Ethiopian Eyes
Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, 2013
A solemn girl wearing the white shawl called a shamma waits out a rain storm at Holy Trinity Cathedral.
I show you this portrait because the girl has been blessed with those wide, almond-shaped eyes typical of Ethiopia. If you shop for souvenirs of Ethiopia, you will often find folk art paintings on leather. The people in the paintings will have eyes like this girls: wide open with dark irises and a large sclera of an almost startling white. Her eyes and her fine features are typical for both men and women.
I, too, was sheltering from the sudden rain. I searched faces of the worshippers hoping for a photo. A soft light shone through the clouds. It was perfect portrait light and I wanted to take advantage of it. My gaze fell on this girl. She glanced up at me and that makes the photo because that glance emphasizes her eyes.