Thank you for sharing these remarkable photos. Most extremely interesting.
Why were the people all dressed up and painted in the first photos? We they from a more rural area? Festival? Tourists??
I notice these streets were so much cleaner than say, Nepal. Ethiopia just poorer, less trash to begin with, or different tradition?
Beautiful children, and so many children. They certainly need clothes. Some countries get too many used clothes. Ethiopia could use more.
What an amazing trip you had. I would like to see your photos from other trips.

Your photos are too good. I'm going to be in the same area in September and these shots almost make me feel like not taking my camera. Since I know I won't be able to help myself, what suggestions or advice can you offer me? How did you handle the payments for the pictures? Did you negotiate with each person? Did you pay for each separate picture? Did you pose the people or did they just do whatever they wanted? What else?

Mediatorr, I was there in October and our guides negotiated the price for photos. When we were in a village, he spoke with the chief and the price we used in most villages was 10 birr per photographer per subject. There were 4 of us photographers and we sometimes all shot the same person so that person got 40 birr (10 birr per photographer). If only one photographer shot one person, they were paid 10 birr. Our guide told us some people pay 1 birr per click of the camera. We had unlimited photos with our arrangement.

If you would like to read another trip report, mine is here http://www.fodors.com/community/africa-the-middle-east/ethiopia-and-the-tribes-of-the-omo-valley.cfm and my photos are here http://www.pbase.com/cjw/2011_tribes_of_omo_valley_ethiopia_some_natural_nudity

It was an amazing trip and I'm so glad I went.

toscanafoto, you have some great photos! I think you saw much more of Ethiopia than I did. We didn't spend much time in the city and you have some great shots of people in the towns as well as the people in the villages.

Elainee, if you are still reading, the first pictures toscanofoto has looks to be from some of the very rural villages in the lower Omo valley. And that's how they dress. I think the face painting is ceremonial. And I guess for guests. We saw some very beautiful painted faces when we were.

Ethiopia sounds like a dream...thru which agenc(ies) did you arrange your trips and could you give me a vague idea of price per person. I have no idea. Thanks, dowjoan in CA

Responding to dowjoan: We are traveling with GAdventures to the Omo Valley. Our trip costs about $2,000. a person for twelve days....not including air. I have heard good things about this company. Will be going in August.

Lorraine

Your photos have made me even more excited about my upcoming trip to the Omo Valley in August, 2012. They are truly incredible. I understand that people can become quite aggressive around photo taking issues. I don't want to offend anyone. Hopefully our tour director will advise us.

Lorraine

Thanks for the compliments for the photos, for me this was an amazing experience !

Great Pictures, here are also some pics of ethiopia:


https://plus.google.com/photos/105751249687587620123/albums


Peter