Mercato of Addis Ababa: Faces in the Crowd

Brooms and Mops Made in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 2012

It rained almost every afternoon. At 8000 ft, the rain chills. A young woman huddles with her handmade brooms and mops waiting and hoping for a sale. I do notice some Chinese goods as well. The red plastic bristles and the smooth handles tell us that the push-brooms are machine-made.

Poise Knows No Class

A striking woman selling vegetables notices me aim my lens at her. She turned and with the poise of a model lifted her chin and looked into the distance. Her hem is undone in places and she must stand on a muddy street to sell her greens, but she knows she is beautiful.  I was looking for qat sellers and at first thought she might be one, but I think she has a vegetable. How could  you get one of those leaves in your mouth to chew?

A Face in the Crowd

A young man smiles charmingly when he sees me photograph him. Sometimes a moment like this can warm my heart… just the sweet smile makes my day.

Importuning

I was attracted to the colors of pink and yellow and a butcher shop in African is always a possible photo. The Ethiopian Christians like the Muslims do not eat pork. I had the idea that the Christians, having lived alongside the Muslims for about a thousand years, had adopted the Muslim custom. But no, my guide informed me. Eating pork is forbidden in the Old Testament. I knew that!!

These are drive-by shots, taken from the window of a car as we slowly passed down the main streets of the Mercato. The rainy day heightened the colors, saturating them. The diffused light from overcast skies was perfect for portraits. No harsh shadows.  It was fun, being on the lookout for possible photos of anyone and anything. Capturing the moment is a small triumph.