I first met this young woman from the Karo tribe of Ethiopia’s Omo Valley last year, while camping for several days in her village. It was the first of two days that I had photographed her at midday, under a large Acacia tree, whose branches and foliage had tempered the ‘voice’ of the normally strong, shrill and harsh light of the midday sun into a softer, and kinder ‘dappled’ light, a gentle ‘voice’ was now falling onto her face as well as the exterior wall of the colorful schoolhouse that she stood against, (image#2) and although I was happy with this photo, it was the next day, upon seeing her again, wearing a black scarf, I asked if we could return to that same Acacia tree, and as she stood in that same gentle yet decisive light, I made it a point to fill the frame with just her face and black head scarf, (COLORFUL schoolhouse be damned)because it was time to make a portrait that celebrates and clearly defines that “the eyes are the windows to the soul!”
Nikon D500, Nikkor 18-300mm, F/9@1/320 sec. 100ISO, Daylight/Sunny WB
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