Ethiopia: Zehafta's Story - Village Life

Ethiopia: Zehafta's Story - Clean Water

Ethiopia: Zehafta's Story - en route

Ethiopia: Zehafta's Story - Welcome Home

I have mountains of photos to share with you from this day of laughter, tears, exhaustion, dust, and joy.

Ethiopia: Epic Story Tomorrow!

Meet Zahafta.

She is a student at the Mekele Institute of Technology (MIT) in northern Ethiopia.

She tested first out of 900 students on a recent placement test.

She travelled to the USA last year for a year-long exchange program.

She raised enough money to build the first well a remote Ethiopian village had ever known. This village now has drinking water that is clean and free of disease. It's a 250km drive north from Mekele near a city called Axum (site that a priest supposedly watches over the secretly located Ark of the Covenant), down a dirt road, then a substantial hike from the end of that road.

This village is her village!

She says they have yet to encounter any "faringies" (white people). And tomorrow JP and I will travel north with her to visit. I may be the most blessed man on planet earth.

Ethiopia: Song

Here are the beautiful children I was with today. I put this together for you to see their faces and hear their song. They love this Ethiopian anthem.

In compiling this tonight I was overcome with the simple reality that each of us has a name to proclaim, a song to sing, and a prayer to pray. Here is theirs.

This video is copyright © Paul F. Hassell and cannot be reused or distributed outside of Vimeo.com or SharingTheExperience blog without prior written consent.

Ethiopia: Leadership Training

Ethiopia: Smiles

Ethiopia: En Route

Airlines may be in survival mode these days charging for checked luggage, meals, even peanuts; but on Ethiopian Airlines one service is still free—children screaming. Yes, the screaming was VERY free last night.

I strongly considered joining in on the screaming actually. My second thought—and I grew rather fond of this one during the night—was to follow the "white lights that lead to red lights which indicate the exit," then bale out somewhere over the Mediterranean Sea. When you gotta scream you gotta scream.

It's sure to be a great month. Stay posted.

Ethiopia: Packing to Leave

Packing cameras, tripods, audio/video gear, and an extra shirt to leave for Ethiopia the next morning, May 5th.

Timelapse: 305 images over 2 1/2 hrs
Music: "Wade through the Night" by Matt Wertz

As I Depart for Ethiopia

This month I hope to tell stories that restore what has been stolen.

Adichie explains, "Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity,"

"Show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become." What has Ethiopia become to you? What story have you heard?

Undebatably, there has been a single Ethiopian story shared louder than the rest. I yearn to remain epochs away from the long painful history of well-intended aid that too-often bends toward heist of human dignity. Perhaps I'll be given the gift of sharing with you another story—a story reaching beyond distended bellies and buzzing flies on fecal-splattered faces as barefoot children walk dry clay streets. Perhaps I'll share a story of hope that's come so close you can touch it.

This month of May, these are the things I hope for. Will you please join me in Ethiopia?

The Simple Things

Made earlier today while scouting wildflowers for tomorrow's workshop.

On a sunny afternoon, when others put their cameras down and take a siesta, have you looked for the miracles in the shadows?

Enjoy these reflections of bright Spring green in a shaded portion of Laurel Creek at high noon. (84 images taken over 3 minutes in rapidly changing light are played together as a timelapse).

Epic Timelapse by Tom Lowe

Tom's work is absolutely ridiculous. I just had to share it with you here. Be inspired!

Climbing Obed Saturday

Join us on our sunny Saturday climbing at Obed Wild and Scenic River, TN. Chester the stray dog emerges from the woods and faithfully joins us for the entire day. He was a champ. Reece sets up his notorious hammock belay. Doug leads his first 5.10a sport route. Enjoy!

Camera: 5D Mark II
Lenses: 16-35mm f/2.8 II and 50mm f/1.4
Music: "Lookin' Out My Backdoor" by Credence Clearwater Revival

2 Workshops Worth Your Time!

April 24th - The Field Workshop this spring will be just one full Saturday of shooting rather than a whole weekend.

My hope is that more of you will be able to work this into your schedules. April 24th is for those of you who already know how to use your gear; you just want to get out to some stunning Smoky Mountain locations, enjoy the spring air, shoot the wildflowers and waterfalls, have dinner together, and critique images in a mtn cabin at day's end. $125. DETAILS HERE.

May 1st - This is the class for those of you who want to get the most from your digital SLR camera.

If you need a crash course in how to use your digital SLR for that summer trip you have coming up, this is for you. If you want a refresher in what Aperture, Shutter speed, and Exposure have to do with your photographs, this is for you. If you are terified of what might happen if you take your settings off of Auto, this class is for you. We'll have the class from 9-4:30pm at the beautiful 4 Market Square conference room in downtown Knoxville. $95. DETAILS HERE.

Mayapples and Dogwood by Rosemary Williams (Spring '09 Field Workshop)

Mt LeConte Morning Hike

It's a bitter cold winter. Three feet of snow pack the earth. In 20 years of hiking in the Smoky Mountains, I've never encountered a winter hike impassable without 10-point crampons. Needless to say, I was the only one up there this morning. It was beautiful, calm, and clean.

Practiced with time-lapse zoom and the H4n audio recorder. Enjoy.