“Kempor”

His project, “The Art of Ice,” focuses on the forms that ice takes, mainly patterns in surface ice.

“Yang Yin”

The body of work could practically be a textbook in composition:

“Universe”

The one above reminds me very much of the thoughts that Brooks Jensen, the publisher of Lenswork, expressed in a recent podcast, where he was speaking of his new folio, “Worlds Within Worlds.” Speaking of Minor White’s direction to ”photograph not only what it is, but what else it is,” he talks about taking photographs which evoke the cosmos in bubbles, and I especially like how this photograph not only evokes what it is (ice), but could just as easily pass for astrophotography or cellular microphotography. With any of those subjects, the strong composition would create an equally striking image.

Click on any of the images or follow the links above to find his flickr stream or website, explore his excellent content, and send some favourites and comments his way. Prints are available here (at very reasonable prices, I might add).

A couple more of his images, because I cannot resist sharing their excellence:

“Mothersmilk”

“Speeder”

“Otu”

If you are a Your Cat reader and are coming to my site, welcome. You can look around here, or head over to flickr, where my username is larkvi. There, you can see the rest of the Cats of Ethiopia set, or even see the rest of my Ethiopia set. I also have sets of my favorite landscapes, favorite people photos, and most popular photos for you to browse.

My primary work, which takes me to Ethiopia, is on Ethiopian Manuscript Production, studying the last living tradition of Christian parchment manuscript bookmaking. If you are interested in learning more, I produced a little online exhibit Your comments, criticism, and favorites are all welcome!

Another moment, and a towering cloud, in the sunset from Sankaber camp, in the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia.

Several years ago, I posted a rather muted portrayal of what was a rich and impressive sunset. I have recently re-edited it, to give the sunrise some of its fire back. I was not sure which editing variant I liked best, so there will be another version following. You really need to view this one on black to see the ridges in the foreground.

View On Black

A small mountain horse grazes a ridgeline, with low clouds behind it, in Simien Mountains National Park.

Another view of the sunrise from near Buyit Ras, in the Simien Mountains.

Another sunset from the hill above Sankaber camp, Simien Mountains National Park.

View Larger On Black

Sunset illuminates the misty ranges of Simien Mountains National park, from the hill above Sankaber camp.

I recommend viewing this photo larger on Black.

Beans for sale atthe market are measured out in little cans. The can is heaped as high as it will go, and the amount that stays is the base amount that you purchase in multiples of.  This practice of heaping measures was essentially universal in Ethiopia, so far as I could tell.

Horses graze on a hillside, as a rural hamlet is seen through clouds, in Simien Mountains National Park, in the North (Simien) Gonder region of Ethiopia.

Sunrise illuminates the trees on the cliff and reveals the shapes of ridges receding into the distance at the beginning of the second day of hiking in the Simien Mountains.

I sat on this for several years, not sure that I could bring out the light in the way that I wanted to. I have definitely improved my processing skills over that time, though the specific quality to the light that I want is just a little further out of my reach. In any case, I thought I would share it with you, and stop hiding it in my Lightroom file.

Better viewed larger.

Horses graze in pastureland in the Simien Mountains, on the way from Debark to Buyit Ras.

Larger sizes available on the flickr page.

As we were driving along the China Road (between Bahir Dar and Woldia), we passed a spring and then turned to find this juxtaposition of farmed land, homes, and peaks in clouds. It was a welcome respite from the first part of the drive, which had been relentlessly clear and sunny.

The Evangelist portrait at the beginning of the Gospel of John, in the famous Kebran 1 Gospels, a notable example of manuscript arts held on the isle of Kebran in Lake Tana.

Christ with a golden-crossed halo receiving the Holy Spirit during Baptism. The Kebran 1 Gospels are one of only a few Ethiopian manuscripts known to use gold, and interested me for this reason and for the excellent depictions of scribes in the Evangelist portraits.

A view off the edge of the escarpment, along the road from Tenta to Gashena, Wollo Province, Ethiopia.

A farmstead in the rural village of Zigroa, outside of Mekane Eyesus (Iste) in South Gonder. The crop in the front is tef, the national staple crop of the highlands, with maize in the background. Eucaluptus, an introduced species, is the most common type of tree seen in Ethiopia, where it is used as a building supply, for firewood, shade and windbreaks.

Various colours of maize are on display in the market at Mekane Eyesus (Iste) in South Gonder.

The golden cross on the roof of Hayq Estifanos (The Church of St. Stephen at Hayq). Hayq Estifanos is a monastic community on a peninsula in Lake Hayq (Lake Lake) in the Wollo area of Ethiopia. It was an important early site of monasticism South of Tigray and today is a pleasant place birds sing and monks grow crops.