I don’t travel to take photos , I take photos when I travel
– Carey Nash
If you would like to see the #2 series and entry of my trip to Africa please click here : African Adventure Blog Post 2
I’m not quite sure where to start but I have this same emotions every time I return from a trip that really drains and inspires me. The feeling of being overwhelmed, confused, reinvigorated artistically and a even little down in some ways are the feelings that take over me. I’m about ten pounds lighter, I look about 10 years older and I really have not had a full nights sleep in nearly one month. I love it! I’m still processing some of the moments and I can’t believe how lucky I was to experience them, from hiking in the Tigray mountains to sleeping at the Mursi village with the tribe, I have to pinch myself to remind myself that it was real.
Most people know very little about me except what they read on my bio or from my facebook page but I spent most of my adult life with a backpack and living out of a bag before I had the little kiddos. I have tried my best to share that passion with my kids and take them on backpacking adventures to places like Asia and Europe, The balkans etc. The truth is I live to travel, I am most at home with a small camera on me, a few t-shirts and the idea spending the night in a cramped, dark, uncomfortable room is wonderful and exciting when outside the door is a new and inspiring land. This is my comfort zone and I’m pleased to share it with you.
I have only been back for a few days and have only just started to go through my images for the first time but I was too excited to not share a few while I prepare the rest. These are just a sample of the month I spent in Ethiopia, both the South in the Omo Valley and the North in the Tigray mountains.
I challenged myself before I left with some small personal challenges and one very big challenge. The big challenge was to display Africa in a bright and colourful way and back off the typical headshot and show the whole story of the people and their land. I look back at my older travel work from Africa and although I love the dramatic, moody black and white Africa I shot in the past it wasn’t a true and accurate representation of this continent and Ethiopia in particular. Ethiopia is seriously one of the most beautiful countries in the world and it has the most amazing and vibrant people and tribes, perfect landscapes and the country could not be more culturally diverse from north to south. It’s a great place to explore and get lost.
Please enjoy these first few images and I’ll continue to add and supply some of the stories and background information that led me to these amazing locations and the people I met while there.
A Mursi woman near Jinka in the Omo Valley
Two young Hamer tribe women in the Mursi village outside Turmi
One of my challenges was to attempt and work on star images. This amazing location was near the Dorze village outside of Arba Minch
A Mursi Warrior protecting his cattle – Near Jinka in the Omo Valley
A woman sorts and organizes her cabbage in the fresh food market of Addis Ababa
One of the lifelines of Africa. These yellow water jugs replaced traditional pottery and can be seen all over Ethiopia. Local villagers travel many miles to find wells and fill these jugs to bring them back to their homes.
Probably one of the most beautiful places on the earth. This photo of me was taken from my guesthouse in the Tigray Mountains while on a three day hike of the region.
