Nana Kofi Acquah travels across the continent for his work. His picture "Shaking Hands" was taken in Tanghin-Dassouri, Burkina Faso. Short walks can take a long time, the photographer noted, since one greets everyone one runs into. People don't say "hi" or "good morning," but ask, "how is your spouse, your kids, your business or your health?" And they listen to each response, he said.