Toilet Humor

Marion Durand of Medium.com recently sent me to Haiti to create photographs for a story about toilets. She told me that she thought of me because my pictures are funny. So, toilet humor then?

I’m not a photo journalist, and to be honest in the initial conversations with Marion I wasn’t quite sure what she was looking for, but I was keen to visit Haiti so I took the assignment.

Once on the ground in Cap-Haïtien I was anxious about doing work that was good enough for the client, and doing proper service to the subjects, so I put a lot of thought and energy into the photography. 

Haiti has had on-going issues with sanitation and a clean water supply that was exacerbated by the earthquake in 2010 and it’s aftermath. The toilets being featured in our story are from a company called SOIL, that if used more universally here could be real part of the solution. SOIL builds low-cost urine-diversion, or dry toilets, that separate the urine and the feces. The feces is then treated through composting to turn it into fertilizer. One of the main reasons that I took to the assignment was that I was curious about this system; basic and ingenious.

The photos took local residents (users of the toilets) as subjects, as well as some SOIL employees. Working with Haitians, and creating images that aimed to do justice to them, was daunting, but ultimately exciting and satisfying.

But I suppose the photographs aren’t very funny. Perhaps a reason for me to head back and do some more pictures.

Top Image: Marline Jean with her five other children on the roof of their home, where their SOIL toilet is located inside of refurbished porta potty. Marline lives in the neighborhood of Avyasyon in Cap-Haitien, Haiti.

Second Image: Behind-the-scenes of the session with Marline Jean. Photos by Shannon Smith (thanks Shannon!).

Third Image: Compost workers at Mouchinette, clockwise from top left: Jean Delinoit (sitting on compost bin) Johny Michel (bottom left), Andre Vedrine, Joasil Lucny, Wylio Jean Jaques. Wilfred Pierre, Dorat Jean (right).

Bottom Image: Pulling together the group portrait of compost workers at  Mouchinette. These photos by driver/fixer/photo assistant Paul Wilnick.