From the Other Side of the Nile

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Egypt | Wednesday, October 26, 2011 | 5 photos

I took these photos in July 2010 when travelling through Egypt. Travel has been a passion of mine since my parents took me overseas for the first time when I was 15. The thought of planning my next trip is what keeps me going during a long week of office work. When I began travelling by myself a few years back I realised how brilliant the art of photography really is. I used to think that a photo was simply something you took to remember what you'd seen, but now I know that a picture really can be worth a thousand words.
In Egypt I took many photos of the famous sites such as the Pyramids and the Sphinx, but the photos that I most enjoyed taking were the photos that I have entered in this competition. I was trying to present a different side of Egypt than what people usually see; the beauty of the land, the contrast between rich and poor, the simple day to day activities of the people in the more remote areas. I hope that my photographs tell a story of a country rich in culture and beauty, and which has so much more to offer than the tourist hotspot at Giza.
This is the first photography competition I have ever entered. I would be so grateful for the chance to be mentored by such a fine professional. South Africa is definitely on my list of places to see before I die and what better place to learn how to take professional photos? I can only imagine the brilliant opportunities for photos of the land, the animals, the people.
I love watching and reading National Geographic and seeing others work drives me to learn more about different techniques and to take a better shot. Even if I don't have what it takes to become a professional travel photographer, I'll never stop trying to capture the perfect shot in all the new and exciting places I'll visit.