Embarking on an Omo Valley photography tour to Ethiopia's Suri tribe is both a photographer's delight and an adventurer's dream. The Suri tribe, part of the collective Surma tribe of Ethiopia, are incredible in so many ways.
Taking portraits of the remote Suri Tribe in Ethiopia's Upper Omo Valley is a photographer's delight! They definitely love having their photo taken and they love being creative and modelling. I spoke to them about tourists visiting and they told me they love it very much. They especially love it when visitors spend time with them and play with them.
For this reason taking portraits of the tribes in Ethiopia's Omo Valley is wonderful regardless of how experienced you are at taking portraits. They are wonderful models and they absolutely love it. However, if you want to break down that “model” mode and get some natural images it takes a lot more experience and effort.
Here are some ideas and tips to make your African tribal photoshoot a success:
Creating the Perfect "Photo Time"
Having times when it is clear it is “photo time” on this Africa photo tour meant that all the rest of the time the children knew they didn’t need to try to get my attention for photos. They could relax, have fun and play games with us.
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Private photography tour to Ethiopias Omo Valley and Suri Tribe with photographer JAYNE MCLEAN part1
Whilst most of my days with the Suri tribe were relaxed and without my camera, I also had certain “photo sessions” where my aim was to create amazing images of this wonderful tribe.
Setting Up Your Studio
This particular afternoon I set up a black sheet so I could create some close up portraits. Having a black sheet as a background means that there are no distracting elements in the portraits. Whilst I also love environmental portraits, I mostly love to capture a varied selection of styles of portraits.
I keep a large black sheet and a reflector in Ethiopia for my photo tours. On this occasion I hung the black sheet on a branch of a tree and put a blanket behind it so the light wasn’t coming through the sheet. A reflector was handy when I needed a bit of extra light.
Here’s a quick guide on how to set up a portable studio:
- Background: Use a large black sheet to eliminate distractions.
- Support: Hang the sheet on a tree branch or any available structure.
- Light Diffusion: Place a blanket behind the sheet to prevent light from seeping through.
- Reflector: Utilize a reflector to add extra light where needed.
Image of Suri tribe members with traditional body paint.
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Capturing Authentic Moments
Before the “photo session” these creative souls went to the river and I watched as they put new body paint on their faces and bodies. Some of the photos I love equally in colour and black and white so I’ve done edits in both!
Many people in the Omo Valley tribes see a camera and stare with serious faces…no smiling. Most photographers don’t like smiling as it doesn’t win awards. I won’t put my thoughts on this in this blog post, but you can tell by my style of photography that I love capturing happy faces and reflecting the moment and who they are. Showing their fun and friendly side was sometimes hard work, but crucial to my vision. They soon realised that they didn’t need to be “serious” in front of my camera.
Being a wedding photographer for so many years I am quite used to getting people to feel comfortable in front of my lens and capturing moments that reflect the personality of who I am photographing. They also love taking photos themselves, so it’s great if you can bring a spare camera for them to share the joy of photography. They try hard not to laugh during the photo shoot - but I’ll always get them laughing!! lol!!
Suri children enjoying a photography session.
Working with Natural Surroundings
After I’d taken portraits with the black background I then took photos of them in the natural surroundings. The sun had broken through the clouds, so I tried to take most of them under the shade of the beautiful trees in camp.
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To summarize, here are key elements to consider for a successful photoshoot:
- Preparation: Clearly define "photo time" to allow subjects to relax.
- Studio Setup: Utilize portable backgrounds and reflectors for controlled portraits.
- Authenticity: Capture genuine emotions and interactions.
- Natural Light: Use shade and natural light to your advantage.
- Engagement: Involve the subjects and make the experience enjoyable for them.
