Marie and Tom - Attitudes about photography have changed quite a bit since I moved here in 2007. I used to get scolded for carrying my big camera around. Privacy was, and still is, a big thing here. Taking photos of Saudi women, even fully veiled, used to be taboo - but obviously what has really changed all that is the advent of phones equipped with built in cameras. People here are much more comfortable around cameras now, although there are still strict laws about photographing people without their permission here, especially women. In the past women were often blackmailed if photos of them without their hair covered got into the worng hands. The photos in this post were taken in a more conservative area of Saudi Arabia and taking photos of women there would still be largely considered culturally inappropriate.
Splendid portraits.
ReplyDeleteThe women are missing.
ReplyDelete...and women are at home?
ReplyDeleteGreat photos. Thanks so much for sharing insights into the local culture like you do.
ReplyDeleteMarie and Tom - Attitudes about photography have changed quite a bit since I moved here in 2007. I used to get scolded for carrying my big camera around. Privacy was, and still is, a big thing here. Taking photos of Saudi women, even fully veiled, used to be taboo - but obviously what has really changed all that is the advent of phones equipped with built in cameras. People here are much more comfortable around cameras now, although there are still strict laws about photographing people without their permission here, especially women. In the past women were often blackmailed if photos of them without their hair covered got into the worng hands.
ReplyDeleteThe photos in this post were taken in a more conservative area of Saudi Arabia and taking photos of women there would still be largely considered culturally inappropriate.