Egyptian Inspiration

mooseontheloose · Dec 30, 2019

After a lot of indecision I've finally decided on my winter trip, and it will (mostly) be to Egypt and Sudan in February. I'll have limited time in Egypt so I am going to base myself in Cairo (with a day trip to Alexandria) and Luxor (4 full days each). I'll be on my own in Egypt (but will probably hire local guides for day tours), but will be on a tour in Sudan where most of it will be spent travelling and wild camping in the desert. In any event, I know what I want to shoot, but I am looking for inspiration from other photographers (here on Photrio or elsewhere) about how I might approach the pyramids and temples beyond the usual tourist shots (both day and night). Black and white would be ideal, and/or other formats, like pinhole. I know Michael Kenna has a few images from there, but I am struggling to find examples from other photographers. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

halfaman · Dec 30, 2019

Most important thing: Are you aware of current travel recommendations from your Foreign Office or Embassy at location for both countries?

Both are still unstable territories, for sure there are things you should know to have a safe trip...

macfred · Dec 30, 2019

I really like the work of Sarite Sanders - Eternal Light of Egypt: A Photographic Journey https://www.amazon.de/Eternal-Light-Egypt-Photographic-Journey/dp/0500543623/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_2
She does great work on infra-red film.

''... Sanders’s images are decidedly surreal and often seductively eerie, as her subjects seem to come alive in a world that we never see with our naked eyes ...''

https://simerg.com/about/voices-wor...id-tombs-and-the-aga-khan-mausoleum-in-aswan/

mooseontheloose · Dec 30, 2019

macfred said:
I really like the work of Sarite Sanders - Eternal Light of Egypt: A Photographic Journey https://www.amazon.de/Eternal-Light-Egypt-Photographic-Journey/dp/0500543623/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_2
She does great work on infra-red film.

View attachment 237147

''... Sanders’s images are decidedly surreal and often seductively eerie, as her subjects seem to come alive in a world that we never see with our naked eyes ...''

https://simerg.com/about/voices-wor...id-tombs-and-the-aga-khan-mausoleum-in-aswan/

Thanks @macfred - that is exactly what I was looking for. I have a bunch of HIE left in my freezer, although some rolls have not aged as well as others. Her images look fantastic and I've ordered the book!

mooseontheloose · Dec 30, 2019

halfaman said:
Most important thing: Are you aware of current travel recommendations from your Foreign Office or Embassy at location for both countries?

Both are still unstable territories, for sure there are things you should know to have a safe trip...

I'm well aware of the travel advisories, thank you.

macfred · Dec 30, 2019

mooseontheloose said:
Thanks @macfred - that is exactly what I was looking for. I have a bunch of HIE left in my freezer, although some rolls have not aged as well as others. Her images look fantastic and I've ordered the book!

Glad you like it - you will not regret !

jeffreyg · Dec 30, 2019

A number of years ago my wife and I traveled to Egypt. We arranged for a private professional guide and driver to visit the sites. It was well worth it. The guides were very knowledgeable and we were able to see places at our pace which enabled me to do photography. Although my wife can speak Arabic the guides made everything easy. Obviously Egypt has been photographed extensively since early on in photography so you should photograph with your own vision. With the guides we left very early in the morning and were usually back at the hotel around 3:00 and could do things on our own. You would have to use a travel service to make arrangements and tailor your itinerary to your interests. Those guides were trained and screened by the operating company. I think hiring someone on your own is not the best way to go. Back then traffic in Cairo was unreal so I can imagine how it is now. A guide met us at the airport and cleared us through arrival quickly and took us to our hotel. We had the same guide and driver during our stay in Cairo and the same way in Alexandria and Luxor with guides provided by the same tour operator.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

http://www.sculptureand photography.com/

mooseontheloose · Dec 30, 2019

jeffreyg said:
A number of years ago my wife and I traveled to Egypt. We arranged for a private professional guide and driver to visit the sites. It was well worth it. The guides were very knowledgeable and we were able to see places at our pace which enabled me to do photography. Although my wife can speak Arabic the guides made everything easy. Obviously Egypt has been photographed extensively since early on in photography so you should photograph with your own vision. With the guides we left very early in the morning and were usually back at the hotel around 3:00 and could do things on our own. You would have to use a travel service to make arrangements and tailor your itinerary to your interests. Those guides were trained and screened by the operating company. I think hiring someone on your own is not the best way to go. Back then traffic in Cairo was unreal so I can imagine how it is now. A guide met us at the airport and cleared us through arrival quickly and took us to our hotel. We had the same guide and driver during our stay in Cairo and the same way in Alexandria and Luxor with guides provided by the same tour operator.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

http://www.sculptureand photography.com/

I do plan on arranging guides BEFORE I get to Egypt from reputable companies/sources, but I'm not sure I can afford them every single day as a solo traveller. I've been in contact with a few places, I just need to finalise what I want to see and do on which days.

Old_Dick · Dec 30, 2019

You probably have this covered. I know that in some Muslim countries there are some prescription that are forbidden. I have that problem.

mooseontheloose · Dec 30, 2019

Old_Dick said:
You probably have this covered. I know that in some Muslim countries there are some prescription that are forbidden. I have that problem.

I am aware, but it's not something I have to worry about.

NedL · Dec 31, 2019

In the 1840s and 1850s a number of calotypists made their way to Egypt and some of the prints are very atmospheric and evocative. Off the top of my head, there was an Irish calotypist ( I seem to remember he was a physician doing photography as a hobby, but I might be confusing him with someone else ) named John Shaw Smith, a French calotypist named Felix Teynard, and several others. There were very few American calotypists but one of them was a young man named John Beasley Greene who -- if I'm remembering correctly -- grew up or was studying abroad where he learned calotype from Gustave Le Grey and then went on a tour of Egypt in the early 1850's. Some google will find you the stories of these early photographers and some images from their work if you're interested. I hope you have a great trip!

Edit: if I was going to Egypt I'd want to bring my 5x7 camera and some calotypes... but if I was just taking film I might consider a blue filter ( I have a 47B and you need to add 3 stops.. shouldn't be a problem in Egyptian sun ) I once spent the night in the airport at Cairo and had the pleasure the next day of looking out my window as the plane was pulling out and seeing my suitcase sitting on the tarmac ( I actually got it back about 7 months later... )

James Bleifus · Dec 31, 2019

I have no advice to offer beyond have an awesome trip! I can’t wait for you to post stories of your journey.

Cheers, James

Alan Edward Klein · Dec 31, 2019

Have a great trip. Looking forward to seeing your photographic results and hearing some interesting stories.

tezzasmall · Dec 31, 2019

macfred said:
I really like the work of Sarite Sanders - Eternal Light of Egypt: A Photographic Journey https://www.amazon.de/Eternal-Light-Egypt-Photographic-Journey/dp/0500543623/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_2
She does great work on infra-red film.

Another photographer that I've never heard of until now. I'm constantly learning.

And I too have ordered a copy of the book after previewing it and I got it for a very good price as well.

Terry S

Peter Schrager · Dec 31, 2019

I'm planning on going in the near future. I'll be taking a whole plate or my 8x10 camera
report back and let us know how it worked out
Have fun!!

MattKing · Dec 31, 2019

I cannot resist - this always provides Egyptian Inspiration to me:

Hope your trip goes very well.

guangong · Dec 31, 2019

We were in Egypt shortly before the overthrow of Mubarak. Went during Coptic Christmas and saw Coptic Pope in Cairo cathedral. Traveled with guides by car along Nile and also to Alexandria, visiting monasteries along the way. We learned that the little hotel we stayed at was owned by Copts. Lucky for us, we did not accept their invitation to their church, where 29 parishioners were gunned down leaving service that evening.
Took quite a few rolls of ancient archeological sites and inscriptions with Leica, Contax T3 and digital Olympus, but crowds of tourists often made getting desired picture difficult. A large format camera may get more respect, but may require special permission. Perhaps something worthwhile to check out.
Met one Egyptian lady originally from Cairo many years ago but now residing in California. She remembered a more Westernized Cairo and was shocked to see women who worked in US embassy wearing burkas. Something she saidbnot so commonplace in an earlier time.

AgX · Jan 1, 2020

guangong said:
She remembered a more Westernized Cairo and was shocked to see women who worked in US embassy wearing burkas. Something she said not so commonplace in an earlier time.

When I show street pictures from the 50s to 70s of some islamic cities, even some educated people do not believe that they were made there...

mooseontheloose · Jan 2, 2020

MattKing said:
I cannot resist - this always provides Egyptian Inspiration to me:

Hope your trip goes very well.

I wonder how many people sing that song when they actually go to see King Tut! (I know it'll be running through my head!).

mooseontheloose · Jan 2, 2020

guangong said:
We were in Egypt shortly before the overthrow of Mubarak. Went during Coptic Christmas and saw Coptic Pope in Cairo cathedral. Traveled with guides by car along Nile and also to Alexandria, visiting monasteries along the way. We learned that the little hotel we stayed at was owned by Copts. Lucky for us, we did not accept their invitation to their church, where 29 parishioners were gunned down leaving service that evening.
Took quite a few rolls of ancient archeological sites and inscriptions with Leica, Contax T3 and digital Olympus, but crowds of tourists often made getting desired picture difficult. A large format camera may get more respect, but may require special permission. Perhaps something worthwhile to check out.
Met one Egyptian lady originally from Cairo many years ago but now residing in California. She remembered a more Westernized Cairo and was shocked to see women who worked in US embassy wearing burkas. Something she saidbnot so commonplace in an earlier time.

The crowds are what worry me, but I'm hoping that if I get there right when the sites open (front of the line when they open), it may help. One the reasons I don't want to do a tour (other than a private guide) is so that I can spend as much time as I need in one place. I learned that from visiting Angkor Wat in Cambodia a few years ago. It was my third time there, but the worst crowds I had ever seen. I would wait in one spot for 20 minutes just to get 5 seconds without anyone in the shot. I do know that in Luxor (and other places) you can pay a small fee to use a tripod - I think I'll try that and maybe some ND filters to see if I can blur most of the people out. However, I'll have to see what things are actually like on the ground when I get there.

I remember when that attack happened in the church, I had been planning a trip to Egypt back then too, and then put it on the backburner. Which happened a few more times afterwards as well due to other events. But I think (I hope) things will be okay when I'm there. I have to go to Estonia for work in March but didn't really want to spend my winter vacation in northern Europe, so Egypt it is!

guangong · Jan 2, 2020

mooseontheloose said:
The crowds are what worry me, but I'm hoping that if I get there right when the sites open (front of the line when they open), it may help. One the reasons I don't want to do a tour (other than a private guide) is so that I can spend as much time as I need in one place. I learned that from visiting Angkor Wat in Cambodia a few years ago. It was my third time there, but the worst crowds I had ever seen. I would wait in one spot for 20 minutes just to get 5 seconds without anyone in the shot. I do know that in Luxor (and other places) you can pay a small fee to use a tripod - I think I'll try that and maybe some ND filters to see if I can blur most of the people out. However, I'll have to see what things are actually like on the ground when I get there.

I remember when that attack happened in the church, I had been planning a trip to Egypt back then too, and then put it on the backburner. Which happened a few more times afterwards as well due to other events. But I think (I hope) things will be okay when I'm there. I have to go to Estonia for work in March but didn't really want to spend my winter vacation in northern Europe, so Egypt it is!

Enjoy your trip! The most disappointing aspects of our trip to Egypt was that the vast majority of the crowds were not made up of people who had any interest in ancient Egypt, but rather a “Kilroy was here” documented by a selfie. A couple times an armed guard pulled us aside from the crowd to show us something of interest. One didn’t speak English, but slid his watch band down to show his hidden tattooed Coptic cross. A very interesting commentary about contemporary Egypt. Did you read AgX’s reply to me earlier remarks? At one time in the not so distant past Cairo and Alexandria were very sophisticated cities.
Again, have a wonderful trip rewarded with many beautiful photographs.

cowanw · Jan 4, 2020

I have a few suggestions
1. the contrast in direct sunlight is very high and I have found that XP-2 is an excelllent film in those circumstances with it's wide latitude.
The use of a polaroid filter to give black skies can be effective against the brightness of stone.
If you can find a way to tour to Minya and see Armana the very little seen capital of Akhenaten; newly reopened it is a new venue for photography.

ced · Jan 5, 2020

Knowing that you have made many cemetery visits, in Cairo there is a massive cemetery where some people live in lean-tos of carboard not far from this area.

Egyptian Inspiration

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