We first travel to the remote Lower Omo Valley, home to a variety of semi -nomadic tribes. Isolated from the rest of the world for centuries, these tribes have maintained their unique culture, dress, language and customs. The Mursi women are known for inserting clay plates in their lips, the Hamer women wear thick copper necklaces and the Karo people paint their bodies with white chalk. To gain special access to the tribes we spend one night camping near a village. From our camp you will have plenty of time to photograph the tribe’s daily life, their traditional farming practices and rituals, and concentrate on creating intimate environmental portraits.
We then travel north to the holy city of Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, know for its monolithic rock carved churches. These churches are exceptional examples of a long established Ethiopian building tradition of rock-cut architecture. The eleven medieval cave churches are clustered in groups, of which the Northern Group, Bet Medhane Alem, home to the Lalibela Cross is believed to be the largest monolithic church in the world.
This workshop offers unique opportunities to photograph Ethiopia’s many diverse & vibrant tribes, the Rift Valley’s rich landscape and the remarkable architecture of Lalibela’s rock churches. Learn to perfect your portrait, landscape and architecture photography, and your video storytelling skills.
Who Should Attend
This workshop is for the serious amateur and professional photographer or videographer, who has a working knowledge of their camera and who wants to combine advancing their photography skills with a great travel experience. Participants are encouraged to shoot still images and/or video throughout this workshop. Participants should be motivated, technically self-sufficient, and capable of navigating in foreign cultures and physically fit. We spend one night camping with no modern conveniences, no running water and no electricity
Required Equipment
Participants should bring their camera(s), lenses, extra camera battery, plenty of memory cards, all chargers, all instruction manuals, flash light for working at night, notebook and writing utensil, and optional but highly recommended is a flash unit and tripod. You may bring your laptop computer for back up and critiques. Most of our lodges should have sufficient power.
Workshop Fee
The workshop fee is $8,750.00 and includes share accommodation, all regional transportation, all regional flights, private touring, a private full time English speaking guide and local guides, most meals, camping gear and some photography fees. A $1,500.00 deposit must accompany your registration forms to secure your place in this workshop. Final Payment is due by March 1, 2012.
Not included are international flights, airport taxes, visas, and gratuities for our guides and drivers, personal expenses, personal photography fees when photographing individuals in the villages, some meals and beverages. The single supplement charge is $950.00. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance is strongly recommended.
Your Deposit is payable directly to the Maine Media Workshops. Thee balance of the workshop cost and registration is completedwith Arlene Collins Photography, LLC at studio@arlene-collins.com
Visa
Participants are responsibly for obtaining their own Ethiopia visa,
Companions/Spouses/Friends
You are encouraged to bring a companion, however there is no fee reduction.
For more information contact Arlene Collins: studio@arlene-collins.com
ITINERARY
Day 1 depart the U.S
Mon. June 18
Day 2 arrive in Addis Ababa
Tue. June 19 Hotel Hilton Addis Ababa
Evening orientation meeting & welcome dinner at a local restaurant (D)
Day 3 Addis Ababa - Arba Minch Kanta Lodge
Wed. June 20 Transfer to the airport for our Ethiopian Airline flight to Arbaminch where our jeeps await our arrival and transports us for a 2 hour drive to the town of Konso, where we will process our regional permits and then check in to our hotel. After lunch we will visit a traditional Konso village. The Konso have UNESCO World Heritage status and are know for their unique carved wooden grave markers. (B, L & D)
Day 4 Lower Omo Valley – Jinka Resort
Thu. June 21 after breakfast we visit the King of the Konso tribe to photograph his life - we then drive 160 km to the town of Jinka, stopping on route at Key Afar for the Ari, Bana and Hammer tribes market. Jinka is 1490 meters above sea level located in the hills north of the Tama Plains. (B, L & D)
Day 5 Lower Omo Valley – Jinka Resort
Fri. June 22 after breakfast we travel 65 kms thru the bush to visit a Mursi tribe - the women are know for wearing lip plates. The larger the plate a woman can wear the greater her value when she is married! Time permitting on our drive back to Jinka we will stop at an Ari Village. (B, L & D)
Day 6 Lower Omo Valley – Murulle Lodge
Sat. June 23 This morning we photograph the Dimeka market where the tribes gather to buy and sell items such as grain, butter, their local alcoholic brew, animals and pottery. After the market we then drive 160 km to a Korcho village to photograph the Karo people, known for body scarification and painting. Their faces and bodies are painted with white chalk to prepare for a ceremony. The men's scars represent an enemy or a dangerous animal killed. Korcho village is a short 7 km from the Murulle Lodge. (B, L & D)
Day 7 Lower Omo Valley - Buska Lodge
Sun. June 24 Today we drive 18 km from Murulle to Kangaten to photograph the Nyangatom tribe, who are known as cattle riders and for the men's elaborate hair dressing. After spending the day at the village we have a 3 - 4 hour drive to our lodge. (B, L & D)
Day 8 Omo Valley – Turmi Buska Lodge
Mon. June 25 Late morning we visit the local Hammar, Bena and Karo tribe's market in Turmi. In the late afternoon we will visit a Hammar village where the women are ornately dressed in heavy metal bracelets and sheep or goatskin clothes. Men decorate their hair with ostrich feathers and wear a small wooden chair, which is used as a chair or a pillow. (B, L & D)
Day 9 Omorate Camping
Tue. June 26 after an early morning breakfast we leave for a 75 km drive south of Turmi to visit the Dassanech tribe. We then travel to a Hammer village for a Bulling Jumping ceremony. There are two purposes for this ritual: one is a boy's passage to manhood and the other is when boys and girls adorn themselves in a courting ceremony. (B, L & D)
Day 10 Arba Minch Swaynes Hotel
Wed. June 27 Today we have a long 285 kms drive to Arbaminch. On the way we stop at an Erbore tribe's village. The Erbore build their huts in an oval shape and are known for their body mutilation of raised dots on the chest and abdomen.
(B, L & D)
Day 11 Lake Chamo & Lake Langano Sabana Lodge
Thu. June 28 after breakfast enjoy a cruise on Lake Chamo home to Africa's largest crocodile. We then drive 260 km to Lake Langano where you can relax by Lake Langano. (B, L & D)
Day 12 Return to Addis Ababa Hilton Hotel
Fri. June 29 today we drive 200 kms returning to Addis Ababa. On route we stop at Bishoftu for lunch. (B & L)
Day 13 Addis Ababa – Lalibela Mountainview Hotel
Sat. June 30 at 5:00 am transfer to the airport for our 7:40 am light to Lalibela. After checking into our hotel we will visit our first group of churches. (B)
Day 14 Lalibela Mountainview Hotel (B)
Sun. July 1 we spend the day photographing the rock churches.
Day 15 Lalibela - Addis Ababa Hilton Hotel
Mon. July 2 11:55 am depart Lalibela and arrive at 13:55 in AA.
This is a free day in AA with day rooms at the Hilton
Farewell dinner and transfer to the airport.
Day 16 On route to the US
Tues. July 3
WE SPEND ONE NIGHT CAMPING WITH NO RUNNING WATER, ELECTRICITY OR MODERN CONVIENENCES.
THE ABOVE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
ARLENE COLLINS is a documentary photographer specializing in photographing remote cultures and changing civilizations around the world. In addition to her images of diverse and distant cultures, Arlene has worked on several long-term photography essays including Boxing in New York City; Moscow, Russia; Bangkok, Thailand; the Rodeo; and Unesco World Heritage Sites. She also works as a private location lighting consultant specializing in the use of wireless multi-strobe units, photographing at night and in low light situations. In addition to her still photography she now works with video and has produced two multi-media presentations including Mali: Witnessing Traditions and Ten Days in May: St. Petersburg – Moscow.