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Bahrain-based photographer Ahmed Hatem’s moon shot taken on the last day of his recent trip back home netted him his first-ever exhibition showcase.
Twenty-year-old Ahmed is set to be one of 45 curated photographers from across Egypt to be featured in the Egyptian Details of Photography exhibition, opening tomorrow at the Mahmoud Mukhtar Museum in Cairo.
“I was on a vacation in Egypt and just a day before I flew back to Bahrain, I learned about the exhibition from one of my friends,” the 20-year-old law student at the Applied Science University in Bahrain told GulfWeekly.
Ahmed, who moonlights as a freelance photographer, first picked up a camera in 2018, and has continued to shift his paradigm on the hobby since.
Today, he relies on his Sony a7 IV mirrorless camera to capture his shots, and for most of the pictures displayed, he used his f/2.8 16-35mm lens.
“The topic of the exhibition, exploring details of Egyptian life, was fascinating and during my vacation in Egypt I managed to capture some of the country’s street life,” he added. “People were kind in their hospitality as well as generous, and this calming atmosphere helped me document a lot of its nature and beauty.”
Three of Ahmed’s photographs will be displayed at the exhibition. One centres around the little-known Egyptian village of Shobra Baloula, located about 97km north of Cairo.
The shot captures the jasmine fields in the village, which produce more than half of the world’s supply of the fragrant flower considered to be the foundation stone of perfumes.
Another shot was taken at the legendary Pyramid of Giza, the largest Egyptian pyramid that served as the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu who ruled during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom.
And the third image was at the 4.2-km-long Dahab Island on the banks of the Nile, inhabited by roughly 11,000 fishermen and farmers, captured right before harvest at its most lush.
“I am very excited to see these photos at the exhibition, but I am also stressed as to how people will interpret them!” Ahmed added.
“Overall though, I am incredibly happy and proud that I get to showcase my homeland through my own lens.”
As to what comes next, Ahmed is set to continue his studies in Bahrain but hopes to push on with his photographic journey and someday, exhibit his work in the kingdom as well.
The exhibition will open in Egypt tomorrow at 7pm local time, and will continue until Monday, August 21.
To check out more of Ahmed’s work, follow @ahmed.jpeg on Instagram.
