Photography in Egypt - Ancient Ruins

[shay_ohayon]

Hi All,

 

I am planning a two week trip to Egypt. I would like to get some

tips and advices regarding possible locations / photo equipment to

carry. I'm planning to use EOS-3 and slides.

I will also love to see work done by others.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Shay

[james_ogara1]

There was just a thread on this.

[shay_ohayon]

Really ? I searched by keyword "Egypt" and could not find it.

Can you send me the link ?

[james_ogara1]

Try:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=009O2s

 

or

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=007Hct

[henry_fischer1]

I traveled to Egypt for 2 weeks last April. I carried a Nikon SLR, a 28-105mm and a 70-300; and a OLY Sylus Epic. If I went back, I would forget the telephoto. However, if you do any riverboat excursions a telephoto can grab a lot of shore life. Wide angle opportunuties abound. No flash inside any monuments. They will temporarily confiscate cameras of offenders! Also, I recommend going 1 stop over- exposure due to bright sun; having said that, a spot meter would be nice for shadows. My photos tended to be ovely warm probably due to intense sun, sand and the fact I had a skylight filter on.

The one big problem in photographing Egypt is the huge no. of tourists; getting them out of scenic shots is challenging, but if patient, it can be done.

Try to avoid multiple x rays of your film- just pass your rolls to the attendent at the side of scanners if possible. X ray machines are everywhere, but security within the country is tighter than in any other country I have visited.

If you respond and want additional info, I'll continue on. Good luck

[arturo_de_la_fuente]

I support Henry's aswer above.

 

I went to Egypt last year in a 7-day organised trip: 3 days in Cairo and 4 days in a riverboat from Assuan to Luxor (including a short visit to Abu Simbel). Something very intensive and plenty of photographic oportunities. I took a Nikon with a 24/2.8, 50/1.8 and 105/2.8. I think a 24mm is a must for the monuments. I regret that my 105mm was not long enough to capture riverlife in the Nile. Take or rent a 80-200 + teleconverter 1.4. As Henry said, the flash is forbidden in the monuments and museums; take it only for fill-in flash if you intend to make many portaits in mid day. As for film, I took Velvia 50 plus Provia 400 that I pushed to 800 for indoors. This film with a fast lens like 35/2 ot 50/1.8 is perfectly OK to make handheld pictures inside the monuments.

 

Be aware that the Egyptians will pose for you only if you pay them a tip. These tips are not expensive for western stardards, but I refuse to pay them as a matter of principle (therefore, I made few portraits)

 

Arturo

[arturo_de_la_fuente]

Sorry, I forgot to tell you someting: I had to pass through a lot x-ray machines, and I was very concerned about the film, particularly the Provia 800. However I discovered no bad surprises when I developed the film back home.

[fast_primes]

What exactly do the references to "a lot of xray machines" mean? You mean within the country itself, just getting access to monuments and the like?

[stuart_whatling]

re x-ray machines, places like the Cairo Museum and the AUC campus certainly have them. Whether you'll actually have to put your stuff through depends on that day's security situation. Incidentally, the AUC (American University in Cairo) bookshop is worth a visit - a wider range of books on Egypt than you're likely to find at home and a fair bit cheaper.

 

Do try to get away from the obvious tourists spots. In Cairo you'll get loads of touts and tiresome souvenir vendors in three places; in front of the museum, around the pyramids and in the khan al khalili. Get away from those areas (sadly most visitors never do!) and you'll have very few hassles, just lots of charming, friendly and generous people. I spent a week in Old Cairo, exploring the beautiful medieval Islamic architecture, much of which is very photogenic, as are the food markets (check out the mountains of garlic just inside the Bab al-Futuh). Despite the constant noise and chaos of the Bayn al Khasrin and surrounding streets, you're much safer there than in any of the tourist hotspots.

 

If you only visit one bit of medieval Cairo, I'd recommend The Khanqah/Mausoleum of Sultan Faraj Ibn Barquq in the Northern Necropolis. For a small tip the guardian will let you climb onto the roof and up the minaret for a great view (though my own photo's from there were slightly hampered by a bit of a sandstorm). For a different perspective on Cairo, the Coptic churches and cemetery around Fustat (I think the metro station is Mar Georgis) are also worth a visit.

[stuart_whatling]

ps. - if you're going to the museum, check the closing times but aim to go around 5:00ish in the afternoon. During the day, the Tutenkhamun galleries are absolutely packed with package tourists but by 5 they've normally all been herded off to their next stop and the galleries are empty - my friend and I had the treasure room to ourselves for about half an hour one evening. If you're really interested in ancient Egypt, the museum generally is an essential starting point but lighting and captions leave a bit to be desired - so take a pocket torch and a copy of the AUC's excellent guidebook.

[james_ogara1]

Arturo wrote: Be aware that the Egyptians will pose for you only if you pay them a tip. These tips are not expensive for western stardards, but I refuse to pay them as a matter of principle (therefore, I made few portraits)

 

Very true -- near tourist areas. Otherwise people wil ask but don't really expect to be paid. A few are even offended if you offer them money.