Ethiopia: Hamer whipping Hamer Photo

Photographer’s Note

"Copyright © – Attila Szili.
The reproduction, publication, modification, transmission or exploitation of any work contained herein for any use, personal or commercial, without my prior written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved."

In the lower Omo Valley of Southern Ethiopia You can find a lot of interesting tribes with different customs. One of them are the Hamar people,numbering about 30.000, they are known for their practice of body adornment and wearing a multitude of colorful beads. Their society consists of a complex system of age groups. To pass from one age group to another involves complicated rituals. The most important ceremony for young men is the "bull jumping" ,the final test before passing into adulthood. The ceremony lasts three days and late in the afternoon on the final day, different number of bulls(in our case were 6)are lined up side by side. The candidate rushes towards the animals, vaults onto the first bull's back and then runs across the line of them. At the end of the line he turns back to repeat the performance in the opposite direction. He must make this several times without falling.
Before the main event of the ceremony the unmarried women of his family have to prove family's courage allowing themselves to be whipped. I noticed that were the women that picked out and encouraged the not very enterprising young men to whip them. Before,throughout and after the whipping ceremony the women were dancing and singing until late night.

rbcy1974, HOBO, Rossignol, Fis2, CRATEOS, Buin, Gerrit, sufi, gilou530, ramesh_lalwani, alekpet, Angshu, papagolf21, Cricri, josepmarin, turkamerikali, Mistral, TeresaT, gaby, riclopes, AiresSantos, Davidwh, jhm, leo61, andante, efigesta, benkrut, axiotea, Curioso, Liekje, Lore007, Emiel_Skyfreak, paura, irimi ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

aralda (1240) 2006-03-26 6:11

Hi Attila,
Interesting photo you posted here. The note is also absorbing.
Did you use some effects on the palm leaves?
Thanks for sharing,
Raluca

rbcy1974 (20744) 2006-03-26 6:22

Hello Attila,
Really great photo with good light management and DOF, very fascinating note.
I am planning on going to Ethiopia in August.
Would you mind if I asked you some questions regarding your trip?
Regards
Daniel

lestans (15474) 2006-03-26 7:57

Interessante nota e foto, oltre che ben composta, ben illuminata, ben fatta. La scena non sembra in realtà molto drammatica, come la descrizione farebbe pensare: sembra piuttosto una recita, una finzione.
Ma tu hai assistito a questo spettacolo!! Come hai fatto, ti eri informato su quando succedono, oppure si tratta di spettacoli ripetuti per i visitatori? In Sud Africa avevo assistito a cerimonie Zulu fatte per i turisti, raccontarlo sembra una cosa un po' squallida ma invece poi gli interessati si compenetrano nei ruoli e ne sono anche superbi.

Ciao!! Livia

markstaples (15670) 2006-03-26 8:13

Hello Attila
This is an excellent portrait. The skin tones and colours are perfect. Well composed. A superb piece of work and thanks for sharing.
Best wishes
Mark

Graal (58267) 2006-03-26 9:25

Jó napot Attila,
superb quality of photo. Good composition and colours.Interesting note. Good captured and well done.
Rgs, Aleksander

HOBO (5244) 2006-03-26 11:30

Servus Attila,
what an impressing view on a small tribe most of us never heard about in their whole life. I like you focus on the person with the whip, sharp with perfect colors.
Thanks for the note.
Regards
Knut

Rossignol (2289) 2006-03-26 11:57

Excellent close cropped composition, Attila. Fascinating depiction of this custom, superb colours and nice backdrop of the banana plants.
Great work
Peter

berek (28937) 2006-03-26 12:32

Hello Attila,
Excellent moment. very good details and colors. you share with us interesting traditional pictures. Thanks.
B.Erek
Meaning ( Sense ) 10,Framing:10,Idea :10

Fis2 (46057) 2006-03-26 13:15

Witaj Attila!
It for I is exotics... Fantastic colours and contrast. Good composition and frame. Very nice image.
Regards
Krzysztof

CRATEOS (7274) 2006-03-26 14:24

Great lighting control!!coloring pandesia man great foto ...we like to thank you for travelling us again ...!!!!thanks my frend RGDS Nikiforos

Gerrit (35937) 2006-03-26 15:14

Hi Attila,
I heard about this unusual, cruel custom. Very special that you could take pictures of it. The smiole of the man is kind a strange in this cotext. Good picture.
Thanks and regards, Gerrit

sufi (9568) 2006-03-26 15:40

Hi Attila...
It's a perfect composition as usual... Incredible moment and shot... It's also very interesting note... Wonderful colors and light...
TFS...
Stay well..
Salim.

gilou530 (35422) 2006-03-26 16:20

salut attila
un portrait magnifique de couleur et de netteté,
trés bon travail
amitiés

ramesh_lalwani (3209) 2006-03-27 1:05

Hi Attila
Very interesting to read your note.You have got lovely colors and banana leaves add color.TFS
Ramesh

alekpet (4659) 2006-03-27 3:52

Hi Atilla.

Great moment is captured, the intencity of the photo is great and I like how you managed to capture darker skin tones.
Excelent note, too.

Aleks

Angshu (33877) 2006-03-27 5:07

Dear Attila
A fascinating picture and very informative note. The skintones & the dress colours come out so well! Thanks again for sharing with us the unknown parts of the world, at least I, don't think I'll ever see.
Regards
Angshu

papagolf21 (56483) 2006-03-27 6:09

Bonjour mon ami Attila,
Excellent reportage relatif aux us et coutumes de ce pays.
Très bon cadrage mettant bien en valeur cette scène.
Très belles couleurs.
Bravo et merci pour ce partage.
Amitiés.
Philippe

Cricri (43304) 2006-03-27 7:13

Hi My Friend Attila,
Superbe image et composition, magnifiques couleurs,
note trés interressante, compliment
Amitiés
cricri

josepmarin (33861) 2006-03-27 10:11

Hi Attila,
A photo very well realized of these two men. The colors are very varied and beautiful, the very good definition make possible to appreciate very well the details, and the setting is correct.
Good photo and good note too.
Regards,
Josep

turkamerikali (4772) 2006-03-27 13:09

Hi Attila,
Excellent Daily life shot from Omo Valley.
I like you pov,colors,skin tones,lighting,dof,focus,frame,sharpness and note.Excellent work my friend.TFS
Tolga

Mistral (13694) 2006-03-27 13:56

Ciao Attila,
bella immagine della valle dell'Omo ed interessantissima la tua nota. Sono stato anch'io ma in aprile ed abbiamo trovato troppa acqua con molti problemi, così delle tribù abbiamo visto davvero poco.
Complimenti ancora.
Luca

TeresaT (10733) 2006-03-27 16:29

Hi Atilla
Beuatiful portrait with a nice POV.
The background with the nanaas trees is amazing.
The tones of the skins are also fascinating.
Perfect note.
Regards
Teresa

gaby (19793) 2006-03-28 1:25

Attila bonjour - great, simply great - I like this opposition, the look of the man and the sharp background - The skin tones and colors are splendid -
Thanks
Rgs
Gaby

riclopes (33043) 2006-03-28 2:51

Hi Atila,
Another quite interesting scene of Africa costums, very well captured, along with an excellent note. Good dephness and impressive back of the young man in foreground. Very well done!
TFS,
Ricardo

AiresSantos (42440) 2006-03-28 3:53

Hi my friend,
Gorgeous portrait with very good colors and frame. Interesting note and the light very well managed.
TFS sharing and Greetings,
Aires

P-S-I-G (24482) 2006-03-28 5:29

Hello Attila,
Great shot. I like the colors.
Perfect sharpness. Very well done.
Best regards,
Fabrice

Davidwh (3654) 2006-03-28 6:20

Hi Szili,
A lovely portrait.Nice and clear and great expression on the mans face.The light is just right.The interesting note sums up the whole story.TFS.
Regards, David

plimrn (19688) 2006-03-28 10:09

Your excellent note provides good support to your equally excellent composition. Good POV, nice light and color
Regards, Pat

jhm (82879) 2006-03-28 12:07

Hi Attila,
The smile of the attacker gives a very peaceful feeling, splendid portrait, excellent close cropped composition, lovely soft colours.
You did very nice job!
Greetings,
John

leo61 (43438) 2006-03-28 15:37

Hi Attlia!
Verry interesting scene and good note.That`s what I like at TE.
Your composition is perfect and the man`s expression looks great.
I viewed your image a long time and may be You worked a bit too much with software,but I also know about bad light conditions.If I`m wrong please excuse me and let me know.
You show us a tradition,I think no one has heard about before.Well done!
Thanks and regards,LEO

efigesta (12181) 2006-03-29 5:10

Hi Atus
interesting portrait, we can see here the cultures and the pic is so great, nice colors and pov
regards
manuel

cjmm (4019) 2006-03-31 10:30

Ciao Attila,

This, like the following one, is simply amazing.

Very well done my friend, and again my compliments for your approach in the note.

Best regards, saludos,
Carlos

paura (38742) 2006-10-25 8:37

Excellent shot, friend.
Very nice composition and colors.
The f/4.5 was appropriate.

Be well!

Paulo

MichaelTrezzi (3170) 2007-03-22 2:47

Hi Attila, perfect capture of an interesting ritual. Excellent sharpness and DOF. Interesting note too. Thanks for sharing. Cheers, Michael

bateau-ivre (0) 2007-10-31 15:54

This I love. Look at his eyes. He is inflicting pain but his eyes speak like he's doing a favor. She is beautiful, standing there, ready, proud and looking for the whipping. Furthermore she already shows marks from previous whippings which in some ways sounds like she know how to control pain. Pain and Love, two strong emotions, but one is stronger and wins. Here I see love, devotion and sensuality. Being there and catching this moment must be a great experience. Congratulations.
Oscar

Photo Information

Copyright: Attila Szili (atus) (15476)
Genre: Gente
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-02-00
Categories: Ceremonias
Camera: Nikon D70, Nikkor 18-70mm 1:3.5-4.5G ED DX, Hoya Super HMC PRO1 67mm Sky
Exposición: f/4.5, 1/320 segundos
More Photo Info: view
Versión de la foto: Versión original
Date Submitted: 2006-03-26 6:05