The Dessenech tribe on the border of South Sudan

Note: This is written post visit to Omo Valley, Ethiopia December 2013.

Seeing these images now in Fairbanks, Alaska where we are calling the season Spring because the day approaches 12 hours in length but the thermometer remains well below freezing is quite a contrast to conditions when I shot these photos.

I was a bit irritable. It must have been 120 degrees F. Then when we arrived I was mobbed by people asking for money for photos. They were all perfect. How could I choose which ones to photograph? It was so hot. I love the Dessennech bottle cap head dresses, among my favorite adornments.

I could not get Grandma to smile. Not for a second. I smiled. I waved. I snapped my fingers. Just kidding, I didn’t snap my fingers.

If she knew I was snapping this photo there would be no smile at all so I had to shoot a bit with out them knowing before I asked for the pose.

These last two photos are just real people I encountered along the road. So regardless of the “human zoo” tag that is often ascribed to the tribes of Omo Valley, it is, I think a bit unfair. They are just people who live in a world that is very unproductive and generally does not deal with money. I talked about this previously with my photos of the Arume tribe….