I was fascinated by this glassy pool at a bus station in Addis Ababa. A bus appeared on the other side at the very moment a young man jumped the puddle – I caught his reflection in mid-air
Photograph: Nick Lill
Is this art or reportage photography? I recently had a review at a well-known gallery in London; the few pieces that were picked out as 'art' were the ones not featuring black Africans. So it seems even subject matter can be pigeonholed
Photograph: Nick Lill
The recycling of materials in some developing countries is extraordinary. The patterns and colours of corrosion on this shipping container create an amazing effect, with the mirrors reflecting layers and textures
Photograph: Nick Lill
Patience is a virtue ... As shadows lengthened across this square in west Morocco, a dog stretched, enjoying a last spot of sunlight. I thought I'd miss it, but the dog held its posture and I managed to capture the moment. Sometimes a whole week will provide only one or two images that I like as much as this
Photograph: Nick Lill
In the Ethiopian highlands, three boys and I peered at each other through a rainy window. The effect is abstract, almost painterly
Photograph: Nick Lill
During a storm, a girl races home under an umbrella to where her mother is waiting. In low light (as with the last picture) I often hand-hold the camera, allowing the image to blur
Photograph: Nick Lill
There is something in the girl's posture that is universally recognisable – her whole being seems to radiate shyness
Photograph: Nick Lill
Zimbabwe, 20 years ago. I spent the night on a fishing boat on Lake Kariba. In the morning, the bay was awash with sun-bleached colours – on both the wooden boats and men's work shirts
Photograph: Nick Lill
I was gazing at this Moroccan wall with its raw scars and blood-red colouring, when a woman walked past in a burqa. It struck me as a wonderful juxtaposition
Photograph: Nick Lill
Here, a man is visible in the shadows of a shop, while a boy waits outside. The road, reflected in the window, separates the two. Different elements emerge as the image is viewed, creating a sense of time and distance.
• Nick Lill's exhibition, comprising these photographs and many more taken in Africa, London and Paris, opens at Blackall Studios in London on 15 June
Photograph: Nick Lill
