Kpatawee Waterfall Liberia, West Africa Color

Kpatawee waterfall is a tourist attraction located deep in the Liberian forest in Kpatawee, Suakoko, Bong County, Liberia.

About me...I have always been told that "I have an eye". However, as Ari Stippus once said, "Native ability without education is like a tree without fruit". I have extensive formal photography training and am blessed with a gift to share the beauty around me.

I was born in the United States of America while my African parents were in school in Massachusetts. My grandmother traveled from Africa to get me when I was 6 months old. She took me back to Africa where she lived. I spent my young days in Africa and came to America to attend college.

My uncle was the president of Liberia. A year after I came to America, there a military coup d'état in Liberia where my Uncle along with quite a few of my family members were assassinated. That was a devastating time in my life. I could not return home to my beautiful country. I felt so alone, but God is great and blessed me. I was able to finish college, graduating with honors. I also became a certified professional photographer so that I can tell more unique effective and memorable stories with my images as well as facilitate my economic growth. My love is to preserve the beauty around me.

I am a member of the Professional Photographers of America. I am also a volunteer photographer of the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep organization (NILMDTS.org) which provides free heirloom photographic memories for grieving families who have lost the babies in child birth or right after birth. I am a USAF veteran.

After many years, in 2019, I returned to Africa to attend the The wedding of my cousin and brother. There was a lot of excitement all around us. In the midst of it all, the poverty was overwhelming. Nevertheless, I also enjoyed the beauty around me. I decided to return in the very near future when I would have the time I needed to capture the beauty in the midst of poverty.

When I revisited Liberia, West Africa, I planned to take pictures of Liberia landmarks that I did not get to see when I was growing up. I decided to visit Kpatawee waterfall which is one of Liberia’s five wetlands. My cousins and I decided to take the trip early one morning. The trip was very long on extremely rocky, rough and steep dusty road. It was a scary ride as sometimes the truck would be leaning sideways. It took 3 hours or so from the capital city of Monrovia in the land cruiser truck. As soon as I got to the Kpatawee, I had to pee so bad, I was actually jumping up and down to stop the pee from flowing down my legs. There were no bathrooms. I had to squat behind the truck to pee. What a journey. However, it was worth it the trip. This scene I had to capture. The waterfall was absolutely gorgeous. I must tell you though that I actually fell with my camera while trying to capture my beautiful images. The rocks were wet and slippery. I got my shot though.

Enjoy the view!