Photography Tips in Egypt: Beyond the Pyramids, I Prefer Photographing the People
With a longing for an ancient civilization, I embarked on a distant journey to Egypt during the Spring Festival. Various 'avoid-the-pitfalls' guides heightened my pre-trip anxiety. During the trip, selfies easily get likes, but capturing local customs and people is more interesting, though more challenging. If not careful, you might have to pay after taking a shot, and some people won't let you take their picture even if you offer money...
Photographing camels also costs money. Unless it's purely a landscape, shooting within tourist sites often comes with a price tag, and those charming camels and their owners are no exception. Near the Sphinx, a girl took a photo of a camel driver and was asked for a $10 tip after being caught. It's better to negotiate the price in advance, frankly photographing a camel driver or taking a picture while riding a camel might be more economical and save trouble.
Photographing children during a traffic jam. On the way to the Red Sea, a traffic jam brought me an unexpected gain. A family minivan caught my attention. A big boy who spoke some English agreed to my request to take photos. I then communicated with his family in Arabic using a translation app, and gained their approval. No one asked for any material reward; they were just curious about me, a foreigner.
After snapping a few shots, the road cleared, and I hurried back to my vehicle. Just as I was regretting not leaving something as a souvenir, traffic jammed again. I took out a menthol balm I used and a new eyeglass cleaning cloth from my camera bag, got off, found that car, and handed them to the big boy.
Photographing a teacher at the Amir Mosque. At the Amir Mosque, a teacher who was teaching children to recite the Quran became the focus of my lens. Outside tourist areas, Egyptian people generally don't demand payment for being photographed, but I always carefully ask for permission first. After taking a candid shot, I quickly show it to them, sharing that fleeting authenticity. Money isn't everything; for people with dignity, offering money for a photo might be rude.
At the mosque, a father was quietly reading; his daughter ran over when she saw me taking photos — unfortunately, I didn't capture the sweet moment of affection between them. A young man was accompanying his father on a visit to the mosque. I gestured with my camera asking to take a picture, and the father and son generously stood in the middle of the courtyard for me to photograph.
Photographing a diner by the sea in Alexandria. By the sea in Alexandria, I was dining at a sea-view restaurant. Wanting to take some casual shots, I noticed a fellow diner at the next table. The young man asked me not to photograph the two female companions with him — I hadn't intended to photograph women anyway — but when I turned my lens toward him, the seemingly cool and handsome young man looked a bit nervous, while his two companions laughed happily.
I planned to photograph a waiter who greeted me in Chinese, but he pushed a colleague forward as my subject. That seemingly stern young man showed his shy side in front of the camera. When I was photographing Alexandria's Corniche and seawall, a gentleman in a robe and red scarf inadvertently walked into the frame, holding a phone and newspaper, instantly bringing the otherwise slightly monotonous landscape to life.
Two young Egyptian girls watched Chinese tourists taking selfies, looking timid and hesitant to speak. I took out my translation app and asked if they wanted a picture? They did want me to take one. Notice in the background, there was another local watching; we were all a bit nervous, and it turned into a perfectly posed photo.
Photographing students who speak Chinese. While visiting the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, an Egyptian student surprisingly spoke fluent Chinese. It turned out he was a Chinese language student, and his Chinese name is Zhou Feng. On this trip, I found many Egyptians who can speak Chinese. Our guide, Yaxi, is also an Egyptian who majored in Chinese; he speaks fluent Chinese and is knowledgeable. He said he wasn't keen on learning Chinese back then, but now it's very useful.
Caution when photographing Arab women. At the Saladin Citadel, I snapped a shot of the gate closing at the last moment of the Muhammad Ali Mosque's closing time; the photo had an oil-painting quality. When photographing Arab women in Egypt, I am always cautious and respectful, even in wide travel scenes, avoiding close-up shots of their faces.
Taking photos of young women and educated women is fine with their consent. Children are even more so; they not only come up to have their photos taken, but parents also happily watch. For minors, having parental approval ensures peace of mind.
While photographing the seaside at Montaza Palace Garden, a pure-hearted little girl wanted a photo with us. Her sister took one with her phone, and I also took a picture with my camera. She was out with her extended family; her parents and sister were enjoying the sea breeze and sunshine on the garden lawn.
They brought coffee, melon seeds, and drinks and warmly invited us to share. I took out peppermint candies to share. As we sipped Egyptian coffee and chatted, we also took photos with our phones as souvenirs. In travel, interaction with people is often more precious than mere scenery. Immersed in such a warm atmosphere, I even forgot to go photograph Montaza Palace...
Restraining my photography enthusiasm. Chinese tourists are enthusiastic about photographing cute foreign babies. Big-eyed adorable children are often surrounded by groups of Chinese female tourists taking pictures. Parents are also happy to let their children be the focus. I wanted to join the crowd, but when I saw that smiling child gradually lose his smile in front of the cameras, I realized I should restrain my urge to shoot and let that cute baby be!
Imitating an award-winning photo of pink cotton candy. I had seen an award-winning photo of a vendor selling pink cotton candy at Khan el-Khalili market. I saw a little boy carrying a load of cotton candy resting alone against a railing. I asked him to move to the center for a photo, but he felt embarrassed by his friends laughing at him. I secretly gave him a toiletry bag from the flight and a wired earphone, but watched helplessly as an older child snatched them away...
Why kids ask for 'one dollar'. Tourists taking photos are often asked for 'one dollar'. The guide believes this habit is fostered by tourists' 'generosity'. Tourists think they are being kind by casually giving a dollar or a box of cooling balm, but minors find easy money this way and lose motivation to study or work. Therefore, for those who actively ask for money, whether adults or children, I give up photographing them.
The lens cannot tell everything. In the alleys of Cairo, aromas mix with music floating in the air. Musicians play hand drums or string instruments, singing North African folk songs. When photographing an old man playing the hand drum, I noticed a hint of displeasure. It probably wasn't that the tip was too small, but one thing is certain: not all stories can be told through a lens.
The worlds outside the car window. A father walking through the market, with a baby strapped to his chest; the baby holds his own bottle, drinking while turning his head to look at his mother... Leaving Khan el-Khalili market, passing through a dazzling bazaar, the car crawls through heavy traffic. I casually shoot out the window through the glass; the captured images are often blurry, but some fleeting scenes touch the heart.
When our car overtook a neighboring vehicle, I caught a glimpse of a little girl standing by the opposite window, looking up at us with curiosity. In seemingly parallel worlds, outside the windows, each other's existence becomes a sight in the other's eyes, amazed at our differences, full of curiosity about each other's lives and cultures...
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