After making a project detour in Harar, I took a bus to Dire Dawa, Ethiopia for another major city on my 100 City project.
I hadn’t originally planned on spending time in Dire Dawa, but decided to fly out of Ethiopia here and include it on the recommendation of friend and photographer, Yves Vernin. I’m glad and thankful for that too because Dire Dawa quickly became one of the best surprises of the year. Even though it’s now the second largest city in Ethiopia, you won’t find much information about it online. So, it was mostly just step out the door and start exploring for this city. Luckily, the city center alone was enough to spend days here with your camera. With some of the most beautifully colorful streets in the world, a mix of influences and charm, and a one-of-a-kind atmosphere different from the rest of Ethiopia, I have to pass on my recommendation to you all too. If you’re in Ethiopia, include Dire Dawa.
So here are my first impressions of Dire Dawa, from my personal Street Photographer perspective…
7 First Impressions of Dire Dawa
(From a Street Photography Perspective)
1. Great surprise
As mentioned, Dire Dawa was a last minute addition, thanks to Yves, and a great surprise. There’s surprisingly little info online and even google maps is limited when mapping its streets. But with Kezira, the colonial quarter, and Megala, the old town, I had a couple of areas to start exploring for myself when I arrived. As soon as I got out walking, I knew it was a good recommendation and decision. The city immediately felt different from the rest of Ethiopia and stood out on its own. There’s an abundance of character and mix of influences that hits you while walking the atmospheric streets. Dire Dawa just has something special that immediately made me want to explore it with my camera until sundown.
2. Colorful, especially on main streets
Some of the main streets in Megala, the city’s old town, are very colorful. I love color and the colors here are some of the most beautiful I’ve seen. Combined with the great light found here, especially during the last few hours of sunlight, really brings out these colors too. Mixing bright pinks, oranges and blues with shadow and the older character of the streets can make some visually pleasing images. For photographers that like color, it makes for a dream street walk. Dirt roads full of local life set against colors you won’t see elsewhere. I’ve been many other places where streets or neighborhoods are painted colorful, but none as authentic or with the unique mix you see here. Normally those other places turn touristy too, as visitors all come for their colorful selfies, but fortunately not here.
3. Lots of character
Dire Dawa’s old town (Megala) is filled with character and atmosphere. A mix of foreign influence in the architecture, from Arab and French to Italian and Greek. Some parts crumbling and falling apart. Bright colors, dirt roads, signs, trees, goats, donkeys, and people living life outside. A mix of city and old village. It doesn’t feel overly crowded, but still has plenty of life. Some streets can have a ghost town like feeling in character, but with life added. It’s just an interesting and unique vibe and scenery that has to be experienced to feel it.
4. Some hassle, but just roll with it
It still is Ethiopia, which means you will hear “no” to photos sometimes. While not to the degree of Addis Ababa, it was more than Harar. Many people say “no photos” when you’re not taking photos of them, or taking photos at all. I found that much of it was people just giving the foreigner a hard time, though. When I talked and joked back, everything was usually fine and it ended up being pretty easy to shoot here. I’d say it’s best to stand your ground with a smile. If it’s someone you’re going to take a picture of, that’s different of course, but for anyone telling you not to take a public photo that they’re not even in, don’t worry about it. It never got serious and was just part of the experience, many times ending up in friendly conversations.
5. Kafira Market and Connected Streets were my Favorite
The area around Kafira Market is where I really fell in love with shooting in Dire Dawa. The market itself is the largest in the city and provides a very authentic and local feeling. It’s busy and dirty, but with a special ambience full of interest and atmosphere. From the main market to the venders spilling out on the streets, things are happening all around you and it feels like it hasn’t changed too much over the years. Horses pulling carts on dirt roads by an interesting mix of older architecture and colorful buildings. The large market brings in people from all over to sell their goods here, from surrounding villages and farms to Somalia. If you’re in Dire Dawa, I’d recommending heading straight here and exploring away. It’s a special place for street photography.
6. Chattara Market makes for another interesting market
Chat is a flowering plant native to the region that has become popular in Ethiopia as a chewable herbal stimulant. You’ll see locals chewing the leaves all over town. Depending on who you ask, chat can be considered as harmless as coffee or more of a mild narcotic, but it’s also a cultural tradition. While the government has banned chat houses, the plant has become the number two export after coffee. In Dire Dawa, it’s sold all over town, but nowhere more than at Chattara Market. This crowded and cramped market sells only chat and maybe because everyone is hopped up on the stuff, it feels a little crazier than your average market. It’s not huge, but it has an interesting atmosphere and is definitely worth a stop with your camera.
7. Not huge, but nice compact area of activity to explore back and forth
Dire Dawa isn’t a small city, but it feels smaller than it is, which is part of its charm. It’s actually the second largest city in Ethiopia, with a population over one million in the metro area, but you’d never guess it walking its streets. I’ve never been to a city this size with as little info available on it, either. Google maps barely even covers it. While there isn’t an abundance of areas to explore with your camera, what it does have is packed with gold.
The compact area in the center is made for street photography and you can just walk back and forth throughout it, without getting bored. It just keeps giving. I didn’t come with big expectations, but found something I haven’t found too many other places. It’s just big enough to give you enough to explore, while keeping a lot of it close together, making it a great street photography walk experience. All this with an old, colorful atmosphere throughout the area that is hard to beat. Add this to the unique feeling felt roaming its streets and you get one of my favorite smaller street spots of the year.
Wish I’d had more time here
Dire Dawa is an especially unique city. The atmosphere, the colors, the life, the mix of influences and more provide a city that you won’t experience anywhere else, even in Ethiopia. Population says it’s not a small city, but the atmosphere feels much more relaxed and old world. I wouldn’t say you need a long time here since you’ll end up rehashing the same spots, but those are some photography rich spots. Three to four days would be perfect for most photographers.
Dire Dawa is one photogenic city that doesn’t get as many visitors as it warrants, which is a very good thing. So, go there, bring your camera, but don’t tell too many people quite yet ;)
If any of you have been to Dire Dawa before, tell me about your experience and impressions of the city and country in the comments below! And stay tuned for more on Dire Dawa, including some of the best Street Photography shots I captured while there.
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(from a street photographer’s perspective)
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