I can’t count how many times I’ve heard professional photographers say how important it is to have personal photography projects outside of their day-t0-day work. In fact I think it also important for us amateur and hobby photographers to do the same. If you’re like me and you find yourself only taking photos of your children and family events then a personal project might just be what the doctor ordered.

But I don’t have time for a personal project! I hear what you’re saying and I’m the same way. By the time my work day is done, I have dinner with the family, the kids get settled into bed and I’ve walked the dog my day is finished or at least I feel finished. Well what about the weekend? Did I mention that I have children. Yes, my time on the weekend is quickly co-oped by chores around the house and hanging out with the family. Time is finite, there is literally 24 hours each day, of that at least 8 hours are needed for the recommended amount of sleep, 1.5 hours to each (not including prep time). Then there’s cutting grass, playing with kids, getting groceries (gotta eat), re-painting that room, vacuuming the van, watering the plants, checking Facebook and the list goes on. So what I’m trying to do is ‘make’ time. I want to take an hour in the evening when I would usually watch TV/Netflix and work through my photo archive to create some slideshows, photobooks, wall art etc.

That leads me to this project that I photographed over ten years ago when Tracy and I were in Ethiopia. We spend four months living and volunteering in the northern city of Mekelle. Each day we would walk from the house where were staying about 15-20 minutes to the youth centre where we volunteered. It wasn’t long after arriving that I noticed something unique. In most developing countries its not uncommon for every property to be fenced and gated. In Mekelle this was also true, but the difference was the elaborate gates that each property had. Some of course were fairly simple but many were more than just utilitarian, they had been designed. So watch this site for more posts from the Gates of Mekelle series.