Dassanetch Girls of the Omo Valley

Dassanetch Girls of the Omo Valley

Ethiopia 2013

My husband and I once saw a gallery exhibition of Irving Penn’s photographs of West African people. They were stunning. Most of the women seemed to be from the Mandingo tribe of Mali. Their extravagant dress, made of many yards of colorful printed cotton, their stylish head wraps and bracelets both on wrist and upper arms gave them a regal look.
The way they were posed, in groups, arms linking to each other made me think of a kaleidoscope. I’ve never forgotten those photos. It’s a good thing, too, because I’ve never seen any copies of them since.

Here these girls pose sweetly and gracefully in homage to Mr. Penn’s genius. Did I pose them? Did the girls pose themselves? Did my shooting partner, Elizabeth, pose them? I can’t remember. But somehow Irving Penn’s spirit was present that day.

Something to think about: our photographer/guide told us not to pose people directly against the backdrop (in this case the hut). It seems to me that a person’s natural inclination is to stand next to the backdrop and lean against it. Maybe that’s the reason…Leaning might destroy a person’s stance…I didn’t hear her explanation of why you should have a gap between the subject and the background.  Here the girls are leaning on the hut. I like the pose. I like her outstretched arm touching the hut.

I tell you this in case you want to practice both techniques and decide for yourself which you prefer. She is a professional so she is worth listening to, but as David Vestal said, “Once you learn a rule, Break it!”