Hamer Tribe 2015, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia
40 images Created 1 Oct 2015
The Hamer Tribe of Ethiopia are the largest inhabitants of the lower Omo Valley.
In 2014, I made my first photographic exploration there and camped in one small village in a very remote area of the Lower Omo Valley. I was privileged to be the first westener and photographer to do so.
This year I returned to the same region but to a different village. Again I was privileged to be the first westerner and first photographer to camp amongst the small Hamer community.
Whilst there, I went to the previous village I camped in 2014 to personally hand them printed copies of the photographs. It was emotional to go back and a real surprise to the villagers who welcomed me warmly.
These portraits are a study of an amazing people with an amazing culture. I have tried, wherever possible, to keep the style of the photographs true to the Hamer people and the environment within which they live.
The land is hot, dry and unforgiving. There is no electricity and water is only available from a few hand pumps scattered along a dry river bed. Yet the Hamer people remain beautiful and warm. They relax under tree's most of the day to cool from the searing sun and when they do, they bend and twist their bodies elegantly to rest comfortably on the tree trunks and branches that shade them.
Many of the portraits were taken beneath the tree's as that is where the Hamer spent most of their time during the day. All I did was patiently observe and simply photography what I saw...
In 2014, I made my first photographic exploration there and camped in one small village in a very remote area of the Lower Omo Valley. I was privileged to be the first westener and photographer to do so.
This year I returned to the same region but to a different village. Again I was privileged to be the first westerner and first photographer to camp amongst the small Hamer community.
Whilst there, I went to the previous village I camped in 2014 to personally hand them printed copies of the photographs. It was emotional to go back and a real surprise to the villagers who welcomed me warmly.
These portraits are a study of an amazing people with an amazing culture. I have tried, wherever possible, to keep the style of the photographs true to the Hamer people and the environment within which they live.
The land is hot, dry and unforgiving. There is no electricity and water is only available from a few hand pumps scattered along a dry river bed. Yet the Hamer people remain beautiful and warm. They relax under tree's most of the day to cool from the searing sun and when they do, they bend and twist their bodies elegantly to rest comfortably on the tree trunks and branches that shade them.
Many of the portraits were taken beneath the tree's as that is where the Hamer spent most of their time during the day. All I did was patiently observe and simply photography what I saw...
