The Documentarian

The Documentarian

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Nubian Studies Conference | Munich

Nubian Studies Conference | Munich

In September my wife, Mona Sherif, and myself attended the 16th International Society for Nubian Studies conference in Munich, Germany. The conference which gathered together scholars, academicians, archaeologists, researchers, and other specialists in fields ranging from app development to photography, mapping and archiving took place from 7 to 12 September

Vietnam in Black & White | 1966 | 2025

Vietnam in Black & White | 1966 | 2025

Last year I took a trip to Vietnam and as part of my documentation I took photographs with my camera set on black and white with a 50mm lens. Years ago I came across a sheet of negatives of pictures my father took in 1966 on a one day visit

Taipei | A very brief stop-over visit

Taipei | A very brief stop-over visit

On the way back to Los Angles from Guangzhou, we had a brief ten hour lay-over in Taipei. By the time we found a locker to check out carry-on bags, had asked the information desk about transportation tickets to downtown - they are free for passengers who want to

China | Greater Bay Area Sightings project

China | Greater Bay Area Sightings project

I was returning to China and Guangdong Province, 11 months after the last trip. However, on this trip we would also be visiting Hong Kong and Macau. We were collaborating with US-based Chinese-American WCETV and China-based GDTV (Guangdong Television) to document what GDTV was calling Greater Bay

Memory Lane is a Desert Road | My Theatre Experience

Memory Lane is a Desert Road | My Theatre Experience

A few years ago my daughter, Nabra, wanted to know more about my life, especially my experiences as a photojournalist. As the years go by my memories of my life have become more and more difficult to remember. Her encouragement motivated me to try and recollect the past. We would

Vietnam | War and Peace

Vietnam | War and Peace

After five days in Laos visiting CIA Secret War sites, we headed overland from Sam Nuea to Hanoi. I have always been interested in the war in Vietnam. I had taken a an ROTC course on the Vietnam War while studying at the University of California and my father had

Laos | The Secret War

Laos | The Secret War

After a six month delay and lots of preparations, my friend, Al Willner, and I were set to leave on our next adventure. This time the theme of our trips would be the CIA Secret War in Laos and the Vietnam War (or American War as it is called in

Across America | and back

Across America | and back

So in October 2024, we decided to drive across the country. The last and only other time I had driven across the country was with my brother, Chris, and his wife (at that time) Cathy. I don't remember much about the trip though I do remember we went

Guangdong | Taste China

Guangdong | Taste China

I returned to China for another documentation project. This time, the four of us (Nick, Ringo, Irfan and myself), were going to Guangdong Province in southern China. We were invited by GDToday (Guangdong Today) and in collaboration with Chinese Culture Development Center were going to spend 11 days photographing the

Sichuan | Taste China

Sichuan | Taste China

I, along with three other Los Angeles-based photographers, was invited by the Chinese Culture Development Center to participate in a project called - 2024 “Taste China” World-Class Photographers’ Journey Through Sichuan. (for more information on the project see the CCDC website https://ccdcusa.com/2024-taste-china-world-class-

My Son's Nubian marriage celebration | Egypt

My Son's Nubian marriage celebration | Egypt

After my son, Shamseddiin was married in Mauritius to Sophia Grobler, they like my daughter came to Egypt to celebrate their marriage with their Nubian relatives. Sophia's parents, sister and husband joined in the festivities. Here are screenshots of the album I put together |

Sailing with the Sibs | Alaska Cruise

Sailing with the Sibs | Alaska Cruise

I am from a big family with three brothers and two sisters. With my father often serving overseas with the State Department for a few years and then stationed somewhere else, my siblings were who I often interacted with especially my older brother, Jeff. He has always been trying to

Scotland Impressions | A four day visit

Scotland Impressions | A four day visit

Prior to starting our walk of Hadrian's Wall in northern England, Al and I decided to rent a car and drive around Scotland. We worked out an ambitious itinerary at a pub upon arrival in Edinburgh. After hitting the road, it became apparent we would need to amend

Hadrian's Wall Walk | England

Hadrian's Wall Walk | England

This time my adventure with Al Willner would take us to northern England to walk Roman Emperor Hadrian's Wall. Al had proposed the walk and it hit a lot of things I like....history, adventure, discovery, scenic environment, and, of course, hanging out with my friend. However, I

Chemin de la Liberte | France | Spain

Chemin de la Liberte | France | Spain

Al and I had planned to do the six-day guided hike over the Pyrenees Mountains from France to Spain called the Path to Freedom. However, after the Tunisia Battlefield expedition, Spanish Civil War sites and just off the Hannibal Trail trek, we only had one free day before friend,

London Walkabouts

London Walkabouts

On our way back from out son's wedding in Mauritius, we stopped over in London and spend two weeks in my parent's London flat. They had bought the place some 30 years ago but after my dad passed away and my mom's stroke the

Morocco Meanderings

Morocco Meanderings

Last summer I attended the Covid-delayed 70th anniversary American School of Tangier reunion and met up with my brother, Jeff. Both of us including another brother, Chris, were boarders at the school in the early 70ties. After the reunion, my brother and I headed to Marrakesh to meet up

Tintype Cairo | Imagining the past

Tintype Cairo | Imagining the past

Cairo's an ancient city | One of the oldest on Earth | It's congested | It's crowded | It's noisy | It's polluted | It's dirty | Egyptians know this | They shrug and remember "Masr Zaman" | Egypt of the Past So during this

Cairo Visit | Tintype Family Photo Album

Cairo Visit | Tintype Family Photo Album

I'm here in Cairo visiting family and, as usual, I take snaps of family and street scenes as I go about my business. I decided to use a tintype app on my phone to convert some of these relatively mundane photos and I liked the results. I had

Spanish Civil War

Spanish Civil War

While planning the Hannibal Trail journey, I was checking sites in Spain on Google Maps and came across the site of a Spanish Republican bunker complex outside of Madrid and it peaked my interest in the Spanish Civil War. My friend Al Willner and I had first come in contact

My son's wedding | Mauritius

My son's wedding | Mauritius

Last summer my son, Shamseddiin, married a beautiful and lovely South African girl, Sophia Grobler, at the Grand Gaube Lux resort in Mauritius. An absolutely wonderful occasion with close family and a few friends in a magical oceanside setting. Most of the photographs were done by excellent Mauritian photographer Raj

Death in the Afternoon | Madrid

Death in the Afternoon | Madrid

My bullfighting adventure begin with a Guru Walk tour of Spanish Civil War sites in downtown Madrid. I was with friends Al Willner and Norman Engvall and during the tour we befriended fellow American and military history enthusiast Steve Jelso. After the tour he proposed visiting one of Hemingway'

Battle for Tunisia | Honored by Press Photographers Association

Battle for Tunisia | Honored by Press Photographers Association

2022 Qtr. 2 Picture Story — Press Photographers Association of Greater Los AngelesDoug Pizac , Quarter 2 Judge This category was the most disappointing.  The definition for it is to tell a story where the loss of any images would hurt the interpretation.  Unfortunately, many of the entries

Hannibal Trail | Tunisia | Spain | France | Italy

Hannibal Trail | Tunisia | Spain | France | Italy

We started on the Hannibal Trail where the charismatic Carthaginian leader met his only major defeat at the hands of the rival Romans. In 202 BC after 16 years of battling and defeating Roman Legions in Italy, Hannibal was recalled to defend Carthage. Scipio Africanus who had defeated Carthaginian armies

Battle for Tunisia | 1942-43

Battle for Tunisia | 1942-43

The Idea | Six months earlier I had made a brief visit with an Algerian colleague and friend to Carthage in what I call "Memory Lane Trips." I was born there and wanted to find the villa where my parents had lived and maybe the French clinic where I