I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. Martin Luther King, Jr.
My favorite thing to photograph is PEOPLE. And my favorite people to photograph are CHILDREN. When I travel, I try to take photos of people in their ‘native’ environment, whatever that may be. I always try to be respectful because I imagine it’s frustrating to be a tourist attraction for people who are just living their daily lives. However, this is often NOT the case with children. Usually, when I point my camera at kids, they smile! They light up. They come over and talk to me and sometimes they pose. A few of the Egyptian kids kept saying something to me… “Akhadh surati!” My great guide, Sabr, told me that means “Take my photo!” Or they would just say, “Sura!” or “Photo!”
Here’s what happened when I pointed my camera at these beautiful faces.
Love the fashion statement of these young women.
A note on the photo below. This little boy is sitting in front of a Christian home. We know this because of the decoration on the door. The floral-type cross is an indication of Christianity. In Luxor, you will find these doors interspersed in the neighborhoods. Muslims and Christians have lived side by side for centuries and in most areas, there is peace and friendship among neighbors of differing faiths.
These young women were walking home from school. They were typical giggling school girls with the young men looking on from behind. It felt like joy.
These young Egyptian tourists were visiting the Luxor Temple. For a group photo, the boys were posing as Pharaohs and the girls were Goddesses.
A beautiful young woman touring the Temple of Karnak…
Boys playing in the Nile.
A family bringing their sheep in… I loved the way the older woman is carrying the young girl’s shoe…
These young women touring the Pyramids at Giza. They just reminded me so much of any group of young women anywhere in 2017. They had sunglasses on their heads, pink purses, colorful cell phones, selfie sticks, fashionable clothing and lots of giggles.
My favorite photo of the bunch. I love the colors. I love this little girl. I watched her for several minutes. She was pretending to drive the tuk tuk, or adapted motorcycle. I remember spending hours on my dad’s motorbike in the yard pretending to drive it. Good stuff.
Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts. I love to get feedback. And, I encourage you to TRAVEL. Explore the world.