Picture Perfect Cairo: "Even in a Megacity Like Cairo, You Can Still Find Quiet Corners."
A place of wild traffic and quiet alleys, small oases of nature, and ancient wonders of the world and modern skyscrapers: photographer Ebrahim Bahaa-Eldin uses his camera to capture a city that is difficult to describe in words. As an anthropologist, he has a special view of Cairo and documents not only the many contrasts of the 20-million-strong metropolis, but also their subtle nuances.
A country road outside Cairo
Cairo, like any metropolis, is a place where nature is rarely encountered, but when you find it, it is like nothing you have ever seen.
Downtown as seen from Zamalek Island
The scale of a mega city such as Cairo sometimes means that it cannot be fully grasped. In many cases, a few steps back need to be taken to perhaps bring back a prespective on how small you are in the face of all of this. But also to show you that you are part of it at the end of the day.
Old man reciting the Quran before Friday prayer
One thing I love about Cairo is that no matter how bustling and energetic it gets, you can still find a corner of quiet and calm here. For example, in this mosque in the old part of Cairo.
Unique light
The natural light in Cairo is one of the defining elements of my work. It takes time to grow familiar with it, to learn how to read it, anticipate it, and eventually collaborate with it. Maybe I wouldn’t appreciate it as much if it were consistently nice and flattering. Its temperament shifts constantly - sometimes it is harsh and blinding, stripping scenes down to their raw bones; other times it turns impossibly soft and delicate. And I love that I can never fully predict what it will offer me on any given day.
House of Egyptian Architecture in Al-Darb al-Ahmar
An example of this very special light is this picture, which I took in the House of Egyptian Architecture. In those moments, it reveals my own thoughts in unexpected ways - allowing me to see everything, literally and metaphorically, in a different light.
A Sailing boat on the Nile south of Cairo
In Cairo you're surrounded by a multitude of sounds, often whispering, often telling stories and histories. It is very important to give the shouts and the whispers equal weight. Maybe then you get closer to a full picture.
Oil lanterns in an old mosque
Even if you are a local, like myself, Cairo will constantly surprise you. There will always be something to see or learn about this place. Like here in a historical mosque on Al-Muizz li-Din Allah Street in the old part of Cairo.
About
Artist, photographer, and anthropologist Ebrahim Bahaa-Eldin explores new forms of storytelling through his images. He lives in Cairo, has published photos in magazines such as Atmos Earth and Granta Magazine, and has exhibited his work at Cairo Photo Week.
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