Category Archives: Africa

When I was young, I had a book with pictures of children around the world in their traditional National Costumes. I found the concept difficult to understand, given that where I lived, people dressed differently from each other, and fashion trends changed with every season. I find it even more remarkable, these countless years later, […]

View full post »

The Hamar captivated me. A tall, good-looking people who are mostly relaxed and unselfconscious in front of a camera, the Hamar are a delight to visit and photograph. They are possibly the most distinctive of the many ethnic groups living in the far reaches of Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, near the border with South Sudan. There […]

View full post »

Village visits in the Omo Valley in Ethiopia are like nothing I’ve experienced before! The region is still tribal, and each ethnic group maintains its own customs. What all the tribes have in common is a “pay-per-shot” mentality, meaning that visiting tourists pay for each picture they take. While I see this as entirely fair […]

View full post »

Another year has rolled around… I normally head for the fresh air of the Alpine slopes this time of year, but we spent this New Year’s Eve at home blanketed in smoke, with out-of-control fires raging on three sides. The roads to the mountains were unsafe, and there is no fresh air to be had […]

View full post »

It is hot, and arid, and a long way from anywhere. The harsh environment is at least part of the reason why the 16+ ethnic groups who live in the far reaches of Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, near the border with South Sudan, have been left alone to maintain their traditional lifestyles and cultural practices.  One […]

View full post »