Sunday, December 14, 2008
Kuwait Snaps
It's not easy being a photographer here, especially since photography is technically illegal in Kuwait. It is possible, though, if you are discreet and don't take pictures of military or oil-related locations without permission.
Strict Muslims do not accept pictures of people, or anything besides quotes from the Holy Quran that are hung on their walls. More than half of Kuwait's population is made up of foreigners and although most of them are Muslim, some Western ones are interested in the Arts. Most foreigners are here for business purposes, though. Not a lot attention is given to cultural activity either by the Kuwaiti community or by expatriates.
I'm trying to show the "real" Kuwait, a country where rich Kuwaitis speed along the expressways in their expensive sports cars while Bangladeshis work twelve-hour shifts, six or seven days a week. Many work outside on construction sites throughout the plus 50°Celsius summer months, and earn about few Dinars month. That's well below the poverty line living in a place where a fifteen-minute taxi ride costs about $15.
Kuwait's landscape is flat. There are no mountains or hills, in the entire country. There are not even sand dunes which always make nice subjects for photographing. This leaves little to be said for wildlife or landscape work. Since this is the case, I'm approaching "Q8" from a different angle - close-up scenes, wide-angle views of modern and worn-down architecture, as well as everyday images that we don't see in other parts of the world. People always make great subjects too.
It is different working in this part of the world, and many wonder why I bother taking pictures of ordinary things. When I walk by camels grazing on my way to the store, I have an urge to share my experience with the rest of the world.
View URL: http://picasaweb.google.com/PrakashMannil/SnapsOfQ8#
Strict Muslims do not accept pictures of people, or anything besides quotes from the Holy Quran that are hung on their walls. More than half of Kuwait's population is made up of foreigners and although most of them are Muslim, some Western ones are interested in the Arts. Most foreigners are here for business purposes, though. Not a lot attention is given to cultural activity either by the Kuwaiti community or by expatriates.
I'm trying to show the "real" Kuwait, a country where rich Kuwaitis speed along the expressways in their expensive sports cars while Bangladeshis work twelve-hour shifts, six or seven days a week. Many work outside on construction sites throughout the plus 50°Celsius summer months, and earn about few Dinars month. That's well below the poverty line living in a place where a fifteen-minute taxi ride costs about $15.
Kuwait's landscape is flat. There are no mountains or hills, in the entire country. There are not even sand dunes which always make nice subjects for photographing. This leaves little to be said for wildlife or landscape work. Since this is the case, I'm approaching "Q8" from a different angle - close-up scenes, wide-angle views of modern and worn-down architecture, as well as everyday images that we don't see in other parts of the world. People always make great subjects too.
It is different working in this part of the world, and many wonder why I bother taking pictures of ordinary things. When I walk by camels grazing on my way to the store, I have an urge to share my experience with the rest of the world.
View URL: http://picasaweb.google.com/PrakashMannil/SnapsOfQ8#
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