I recently spent 2 weeks photographing some of the more remote tribes in Ethiopia (Suri, Kara, Dasenich, Hammar, Konga). I went there with great anticipation of what I hoped would be a once-in-a-lifetime photo experience. In some respects it was, but if I am to tell the story from a photographers perspective, it was a bit less than I hoped.
The people in the tribes of Ethiopia don't like being photographed. Even the children tend to be a bit averse to the idea. So, inquiring minds want to know how I got these shots. Simply put, I paid for them. If you were to drop by parachute with your camera into one of the tribal areas, they would not be at all happy if you started to take photos. However, they have learned that allowing their pictures to be taken can be a valuable source of income for a people who are generally very poor, even by Ethiopian standards.
So, if you travel to these areas you should arrange for a local guide in advance who will set up photo opportunities ahead of time and makes payments, usually on a family-by-family basis. Sometimes the entire village will agree and in that case there will be someone standing there keeping track of who you shoot and paying them for the shots you take. I will be honest, this creates something of a moral dilemma for the photographer. Some of these people clearly did not want their photos taken and were doing it only for the money.
Most of these shots were posed, and in some cases carefully choreographed by the guide or someone from the tribe. I have embedded some of the work-safe images here, but these people tend to be mostly nude so here is the link to MORE IMAGES
Very interesting series, nicely done.
I can’t help but reflect on my personal experience with paying for images. Years ago I spent a lot of time photographing people in South East Asia. From Myanmar to Vietnam, I found my best shots were either strictly candid or freely given by folks willing to interact with me because they seemed to realize I was interested in their culture and way of life, not because they expected to be paid. People living in population centers or those on a guided tour route were more likely to want payment and (it seemed to me) less likely to provide an authentic view into their lives. Realizing this, my solution was to rent a motorcycle and head out into the countryside by myself. I think that people not wanting to be photographed is a consequence of crude behavior by photographers that feel entitled to take shots (perhaps because they paid) rather than any inexplicable aversion to the act itself. I always shared my results with the subjects who were delighted to see themselves on the back of my camera. I always wished I had a way to instantly print an image for them.
You have many fine images in the link, but the third from last (a young woman standing by a hut) would be my pick. Thanks for sharing.
Very striking photos. Sorry, though, about the cultural dissonance of people not really wanting to be photographed (willing only if paid). I wish I knew the “correct” answer to such a conundrum.
Question: a number of people wore facial and body paint. Was that for a special occasion or was this an everyday practice?
Only the women and children routinely participated. When men were involved they were quite sedate and gave no indication of real interest. The culture of all the tribes is to express little emotion related to uncomfortable situations. Showing pain, for example, is a sign of weakness for both sexes.
John Caldwell wrote:
Brilliant. Were there any subjects particular pleased about, or particularly indifferent to, the idea of being photographed?
Grateful to have your series and narrative, Nathan.
The face paint is very common. The more extravagant things were clearly done for the camera and represent a mixture of traditional costume for special occasions and what they believed would make the photographer take their photo.
Karlchen wrote:
Very striking photos. Sorry, though, about the cultural dissonance of people not really wanting to be photographed (willing only if paid). I wish I knew the “correct” answer to such a conundrum.
Question: a number of people wore facial and body paint. Was that for a special occasion or was this an everyday practice?
Thanks for sharing and your honesty about the experience. About 10 years ago, I'd placed Ethiopia and these tribes on my photographic wish list. I never was able to make the trip (traveled a lot in Africa, but just didn't make it to Ethiopia). And about a year ago I decided I wouldn't try to make this one. Many, many people go to this area to make photos now.
I think many moons ago, photographers and foreigners were a novelty to such people, but now it seems to have just worn thin. Our world is simply shrinking, and more and more people have cameras and the income to travel to remote places.
If you think about it, how would we like groups of strangers coming in to one of our family's traditional or right-of-passage events, say the circumcision of a son, or a daugher's wedding, or name the event.
As a traveler myself, I have no good answers. I can say that when we visited a Massai boma in Tanzania a few years ago, it was much the same, and there were only six of us. But it was clear that it was a chore for these people, especially the women, to go about their lives while we strangers stuck lenses in every direction. The men, in our case, seemed more relaxed about it. I have a lot of images of women who just look resigned to the whole situation, but not in a good way.
Anyway, sorry for the ramble. I do hope you were able to enjoy the trip!
