About
For me, photography is a medium of self-expression. It is what I like about the photographers that have shaped me and made me the man I am today. As a self-thought photographer, YouTube was my guide. You can find pretty amazing stuff on there, it’s very underrated. It helped me develop and advance. I am still trying to find my eye by experimenting with different themes. However, I do like portrait photography, I like the connection I have with my subjects, I find that I take better pictures when I have a genuine connection.
Photography vs Selfie
I think the most important difference between a photographer and anyone with a camera is how one captures a moment vs just taking a selfie. It is how you use your environment to tell a specific story and leave room for interpretation . This is more done on the field but also in the editing room.
Creative Process
I usually start my process with inspiration and this can come from random places. I then follow-up my interest with a little bit of research on what caught my attention. I try to discover what pushed this interest. This helps me track what really inspires me and accomplish my tasks fast and well enough to capture what inspired me. I also tend to leave the emotions I had whilst taking the picture in my final product. It’s something I leave behind for the audience to discover.
Creative Ethiopia
When I first started out, I discovered that Ethiopia isn’t well represented. Pictures taken here, more often than not, tend to misrepresent out culture and focus on poverty. This is also why people are hesitant towards the field. We have to break down those barriers and better the field. What I find the most important lesson to be is that without a humble spirit, you won’t go far. You might think that you’re hot shit but really there’s always something new to learn and someone better just around the corner.
Ideally, in the future, I’d like to work for an NGO as a traveling photographer and just travel.
i.e. The works displayed here are of the Ethiopian epiphany (timket). Which is one of the largest celebration in Ethiopia. it marks when Jesus Christ was baptized, this celebration goes on for two days and is attended by hundreds of thousands each year.
This project is focused on a single part of this celebration, the sprinkling of holy water on the mass and the facial reactions of these people.
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