© 2002 Gerd Ludwig from a Day in the Life of Africa
The Gurunsi people in Burkina Faso are known for their elaborately decorated houses. At the annual art and culture festival in Tiebélé, a communal event that shapes social and spiritual life, a family group of Gurunsi women create a geometric mural. During the competition, painters take a break to dance, sing, and bump.
German/Los Angeles

Gerd Ludwig has been shooting for National Geographic Magazine since 1989, mainly documenting his native Germany and the former Soviet Union after the fall of Communism. His recent book, "Broken Empire: After the Fall of the U.S.S.R.," published by the National Geographic Society, is a retrospective of the images recorded during a 10-year period.

Gerd Ludwig, "Explorer of Light," participated in A Day in the Life of Africa courtesy of Canon USA, Inc.