Go with the flow, or in this case the light.
(Click on the image to view it larger.)
Here is a lesson; hold on to ideas and concepts your shooting lightly and let things happen naturally. Go with the flow.
One of the hardest things to photograph is an icon. Something that everyone knows and everyone has photographed. So how to you do it? Honestly… it is hard. One way is to look at all the many shots of it, and then shoot the same image. Counter intuitive? Well, sort of, but don’t stop there. Shoot what has been shot and then work it like you might in any other shoot. So you in effect start where others left off.
Marco Ryan, Ramy Salem, Alou, Jessie and I decided to shoot the pyramids at sunrise. We hired a camel driver and two camels. We set out at 4am to catch the sunrise at 5:30am. We gave ourselves plenty of wiggle room. When working with local people like camel drivers, somethings can get delayed. Remember, in the West, we tend to be time oriented but in the East people are generally event oriented. This means when we say, “Be there at 5:30am.” they think early morning. Early morning might be 6:30am after the sun has been up for an hour. This is not a character fault, this is culture and something you should plan for.
Anyway, all went well, the sun came up and we got some nice images of the pyramids at sunrise. But, for me they seemed less dramatic than what I had hoped for, I wanted more. Then, what so often happens, the unexpected met me and gave me a break. As the camel was being brought back around to walk through the shot again, it passed down a hill in from of Cairo, kicked up some dust and game me the shot I had hoped for. Not the one I planned for, but the one I wanted. The one with drama. I will take a drama in a photo over most anything.
OK, so I didn’t quite get the out-of-the-box iconic shot I had hope for, but I got something that I think I like a lot better.
Matt, these are absolutely amazing. Marco has been promoting Egypt to me and now I see why.
Eli Reinh.
Beautiful images Matt. Like you said it shows the value of working until you get the shot you want, not the one you planned for. Any plans to investigate if you and Marco can put Alexandria on the workshop as well somehow?
Positutely, absotively stunning photographs!
Ed, Thanks for the comment. I don't see Alex being put on the tour anytime soon. It is really focusing on the Nile and Upper Egypt. However, I know Marco and his team are looking at a desert tour and workshop as well.
Eli, Thanks for your kind words. Maybe you can join us on the cruise down the Nile?
Beautiful photographs!
Yes that first shot in particular paints a dramatic story, especially with the city in the background. Very nicely done.
nice shots matt – really really nice. these really jump out from your other images. well done.