Incognito
Damascus, Syria 2010
She was standing near the entrance to the Hamadiya souk, chatting on her cell phone. A veiled woman in a Muslim country. You could say this is a stereotype of a Muslim woman but the aura of glamor and wealth explodes that idea. The street sign above her head avers that she belongs in a castle.
Her trench coat makes me think of the old tv show, “Get Smart”. Doesn’t she look like a spy?
Syria is going through hell now and it looks like the beginning of hell for Mali. (I showed Mali yesterday.) I went to Syria with a Canadian company called Adventures Abroad. One of the tourists who traveled to Syria on a tour prior to mine, was able to contact his guide in Syria. He learned that the guide’s family had been separated during the fighting and he had no idea where his wife and children were. The other tourists who knew that guide, collected more than $15,000.00 to send to him to help him bring his family to safety in Turkey. He was able to do that and wrote a heartfelt letter of thanks which Adventures Abroad sent to their clients: A story that affirms goodness amidst all the tragedy.
There are no photo tips for today’s pic. except including a street sign or some other recognizable feature might add a sense of place. Think about it. When you find your eye going to a street sign with unusual lettering or perhaps an exotic name, find a way to include it if you can or make it the subject.