23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
The Knowing Glance

This extreme close-up captures a young Nigerian man in mid-reaction. The slight crinkle of the eye and the suppressed smile suggest a shared joke or a moment of silent understanding. It strips away the environment to focus entirely on the micro-expressions that define human connection—the language we speak without saying a word.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 02.2024
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Benin, Nigeria
Camera: NIKON D3500
Copyright: © Adeboye Malumi