From black-and-white to digital, Egyptian photographer looks back at 50-year career

Record ID: 1843462

  • Title: From black-and-white to digital, Egyptian photographer looks back at 50-year career
  • Date: 23rd September 2024
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN PHOTOGRAPHER, KHALED ABDEL-FATTAH, SAYING: “Ever since mobile phones came out, people have been taking pictures with them, but mobile photos are never the same as those taken with a camera. Even when a customer has a phone, they still ask me to take their picture with a camera, because there’s a difference between a camera and a phone. No matt
  • Embargoed: 7th October 2024 08:31
  • Keywords: Beach Egypt Photography Society Summer
  • Location: SUEZ, EGYPT
  • City: SUEZ, EGYPT
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Middle East,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA001463117092024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Seventy-four-year-old Egyptian photographer, Khaled Abdel-Fattah, spends his days along the shores of Egypt’s Suez Governorate, carrying his trusty camera around his neck. For nearly 50 years, Abdel-Fattah has been capturing beach-goers memories, first in black and white, and now using his digital camera.
    Abdel-Fattah began his career in photography after a keepsake photo was taken of him in his twenties, igniting a passion that led him to pursue the craft full-time.
    Now a fixture on the beaches of Suez, he has witnessed the evolution of photography through various stages until its current digital age.
    “Every era has its time,” Abdel-Fattah said.
    Despite the huge rise in popularity of mobile phone cameras, Abdel-Fattah believes that camera photography still holds special value.
    “No matter how good a phone picture is, it's just for storage. The real picture is only taken with a camera,” he said.
    Mustafa Mohammed, a beachgoer, recalled a photo taken by Abdel-Fattah of Mohammed and his father.
    “I kept the photo to show it to my children in the future. I wanted to take another picture with Mr. Khaled so that, God willing, I can also show this to my children in the future, and to tell them that I took a picture with Khaled here in Suez,” he said.
    For over 50 years, Abdel-Fattah’s dedication to his craft has never faltered.
    
"I’ve never worked in any other job but photography," he said. “My wish is to die (while still working) in this profession.”
    (Production: Sayed Sheashaa, Mariam Rizk, Yazan Kalach)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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