OMO VALLEY TRIBAL EXPEDITION 2027 with Ben McRae

Deep in southern Ethiopia live some of the continent’s most beautiful tribes.  Inspired by their environment of wild trees, exotic flowers, and lush vegetation, these tribes use the clay soil to paint each other’s bodies in bright yellows, startling whites, and rich earth-reds. They make bold decisions about their outfits, hand-crafted from animal skins and decorated with beads, feathers, and shells. Known as a living museum to anthropologists, they become a walking body of art; to photographers, they are visually breathtaking.

At the heart of every compelling photograph is light. It shapes mood, reveals texture, and defines form long before the subject is fully understood. It drifts, shifts, and fades, subtly transforming the emotional weight of a scene in ways that are often felt before they are seen. This expedition will not be about rushing into a village and snapping portraits. It will be built around the use of light, natural, and strobe, understanding how to sculpt it, soften it, and direct it with intention.  

This trip for a travelling photographer will give you the best experience to learn, evolve and fully understand light and how to use it. The village sessions will allow you to use natural light to its fullest advantage through the festivities and rituals we will experience, but this trip is about shaping how you see and use light. If you have an interest in learning, or expanding your skills with off-camera flash, this trip will have you working alongside Ben as he shares his years of experience in showing you what is possible in situations you may not have thought of through light could be used.

The mobile camps offer a new dimension to what is possible in the Omo Valley. To create a more intimate experience and better photographic opportunities with the tribes, we send a special team to assemble a simple, mobile tented camp at 3 of 4 locations. The camp has traditional walk-in canvas safari tents, each with a camp bed, mattress, linens, a small table, and light. You will not need to worry about keeping your batteries charged because each camp will have a generator! – to say nothing of the delicious meals and cold beverages served under a canvas dining cabana!  Staying extremely close to villages and far from the tourist lodges will allow you to fully immerse yourself with the tribes and photograph them in the most beautiful light of sunrise and sunset. 

One-on-one guidance in camp will allow you to take stunning portraits, to talk about how light works, what shapes inspire you, and how to create some lit images so you get the most out of your time with some of Africa’s most beautifully decorated tribes.

2 CHARTER FLIGHTS/1 SCHEDULED – While many itineraries require long overland drives from Addis Ababa into the depths of the Omo, spending days on the road between remote locations, we charter directly from Addis into the heart of the Omo Valley, across the river, and fly you back out at the conclusion of this remarkable journey. By eliminating unnecessary transit time, we maximize what truly matters: meaningful, unrushed time with some of the continent’s most visually and culturally extraordinary tribes.

In true expedition style, this itinerary offers some flexibility to ensure you can take advantage of any photographic opportunities that arise. The precise time spent in each village will depend on the activities taking place and the group’s goals. It is likely you will also meet several other tribes en route. 

This trip is limited to ONLY 7 GUESTS & to ensure that the photographers joining this expedition will have a higher quality experience with the best group dynamics.

ABOUT YOUR TOUR LEADER

Ben McRae spends 3-5 months of the year in remote African tribal areas. His connection with the people traverses the cultures he visits and allows him to build mutually respectful relationships with the tribes and people he stays with. His images are brought to life by the time he spends living with and learning about his subjects and their cultures. His images showcase these people, their stories, their daily lives, and the spectacular landscapes in which they live. His eagerness to share his knowledge and outgoing personality ensures a participant a wonderful experience. 

He has won numerous international awards, most notably runner-up in the National Geographic World Nomads Scholarship 2015, Independent Newspaper/ Wanderlust Travel Photographer of the Year 2013 (UK), Shutterbug Award Winner 2012 (AUS), Canon Getaway Gallery Photograph of the year in 2014, Gett Images RePicture award 2015, Runner up in Australia Sony World Photo of the year 2105, and being a finalist for the past four years in the prestigious Travel Photographer of the Year.