Survival Tips for the Omo Photographer

Before using these high-powered techniques, please remember that you are an uninvited visitor to the Omo tribes. Obviously visitors need to oblige themselves to the local rules of conduct. Some of those rules include:

Rule 1: Give me birr. Kids, even adults, will swarm a faranji (foreigner) with their hands out. “Give me two birr.” (local money) “Give me Highland.” (plastic water bottle) “Give me pen.” To legitimize the plea, they add, “I am a student.” Yes, it’s true that you earn in one day what some Omoists earn in a year. But they are agriculturalists and can’t eat money. Besides two birr will not change their lives and doesn’t help them become self dependant.

Counter measure #1 to Rule 1:
If it looks as if the person approaching is a “Give Me” type, preemptively declare that you are a student and then ask for two birr or a highland or pen. This stuns the beggar. Continue the theme in good humor and everyone smiles at the ruse. This has never failed me in 5 trips to remote Africa. On this trip, Ryan and I have perfected a double-team approach.

Counter measure #2 to Rule 1:
Draw the Line. I accidently discovered this technique in Konso while waiting in the Land Cruiser. After using counter measure #1 with great fun for all, I realized fresh recruits kept appearing. I jumped out of the car, drew a line about a meter from the Cruiser door, and chastised any kid who stepped over the line. To my surprise, not only did the kids obey the line, soon the older kids were enforcing the line rule. I could sit back, relax, and teach the kids new English phrases or songs.

??The next day, Ryan and I used the Draw-the-Line counter measure very effectively. We wanted to photograph New York. No the Konso version, a massive Bryce-Canyon-look-alike erosion. Since it’s a major tourist destination, the “Give Me” crowd and sacred rock hawkers swarmed. We simply drew a line around the space from which we wanted to photograph. Again the line held. And again, the older kids would even enforce the line. One time, when I neglictied to draw a line, a kid did it for me.

Rule #2: Pay per Click. In the Omo, it is expected that photographers pay the subject for each photograph. O.K., that’s fair. In fact, the potential subject is likely counting on his/her fingers behind their back the number of times the shutter is clicked. Often there is a swarm of locals enforcing the cash register. Obviously the best solution is to negotiate and bargain hard.

Counter measure to Rule 2:
??Occasionally, when appropriate, I’ll use my patent pending Cough per Click technique.
I line up the shot, then cough when releasing the shutter. For example, I took this photograph of the women carrying the bundles of stalks on the road to New York using this technique despite being swarmed with locals.
1) I lined up the shot with my 80-200 at about 200mm.
2) Chose a point where the walking women would make the best composition.
3) Watched the bundle carriers with my perpherial vision.
4) Finally, clicked the cable release five times while talking and coughing with the women around me.
We all had a good time. Ryan knowingly asked about my persistent cough. My thought is that if we are all having fun in a public place, its fair to take the photo.