Pieter Hugo - The Hyena and Other Men

‘The Hyena & Other Men’ is a series by South African photographer Pieter Hugo (b. 1976, Johannesburg). Pieter Hugo travelled twice to Nigeria (in 2005 and 2007) to follow a legendary group of itinerant street artists known as the Hyena Men. These men earn their money by performing on the streets with hyenas, pythons and baboons, and selling traditional medicines.

In his portraits Hugo captures the complex and often paradoxical partnerships between the animals and their masters. There is tension between domination and submission, nature and culture, and between traditional and modern; relationships ranging from loving to cruel and aggressive.

Here's a link to the images on his website, where you can also see and read about his other projects: http://www.pieterhugo.com/the-hyena-other-men/