Comments on: laura el-tantawy – cairo

By: Rafael Roa Fotografía y más - Los Dioses Están Ciegos

Rafael Roa Fotografía y más - Los Dioses Están Ciegos — Fri, 11 May 2012 22:42:51 +0000

[...] o están ciegos,o les falla la webcam. Hoy he visto imágenes en la televisión de la violencia enEgipto y de como se asesina a la gente con la complicidad de toda la comunidadinternacional que esta [...]

By: The Rough Guide to the “Arab Spring” « radical africa

The Rough Guide to the “Arab Spring” « radical africa — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:45:04 +0000

[...] magazine. The first piece by el-Tantawy I was put onto was a photo blog of Cairo during the initial uprising. Beautiful, thoughtful, and so necessary. More recently, her post on Reda Abdelaziz Mohamed, a [...]

By: The Rough Guide to the “Arab Spring” – Africa is a Country

The Rough Guide to the “Arab Spring” – Africa is a Country — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:00:55 +0000

By: Interesting Times and Photography | Hugh Hamilton

Interesting Times and Photography | Hugh Hamilton — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:42:24 +0000

[...] pictures from 11th Feb in Cairo’s Tahrir Square seem on David Allan Harvey’s Burn Magazine site. Her images were also discussed in an Open-i webinar last Sunday, 20th March (if you want [...]

By: lisa hogben

lisa hogben — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 02:02:06 +0000

Hey Laura, sorry I am a bit late to this party…I have had a whole bunch of of things going on down on this side of the world…this is extraordinary work and I am glad that the will of the people has prevailed…on this side of the world it has been a number of months of the will of god which always prevails regardless… A beautiful essay, my particular favourites are the guy in the palm tree and the guy in the tank treads…but I reckon the guy in the palm tree is a WPP winner! Great to see your work here, cheers Lisa

By: brascao

brascao — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:53:04 +0000

Congratulations Laura.. really touching your work. Best wishes

By: Kenneth Dickerman

Kenneth Dickerman — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:07:03 +0000

just fantastic work. i like that it doesnt pummel me over the head with “this is what is happening” pictures. not merely pictures of record, but more personal, narrative work. much like the best reportage in the writing realm (kapuscinski). anyway, more of what we need. in 29 pictures, only a few of people with hands in the air, whereas that’s what everybody else is showing (at least in edits). i can imagine that more is happening there (or was) than people standing around in Tahrir Square with their mouths open and their hands in the air. Yes, for me, you have shown us, perhaps, a more comprehensive (sensory, etc…) “picture” of what happened and is happening there.

Laura, your quote “most of my work is like this, with no definite beginning or end” I submit, isnt this kind of what life is like? Superb!

By: Thoughts on dreams, iconic shoes, & inside a revolution

Thoughts on dreams, iconic shoes, & inside a revolution — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:05:25 +0000

[...] Her writing is simple and powerful. She was in Liberation Square when Hosni Mubarak stepped down. Laura El-Tantawy’s photo essay can be found at Burn Magazine. [...]

By: Kyunghee Lee

Kyunghee Lee — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 11:34:33 +0000

Laura,

I felt pain, sorrow, genuine courage, and passion from your essay.

Thank you very much for your real works.

And congratulations on the success of Egyptian againt autocracy.

Kyunghee Lee

By: lauraeltantawy

lauraeltantawy — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:05:41 +0000

Morning all – it feels unreal to be back in London after a really intense few days in Cairo. I definitely agree that the work here is more of a series than an actual story. In fact most of my work is like this, with no definite beginning or end. It’s also still unreal thinking Mubarak is gone. The vibe in Cairo is like nothing I have ever seen before. My last couple of days there the conversation was revolving around whether to stay in the square until the rest of the demonstrator’s demands are fulfilled, or if they should go. There was a definite split and it was very interesting to listen to people debate and of course, at times, take part in the debate myself.

In the end, the spirit in the city, and surely the country, is one of a new beginning. Most people feel a sense of relief the military has taken over and they feel safe. The military will only be there temporarily until a new government is formed (anytime over next six months). Now there is a sense that the air is purer, the spirits are stronger and dreams can actually come true. It is a new Egypt.

Thanks for all the support you have shown me here on this platform. When I left for Cairo I didn’t have intention of necessarily having my work published and seen by so many people. Thanks for the courtesy you have shown me and for allowing me to share my story ==> L.

By: Herve

Herve — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:49:34 +0000

It does come out superbly as an essay, though I definitely would not see it as a documentary of the events, and most of the comments do point to that, that this is about feelings, moments of great emotions, and Laura’s personal stake and fire-hot stance in catching her own people in the midst of long-awaited liberation (if it proves to be, too soon to tell).

Probably, Laura shot during the days too, as this is one remark that comes to my mind? Did you consciously edit the essay to keep only night shots?

By: denislav

denislav — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:26:02 +0000

This is the best documentary work on the revolution in Egypt, for sure! Laura took photos that will exist eternally.

By: wendy

wendy — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:12:04 +0000

L
dreams and reality…..
combined…..
BRAVO!!!!!
***

By: mw

mw — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:29:29 +0000

That first photo, the one of the guy up in the palm tree, congratulations, best photo I’ve seen about Egypt so far. I just went through the 48 photos that Gladdy suggested at the Atlantic (real Atlantic, RIP) and knew nothing after viewing that I didn’t know before, which was pretty much next to nothing. Guy in the palm tree though, that really captures it. For me at least. As I commented in the other thread, in response to David’s mention that he cares more about the truth of feeling vs any kind of literal truth, most of your photos feel like trepidation, like everyone is deathly afraid of what’s going to happen next. Guy in the palm tree though, he doesn’t give a shit what’s going to happen next. He’s going to take the leap into that ole great unknown. And gonna do it with style. That’s the kind of feeling I like to see. Feels true. And I genuinely hope it works out for the Egyptian people, though of course I have my doubts. But fuck a bunch of me and my doubts, eh. Jump off the palm tree, I say. Go for it.

By: Mike R

Mike R — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:59:29 +0000

Laura, you wrote “My name is Laura El-Tantawy and I am a proud Egyptian citizen” and any Egyptian citizen who sees your work will, I’m sure, be proud of you. This is first class photojournalism, showing insight and empathy with your subject. I’m so pleased that the story, so-far at least, has had the hoped-for outcome for the Egyptian people. Of course the story has just begun and Paolo Pellegrin will now document for Burn and for Magnum. Documenting such stories after the press pack have left is what Magnum does so well and I hope you have the opportunity to return and do the same.

Congratulations Laura, strong, brave work.

Mike.

By: James Chance

James Chance — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:47:06 +0000

Nice to see something a little different, and personal!

By: andrew b.

andrew b. — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:03:47 +0000

Laura,

Wonderful work. Well done.

By: Gordon Lafleur

Gordon Lafleur — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 16:21:11 +0000

Laura

Well done. Congratulations

By: Thomas Bregulla

Thomas Bregulla — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 15:32:02 +0000

Laura, this is certainly one of the best essays burn showed.

These are really personal and great great pictures.
Seeing the pictures you witnessed makes me have a high respect of the people there and their way to change the future of their country.

Congratulations for your pictures and for the great things your people achieved so far in Egypt.

I think everybody here feared for you after we saw the pictures and heared about reporters being attacked.
Good to know you are well.

By: Eric Espinosa

Eric Espinosa — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 14:55:40 +0000

LAURA,

You have made the most personal essay I have seen on the events and like Eva said before, I have seen many…. You should feel very proud of being Egyptian today but proud also of the work you have done…. there are few iconic images in your essay. I already mentioned the number 2 of the women face on the side which I love and, I have to say that the last one is an amazing shot as well… well done all around Laura! and congrats for having stayed true to your personal vision!!!!!

You were there Laura and thanks to you, we almost felt like we were there as well!!!!

Eric