Emmett Sparling Photography

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Emmett Sparling Photography

Go to emmettsparling.com to see my most recent work! Photography by Emmett Sparling

04/19/2026

The first day of my Wildlife Photography Workshop with was a huge success.

We had an incredible encounter with a mom and baby leopard who dropped their kill out of the tree and brought it back up to safety piece by piece.
This was only my second time seeing a baby leopard, and the first time I’ve seen a leopard climb up and down a tree.

If you’re interested in my other workshops, I have one in Vancouver in September, and one in Kathmandu in December.

04/17/2026

10 years of traveling with my camera, keeping travel journals and writing down my experiences has led to my first coffee table book: Thin Spaces.
Comment “Thin Spaces” and I’ll DM you!

04/15/2026

The Nyangatom tribe lives on the southern border of Ethiopia and South Sudan. They travel between countries freely to their various villages. They are considered very generous but are also known as fierce warriors.

Nyangatom women wear many, often very heavy, necklaces which can indicate their husband’s wealth. Both men and women practice body scarification- a sign of beauty and strength.

These were some of the friendliest and welcoming people we met on our trip through the Omo region of Ethiopia.

I’ve said this before, but my goal is to always photograph people with dignity, power and beauty, and I hope these images reflect that.

Pictured:
Atolim Arupur, Adapal Lorot, Lokale Lokeno, Nakuru Lochebe, Eliza Asfaw, Ekeno Ayero and her baby, Naworu Lokotumo, Arengaei Muya, Lomogin Muya, Testiness (love this name).

04/14/2026

“Fasika” is the Amharic word for the Ethiopian Orthodox Easter celebrations. They take place in these 900 year old churches carved from volcanic rock in the town of Lalibela.

The candles are only lit for about 10 mins so all of these photos are from that short window of time.

According to the Ethiopian Orthodox, the candles symbolize the light of Christ rising from the dead and dispelling the darkness of sin and death.

Shot on the Sony A1ii + 28-70mm f/2

04/13/2026

Most of my favourite images are shot horizontally which isn’t ideal for Instagram, but who cares, I love it.

Lately I’ve been loving shooting at f/8-f/10 and taking my time to find the perfect composition rather than relying on a shallow depth of field to hide any distractions. Obviously there’s a time and place for each style.

These images are from two days of Easter celebrations in Lalibela, Ethiopia. These 900 year old churches are carved straight out of the volcanic rock and are some of the most sacred sites in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

I’ve got a lot more images to share from this incredible celebration so stay tuned.

04/11/2026

We shared an incredible sunrise with the Kara tribe at their home overlooking the Omo river.

We set up a few cloth backdrops for a portrait shoot. My goal was to use colour (or lack of) to draw focus to the beauty in each face, their jewelry and clothing. I’ve said this before, but goal is to always photograph people with dignity, power and beauty, and I hope these images reflect that.

Each portrait started with a serious face, but after a few photos (and the entire village laughing behind me) each person began to crack a smile- which always ends up being my favourite images.

As for the guns, the men carry them for a few reasons: they are a symbol of warrior status in the tribe, as well as acting as protection from wild animals or rival tribes. A warrior is rarely seen without his gun.

04/10/2026

I met Abush in the Ethiopian town of Jinka. I went for a handshake and he went straight for a hug- one that lasted longer than a normal first time embrace.
I spent half an hour with him, taking his portrait in a doorway using a light diffuser.
I’ve never seen eyes like his before. He said his brother has the same striking blue eyes, and his mom has one blue eye, one brown.

04/09/2026

We woke up to a heavy thunderstorm and began the 2.5 hour drive through Mago national park to the Mursi tribe villages. The home of the Mursi is one of the most isolated parts of Ethiopia.

The Mursi are one of the last groups in Africa where it is still the norm for women to wear large clay or wooden disks in their lower lips. However the younger generations are moving more towards large disks in their earrings. The disks are a symbol of beauty and confidence.

The Mursi are being forced off their land in Omo National Park, with officials using legal documents to legitimize the takeover without compensation.

As with everyone in the Omo valley, the Mursi love to laugh, joke around and welcome newcomers to their homes. Each face tells the story of their incredible culture.

As with any culture that I photograph, I am constantly aware that I am telling someone else’s story. A story I will never fully understand from an outside perspective. I always try to photograph each person with dignity, power and beauty and I hope these images reflect that.

Shot on the Sony A1ii with a 28-70mm f/2 and a 50mm f/0.95

03/29/2026

The Mindo Cloud Forest is one of the most biodiverse places on earth. Its high elevation means it’s regularly in the clouds, getting moisture from the air and creating this dense jungle atmosphere.

With my friends (and guides) and we went on night walks through the jungle- finding frogs, giant moths, crab eating raccoons, and massive spiders (the spider photos felt like a jump scare so I didn’t include them in this carousel lol).

I also spent some time with .bio who are working tirelessly to preserve the fragile environment of the cloud forest and protecting extremely endangered species. They recently found an Arlequin Toad which was thought to be extinct since 1977.

Truly one of the most magical places I’ve had the chance to photograph.

03/26/2026

I’m planning a return trip down the Oregon coast and California this summer. Big Sur, Yosemite, Sequoia, Death Valley, Mojave, etc. Some incredible memories from those mind blowing places.

07/31/2024

She stood on her hind legs and looked back at our boat- as if she was smiling at the camera.
We watched as the polar bears carefully navigated the glacial sea ice. The next day, we saw the family of four walking over the mountain ridge into the distance.

07/21/2024

The more you slow down and spend time in a place, you’ll discover that moments of magic become more frequent. You get to know a place better, and eventually your camera becomes an extension of yourself as you spend enough time with it.

Shot on A1 + a 600mm f/4 lens and a 400 f/2.8 lens. Edited with my Violet Variations Preset pack.

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Vancouver, BC

Website

http://www.emmettsparling.com/

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