Context
Portraiture has always been my favorite. Back in 2014, when I was just getting started with photography, I used to stop at how powerful portraits can be, how they could tell stories, evoke emotions, inspire change, or simply make people happy or confident. I began to approach my portrait photography as a means of self-expression and healing for both myself and my subjects, a way to capture the essence, soul, and story of people.
I began looking to create portraits that would have a significant impact, I set my eyes on an isolated, remote location with little to no exposure. It was challenging, but I eventually felt obliged to travel there to document people and their lives.
I used to tell everyone about my goal, which remained a dream until 2023, when I met @fadyemad, who had the same dream but with a different vision.
After many obstacles, attempts, and delays that led to us almost losing hope, we finally got permission to go. Not knowing what to expect, we embarked on a journey to document the modern Bishari bedouins of the Beja people living in Halayeb and Shalateen.
Overview
‘People of the Misty Oasis’ was an attempt to document faces and souls that despite their deep ancestral history have not been properly documented due the fact they live on a protected area of conflict, in the most isolated and remote region on the Egyptian borders, Halayeb and Shalateen.
