Tea with the Bedouin

Towards the end of my recent trip to Sinai I took the opportunity to visit some of the local Bedouin people with Jane and Helen, photographer friends and colleagues from the Photo Training Overseas group. The nearest town to our hotel in Taba was actually about 45km down the Red Sea coast, but dotted along the roadside were various Bedouin encampments. Not, as you might imagine, the romantic notion of luxurious tented villages in the desert, but makeshift shacks made of old scraps of wood and metal. We parked the car nearby and approached a small group of shacks, not quite knowing what we were letting ourselves in for and how we would be received. We needn't have been concerned. In traditional Bedouin fashion we were welcomed as friends, once they had established that we simply wanted to meet them and to take a few photographs.

The welcome party of curious little boys that came out to greet our arrival. A proud father poses unprompted with his son. I love the charm of this spontaneous moment.

The traditional Bedouin welcome of tea and talk.

An amusing diversion as Saleh attempts to call Janet, back home in England, on his mobile (he got the studio off my business card, but managed to connect to a very puzzled man somewhere in Egypt). Traditional lifestyle meets modern technology A camel demonstration..... This little girl was wary of us at first, shy above anything else, but gradually we gained her confidence and even coaxed her into the shade where the light was better for portraits! A beautiful, pensive portrait...

And finally, a gorgeous smile.

This small group of Bedouin, living in extremely basic but hopefully only temporary conditions, made us incredibly welcome and were disappointed that we couldn't stay for the whole day. The short time we spent with them is an experience I will never forget, not only for the amazing photographic opportunity but especially for the warmth of the hospitality and genuine hand of friendship extended to us.

This was my first ever visit to the Middle East. I don't pretend to understand the politics of the situation, but my simple understanding is that the Bedouin people used to travel freely thoughout the whole region but no longer have that freedom. Security issues and tight border controls have separated and isolated the various tribes, stifling their traditional nomadic lifestyle. In Sinai, recent droughts have made the desert areas even more inhospitable than normal, but development for tourism has forced them out of their only bolt hole when the desert is barren - the lands along the coast. The Bedouin way of life is disappearing fast. Some have welcomed the opportunities that change can bring, but others have not. Some of the local Bedouin have found work in the building and running of tourist hotels, but in general most of the jobs go to men from the major cities, mainly Cairo. The March 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine covers the issues affecting the Bedouin of Sinai and makes fascinating reading.

Family Portrait Week

I'm delighted to be taking part in the National Family Portrait Week (which actually runs all summer), organised by the Master Photographers Association in support of The Variety Club of Great Britain. The official launch by HRH Princess Michael of Kent took place in London last week, with the backing of several celebrities including Vanessa Feltz and DLT (Radio 1 DJ from the olden days, for you youngsters!).

Details will be in the Sunday Mail magazine on Mother's Day (or Mothering Sunday to give it it's correct name) and at http://www.familyportraitweek.com/. This is a fantastic opportunity to have the family portrait you've been meaning to get around to for ages whilst helping to raise money for disadvantaged children at the same time. I hope you'll participate.

Studio Update

As I write this I'm still a gibbering wreck after watching Manchester City almost throw away their place in the quarter finals of the Uefa Cup, only to save themselves in the penalty shoot out against the Danish side Aalborg. City never like to do things the easy way - Istanbul is still a possibility! Meanwhile....as this isn't a football blog I'd better update you on the photography side of things....

You may think that things have been quiet around here lately, but that couldn't be further from the truth. In between a handful of recent portrait shoots we've been taking time out to make some alterations to the studio, replace and update our displays and introduce some beautiful new products. We're also completely re-working the turnerportraits website and promotional literature. It's been confirmed this week that I'm to give a three part children's portrait seminar, including live photoshoot, for the SWPP in Malta in October, and speaking again at the International Convention in London next January. And next week Janet and I are off on a photographic trip to southern Spain. Now that Spring is in the air we're really looking forward to the lifestyle portrait photography 'season' getting into full swing. It's going to be an exciting year!

Yesterday I took the day off to go walking in South Cumbria with some friends (we go every month). After a few minutes in Photoshop this morning these are a few of my favourite images from the walk. Most of the day was fairly overcast with flat light, but these sheep turned out for a family portrait and arranged their own composition!

Even on dull days there is always something to photograph. Some beautiful shapes and subtle colour in this waterworn tree stump...

Late in the day the light got a little more interesting as we walked back along the estuary towards Grange....

And finally from this walk, a lttle abstract treatment of some lichens on a stone wall...