Chapter 33 Through the eyes of a child

"There are no bad pictures. Thats just how your face looks sometimes."- Abraham Lincoln

Place:  A market, not far from Jinka

Time: Mid June

What happens when you turn over a $3,000 dollar camera to a child for awhile?

Read on and find out.....

I have a Go Pro strapped around my neck that fires off 1 photo every 5 seconds. As I follow my new photography student around, it clicks off random photos showing him on the hunt for that next image.

My photography student in Omo Valley, Ethiopia.

I just picked him out of the crowd, handed him my camera, gave him a few pointers and sent him on his way.

Here are a few Go Pro shots my camera automatically shot while I was giving the kid some lessons. 

The show him grasping the camera and slowly making sense of it.

With the help of Lalo translating, I attempt to teach him how to roll the barrel, how to focus, how to close in on the subject. I have a kid on my shoulders at the moment that he is shooting....

Sometimes in my quiet thoughts it terrified me to see him take this technology and move through the crowds. I thought of the kids his age with AK-47s in Sierra Leonne who were conscripted by the evil RUF and sent out to murder in their cause (See movie Blood Diamond). An AK- is far simpler to operate than a camera. Its a bolt, a lever and a trigger.....

Im sure this kid was the talk of the village for months after this experience. I wonder how it might change his life in the future. You just never know when you start a ball rolling. Even the largest of trees, the Sequoia start with a seed the size of ground pepper. 

I hope I made a difference.

...................................................................................................................................................................

 The following are some of the shots that the kid took while he had possession of my camera.

As the shoot progressed, you could see him learn to get closer to his subject.

He caught this guy digging for gold....

Cleavage....atta boy!

Chapter 32 St. Michaels Day

" ...and there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angel, and prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven."-
Revelation 12:7


Place:  Jinka, Church during the St. Michael's day celebration.



Lao took me out for the day to the local church to see the celebration for St. Michael.

As is usual, I was the only white person anywhere to be seen. the crowd watched me as much as they watched the ceremonies.

...here are a few shots.....

The priest reads...stuff.....

St. Michael to the right....He's gonna get his ass handed to him if he doesn't get buff. Ive seen pictures of the Devil and ol' Mike don't stand a chance....

An apt photo of Ethiopia. I find these people to be loving to one another by enlarge.

Linen cloth a sign of devotion and piety is always worn by women in churches.

If you've got the Bling, they gots the thing!

Skip passing the plate brother, these folks take collection with an umbrella!...

Lordy!...it rainin' money!

I heard a voice from behind me. "Get out of the way white man." 

Never get in the way between an African and his religion. 

Funny how religion and money are always hand in hand...

For just 25 cents per day you can help a starving child. Reaching into your wallet means reaching into the hearts of thousands of African kids. Don't tell her she has to go bed hungry tonight. Send in your tax deductible donation to help these brown eyes smile. 

Make your charitable donation out to: 

Garrett Fulton  (feed dem kids)

1225 Lasalle Avenue

apartment 404

Minneapolis, Minnesota

55403

USA

Chapter 31 Lalo

"Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none." - William Shakespeare.


Place: Omo Valley

Time: Cant remember


I consider myself to be very lucky to have crossed paths with Lalo.  For the better part of 4 days we hung out together, jeeping way up into the mountains to see the wild African tribes in the jungles and even a wonderful invitation over to his parents house for dinner.

I normally never hire a guide. In the Omo valley however you have no choice. Left to your own you would never know where in the hidden recesses of the mountains hours away that the various tribes live. Furthermore you need a 4x to navigate the rough terrain.

Lalo was easy going, fun, laid back, spoke good english, was competent, a great driver and understood the western mentality well. My god!...he even showed up punctually every time...and even early.....(must be the only guy in all of Africa to do that).

I hope to keep contact with Lalo in the future. I know a quality person when I see one.

Here are a few shots of Lalo and our time together....

Walia beer , both Lalo and I agree that it is the best of the bunch, but it still can't hold a candle to many beers I have had in Africa. 

We are eating at Lalo's parents house. The electricity in the village has been out for a couple days so we eat by candle light and my halogen head lamp.

Lalo's father ....they all wait to eat until we are done. Lalo and I eat with our hands from a communal bowl which is typical in Ethiopia.

Chapter 30 Market Day

"People are strange, when you're a stranger. Faces look ugly, when you're alone."

Jim Morrison, The Doors

Place:  Market in Omo Valley, Ethiopia

Time:  Ive lost track....

My guide Lalo took me out for the day to see the market where many tribes come to buy and sell. 

A few shots...

 Huggy  Bear from "Starskey and Hutch"?

A tree is a nice shady area to conduct business

The shots unfold. At first she is told that this white man wants to take her picture. She is initially terrified.

The terror turns to laughter after she realises she has been picked out of the crowd to be photographed.

The final photograph.

The woman came out of her mud hut because she wanted to be photographed. She must have had good experiences with whites in the past.

The african way of dress is the most colourful I have seen on the planet.

Africans doing what they do best...."jus hangin out man..."

This man is drinking a brown sludge, the African version of beer. I don't dare tell him about the creamy goodness of Blue Moon beer.....I would wreck him for life...

The market slowly is built up as the rains stop.

The market starts

The blacksmith will make you what you need....like an oblong, funny cigar shaped thing that you can use for.........whenever you need an oblong, funny cigar shaped thing.

I wonder whats cooking in the pot? Hopefully not the last white man with a camera to visit the market.

Lao offers me a banana. Ethiopia has the best bananas I have eaten anywhere. They are sweet as if sugared.

Lalo took this photo. Im getting my stuff together. You can see Ive gathered a crowd...as always.

Drinking home made brew. My god man could I kill a Blue Moon right now!!!

The locals out the jeep window. This is what happens when you stand still for 5 seconds in rural Africa. The locals will crowd around and watch you all day as if you were the finals in world cup soccer.

Lao takes a photo of me with my disciples. 

They say that photography makes you look 40 pounds heavier than you really are....yes, yes....

it must be so...who am I to argue with the experts???