Buildings in Tirana 14 September, 2009
Posted by nousha in Albania, Photography.1 comment so far
This is what happens when an artist becomes the mayor of Tirana 
Beloved Bastet 25 March, 2009
Posted by nousha in Photography, poems.Tags: cat, Close up, Photography
2 comments
“Beloved Bast, mistress of happiness and bounty, twin of the Sun God, slay the evil that afflicts our minds as you slew the serpent Apep. With your graceful stealth anticipate the moves of all who perpetrate cruelties and stay their hands against the children of light. Grant us the joy of song and dance, and ever watch over us in the lonely places in which we must walk.” An Ancient Egyptian prayer
Cat Profile - Nikon D70
I confess that I am a dog lover more than a cat lover, but I must admint that cats can be impressive models!
Books by Ambassador Dr. Ihab El Sherif 19 September, 2008
Posted by nousha in Books, Egypt, History, People, Photography, Travel.add a comment
I’ve heard so much about the late Ambassador Dr. Ihab El Sherif, who was kidnapped and murdered in Iraq in July 2005, about him personally and professionally with those who have known him and worked with him. Very recently I got to know that he was also a writer, and a very good one I must say, and that he was interested in travel literature, taking advantage of the opportunites the long stay that his career demanded.
Few days ago, I was lucky enough to skim through one of his books: India, Secrets and Keys. I was astounished with the richness of the book. This is not an ordinary travel book with some photos and tips. It is a complete work of art, FULL of pictures (on every page there was on average from 3 to 7 photos, multiplied by around 250 pages, equals more than 1000 photo!), poetry, quotes, maps, descriptions, impressions,,,,
I also found out that he wrote other books about his travels in arabic. So these days I’m on the hunt for these books: الهند , أسرار و مفاتيح (نشره المجلس الهندي للعلاقات الثقافية) – بلاد الجن و الملائكة( نشره دار المستقبل العربي) – أوروبا , الحلم و الحقيقة ( نشرته المفوضية الأوروبية) – ألمانيا اليوم (نشرته دائرة الصحافة و الإعلام التابعة لحكومة جمهورية ألمانيا الاتحادية).ء
This is what I found with some googling:
كُتُب السفير -وهو بالمناسبة حفيد الأديب محمد المويلحي- التي يمكن تصنيفها ضمن أدب الرحلات، عكست رؤيته المؤمنة بالحوار مع الثقافات وأنه لم يكن يكتفي فيها بالسطح وإنما كان يبحث بحثا عميقا فيما خلف الصور اللامعة، ويجمع التاريخ بالحاضر، ويراقب عادات الناس ويحلل أفكارهم ليصل إلى روح البلد.
وقد قال الأديب “جمال الغيطاني” عن كتابات “الشريف”: “يمكن للإنسان في أسفاره أن يرى أماكن جميلة، وعمارة رائعة، لكن الأمر سيكون أجمل لو أن المرء عرف البعد الزمني للمكان، ماذا جرى فيه، ومن أقام به؟ ومن حل ومن عبر؟ وهذا بالتحديد ما وجدته في كتب إيهاب الشريف..”
وعن كتابه “بلاد الجن والملائكة” الذي كتبه عن فرنسا أضاف الغيطاني: “إن هذا الكتاب يمكن اعتباره نوعا فريدا في أدب الرحلات، فهو لا يعتمد فقط على النص المكتوب شأن كل أدب الرحلات العربي، لكنه يضع الصورة على مستوى النص، والصورة هنا ليست لقطة كارت سياحية، لكنها صورة فنية من خلال رؤية ونظرة فنان مرهف، حساس، يجيد التقاط اللحظة الفريدة بما تحويه من موقف وضوء وحضور إنساني”.
وولد الشريف في عام 1954، ودرس الأدب الفرنسي في مصر، قبل أن يحصل على دكتوراه في العلوم السياسية من جامعة السوربون في باريس حول الإسلام السياسي، وله عدة مؤلفات في أدب الرحلات حول الهند وفرنسا وألمانيا.
Links:
Egyptian Photographers 29 February, 2008
Posted by nousha in People, Photography.2 comments
These photographers knew how to impress me.
I saw an exhibition of George Fakhry by mere chance in the opera few weeks ago. I liked his photography ALOT. Check out his website: www.georgefakhry.com , very impressive!
Monir El Shazly, a good friend of mine, and a good advisor. His “vision” is “to promote beauty in everyone and everything“. Check out www.the-vision.net
Hany El Zorkany, another good friend of mine,,, I love how he studies photography, his tips are not just like any tips, they are truly meaningful and inspiring. I loved his photo essays, it feels like taking photography a further step. Check out www.hanyphotography.com
Canon EOS 350D commercial 17 February, 2008
Posted by nousha in Photography.add a comment
Even though I am very loyal to my Nikon D70, I loved this commercial
I already feel the urge to grab my camera and play around too!! 
Broken Ceramic 16 February, 2008
Posted by nousha in Cairo, Photography.add a comment
This picture may symbolize something or nothing, I just liked the way it looked when I was visiting Gayer Andreson House (Beit El Kereteleya). I liked the idea of a framed ceramic “put” / محفورة in the wall of a hall (or was it a staircase?)
Besides, who wouldn’t fall in love with these shades of blue??
Steal Your Heart & Set It Free 8 February, 2008
Posted by nousha in Love, Lyrics, Photography.add a comment
Away from the celestial reckoning 11 January, 2008
Posted by nousha in Books, Movies, Photography, Quotes.3 comments
The Bridges of Madison County…
What an emotional novel!
I was very touched to see the movie (thanks to MH), and I am now kinda blown away after reading the novel (thanks to MS). It is just so beautiful!
that’s an interesting thought about photography, I like it.
It’s clear to me now that I have been moving toward you and you toward me for a long time. Though neither of us was aware of the other before we met, there was a kind of mindless certainty bumming blithely along beneath our ignorance that ensured we would come together. Like two solitary birds flying the great prairies by celestial reckoning, all of these years and lifetimes we have been moving toward one another. p. 21I can’t add anything to that…. I simply can not…
Why was not important. That was not the way he approached his life. “Analysis destroys wholes. Some things, magic things, are meant to stay whole. If you look at their pieces, they go away.” That’s what he had said. p.30yes
“I don’t just take things as given; I try to make them into something that reflects my personal consciousness, my spirit. I try to find the poetry in the image. p.36Another interesting reflection on photography…
She was relieved. But she sank in disappointment. She turned around inside of herself. Yes, please leave. Have some more brandy. Stay. Go. Faron Young didn’t care about her feelings. Neither did the moth above the sink. p.44……
The night went on, and the great spiral dance continued. Robert Kincaid discarded all sense of anything linear and moved to a part of himself that dealt only with shape and sound and shadow. Down the paths of the old ways he went, finding his direction by candles of sunlit frost melting upon the grass of summer and the red leaves of autumn. p.66….
God or the universe or whatever one chooses to label the great systems of balance and order does not recognize Earth-time. To the universe, four days is no different than four billion light years. I try to keep that in mind. p.83about time…
“Come travel with me, Francesca. That’s not a problem. We’ll make love in desert sand and drink brandy on balconies in Mombasa, watching dhows from Arabia run up their sails in the first wind of morning. I’ll show you lion country and an old French city on the Bay of Bengal where there’s a wonderful rooftop restaurant, and trains that climb through mountain passes and little inns run by Basques high in the Pyrenees. In a tiger preserve in south India, there’s a special place on an island in the middle of a huge lake. If you don’t like the road, I’ll set up shop somewhere and shoot local stuff or portraits or whatever it takes to keep us going.” p.69
take 1 6 January, 2008
Posted by nousha in Cairo, Photography.3 comments
This photo was taken two weeks ago in the courtyard of Mohamed Ali’s mosque in the Citadel. I turned it into sepia 3ashan I love the “old” feeling of the scene. I tried to capture the shadows of the window as much as I can, but I think it would have been better if the sun entered from a different angle.
This was taken in el Refai mosque. No photoshop used. I don’t know why exactly they put this strong green lighting, and some ugly plastic flowers!
I can’t forget this woman who came to the mausoleum with arms wide open, then she KNELT in front of the doors!!! OMG!!! How can she do this!! I can’t imagine how foreigners will perceive this ! And I can’t imagine the values she transmit to her children if she was convinced with these ideas!
This one shows the amount of details put on the ceiling of el refai mosque. Even though this is not a favorite of mine, but I can’t deny that it has pretty interesting details.
bas keda…
Ayman Lotfy 26 November, 2007
Posted by nousha in Photography.2 comments
A very interesting Egyptian photographer. His website is brilliant, I especially loved his black and white collection.
The below picture won the first prize in the last Salon el Nile. the cropping is really nice!
He is also one of the few egyptian photographers (if not the only) to have a book just for photos. I think you can find it in Diwan and Virgin Megastores, but I’m not sure.. I may not like some of photos he put in the book, not exactly my taste, but some others are VERY innovative! way to go!
