Damas2

Damascus, Syria, 2005: This dapper young man and his sidekick were quite okay to pose for a photo… Canon EOS D30/Sigma 17-35

Border Country

South Lebanon, 2005: A local man on the Lebanese-Israeli border… I don’t know if he was Hezbollah, Amal or just a tourist like me… He was friendly, but reserved- cool enough to let me take his photo though…. It was nice and peaceful here at the time, but within a few months all hell was […]

Flag

Lebanese/Israeli border, South L,ebanon, 2005: A shredded but defiant Hezbollah flag flutters in the face of an Israeli border post. It was around this border region a few months later where the 2006 Israeli-Lebanese war kicked off… Canon EOS D30/Canon 28-135is

Black Widows

Jerusalem, Israel, 2005: Canon EOS 1N/Canon 28-135is

Dahab

Dahab, Sinai, Egypt, 2005: Captured this boy minding the camels on the outskirts of Dahab. Dahab is a popular tourist destination on the east coast of the Sinai peninsular. It was targeted a few months after I’d visited by a series of suicide bombers- resulting in the deaths of 23 people. One of the three […]

Tahrir Square

Cairo, Egypt, 2005: Through the window of the budget hotel I could see some sheep grazing… and Tahrir Square beyond… I’m hoping Egypt can set an even greater precedent than Tunisia- showing the Arab world that democracy can work and a peaceful transition can be achieved… Viva la Egypt! Canon EOS 55/Sigma 17-35

Blur St

Jerusalem, Israel, 2005: This was the fastest shutter speed I could get- I was hoping it would turn out someting like this… Canon EOS D30 / Canon 28-135is

Bait-ul-Muqaddas

Temple Mount, Jerusalem, Israel, 2005: Pilgrims relax within the walls of the Temple Mount… was eventually asked to leave the mount as it was prayer time. The Israeli government enforces a ban on prayer by non-Muslim visitors, a wishful attempt to keep the status quo… Canon EOS 1N/Canon 28-135is

Karnakman

Karnak, Luxor, Egypt, 2005: This un-official guide took a lot of convincing for me to take his photo- without paying him baksheesh. It’s a challenge to make it through the day in Egypt without paying baksheesh- I made it a personal aim. The term broadly means to pay someone money as a tip or bribe, […]