Giving Thanks

The generous blokes over at DVAFOTO have been kind enough to give my work a little spotlight. Special thanks to M. Scott Brauer, for heading the interview and the other half of DVA Matt Lutton for backing the work. 

If you have never seen their website give it a visit. I guarantee you will find inspiration in at least one of their many postings. 

As they say here in the Middle East, "Shukran."

Darshana Ganga

A full moon graced the sky in India where I slept on the banks of the Ganga. Each evening I was comforted by a steady and peculiar breeze. It seemed to be filled with kind spirits of the cremated bodies that burned along the river ghats. In the mornings I woke often from dreams of temples and visions of Hindu gods and goddesses. These dreams were often followed by hours of my wandering through the labyrinth of mazed alleys that weaved this "City of Light" into one. 

To view a new essay from my time in India entitled Darshana Ganga kindly visit my website at:  www.facun.com

"Like a forest where the leaves and dead branches and rocks and death of so much living matter shows itself as beauty, so it was here." Peter Malakoff  from his essay Manikarnika Ghat in Benaras                

Now & Then...

Into the mid-20th century, the economy of Abu Dhabi continued to be sustained mainly by fishing and pearl diving off the coast of Abu Dhabi town, which was occupied mainly during the summer months. At that time most dwellings in Abu Dhabi were constructed from palm fronds, with wealthier families occupying mud huts. 

The growth of the cultured pearl industry in the first half of the 20th century created hardship for the residents of Abu Dhabi as pearls represented the largest export and main source of cash earnings. 

After the Emirates gained independence in 1971, oil wealth continued to flow to the area and traditional mud-brick huts were rapidly replaced with banks, boutiques and modern highrises. 

Independence

a young girl prior to a celebration of India's Independence Day

Hunting

Strapped and ready to roll, I got out of my car and darted to the solace of the shade between two towers. I paused, wiped the sweat from my brow, looked to the sky and dialed-in my light meter and fired a test frame. I checked the results on my camera's screen and thought to myself: 

"What a cool frame it would make if a bird would just fly by between two buildings." 

Slightly impatient and early in my hunt, I waited for a second but nothing happened so I moved on wandering about Abu Dhabi's downtown. 

down several streets, 

through a tunnel, 

past an archaic watch repairman, 

down 49 something steps,

through a seedy array of Bangladeshi markets,

past a thousand images of Sheikh Zayed hangin' on every shop wall

when suddenly...

I came across a plump pigeon, he looked super sized from dining on scraps of fast food value meals littered throughout downtown . It was so random, he was just coolin' out & soaking in the rays in the middle of the sidewalk. It looked really odd and slightly humorous that this feathered creature would just pitch camp here. Why here? It seemed as if he were waiting for someone to bring him a pair of sunglasses, a cool beverage and a beach towel. 

Lurking into his personal space I popped a few frames but he took flight as I suspected he would. 

So I took chase. 

I caught him in an alleyway and shot him!

Grapes of Wrath

A frame from a summer eve...

Tragic...

soot littered floors

walls caked in a lifeless black 

an echo of death 

rang hollow 

three lives 

bid

their

goodbye...