Being a photographer in Egypt

There are different ways to work in the field of photography. This text gives a short overview of different ways to become a photographer or to start working in this wide range.
The most obvious way might be to study or take some courses in photography respectively related fields like graphic design at some of the universities in Cairo. But you can also take courses at several other institutions.
In March 2009 short time expert Joern Neumann made some contacts to professional photographers who work in Cairo. Purpose was to find out how they learned their photographic skills. It should be emphasized that no one of them studied photography at a university - although there are some photography courses in the different Faculties of Arts and Mass Communication.
It is also possible to learn photographic skills in cooperation with other photographers. In family enterprises the knowledge of photography is often given from father to son. As there is no big network of people working in the field of photography some photographers learnt their skills as autodidacts.

"You have to act on your own." (Adel Mobarez)

Mr. Adel Mobarez, a well known portrait-photographer in Egypt, was 13 when he decided to try to become a photographer. After he was rejected to be part in a photography class at university, he became a self-educated photographer and is now one of the most famous photographers in Egypt. He even established his own TV-show, where he presents the work of young upcoming photographers. From 1974 until 1977 he learnt on his own and applied to newspapers and news agencies for getting work as a photographer. Then, after 3 years of trying, he got a job and showed his abilities as a news photographer.
His son Ahmed Mobarez, who is now one of the new generation of Egyptian photographers, took part in a photography course and then improved his work.
Mr. Ahmed Al-Bindary works as a photographer and researcher in the Center of Cultural & Natural Heritage (Cultnat). He began his career as a photographer in the year 2000 with a photography course at the Russian Cultural Center. His field of work is the photographic documentary of architecture of the 19th and 20th century in Cairo. For his work as an architectural photographer he needs different skills as than Mr. Adel Mobarez who works in interaction with people.

Talking to workers in different photoshops in the Downtown of Cairo it was interesting to find out that there are several other ways to start a job in the field of photography.
One worker in a photo shop took part in a course dealing with image editing. After he successfully completed the course he found a job as an image editor at a photo shop.
Two other workers in different shops in Downtown said that they started to work in a family enterprise. They were taught by family members and gained knowledge about image editing and processing through them.
In another photo shop a photo editor said that he started as a salesman in that shop and gained during his work some more knowledge about image editing and photography during his work.

These different examples of photographers and workers in the field of photography may give a short overview of different ways to find a job in this work area. It has to be emphasized that to improve within this field one needs a lot of one's own personal initiative - or to quote Mr. Adel Mobarez: "You have to act on your own".

For this purpose we have listed for you some of the Faculties, Galleries and other Institutions who deal with Photography in Cairo. If you are interested get started to contact these institutions:

Universities in Cairo

Cairo University
Faculty of Art Cairo University
Faculty of Mass Communications
5 Ahmed Zewail Street (Tharwat Street)
Gizeh
Tel.: +202 - 33355356
http://www.cu.edu.eg/english/
http://arts.cu.edu.eg/ http://masscomm.cu.edu.eg/

Faculty of Fine Arts
Helwan University
Zamalek, Cairo
Egypt
Tel.: +202 27358098 or +202 27360090

AUC American University in Cairo
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Tahrir Square Campus
113 Kasr El Aini Street
P.O. Box 2511
Cairo, 11511
Tel.: 20.2.2794.2964
http://www.aucegypt.edu
http://www.aucegypt.edu/academics/dept/jrmc/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.aucegypt.edu/academics/dept/jrmc/facilities/Pages/default.aspx

Independent Art centers dealing with photography in Cairo

Russian Cultural Center
127 El Tahrir Street
Dokki, Giza, Greater Cairo
Tel: 02 37606371 or 02 33370577

CONTEMPORARY IMAGE COLLECTIVE - CIC
20 Safeya Zaghloul Street
Mounira, Cairo
www.ciccairo.com
Tel.: +20 22 794 1686

Community Services Association - CSA
4 Road 21
Maadi, Cairo, Greater Cairo
Tel.: 02 23580754 or 02 23585284

Center for Documentation of Cultural & Natural Heritage (Cultnat)
Alexandria Desert Road, 28th km
Smart Village
Gizeh, Cairo
www.cultnat.org
Tel.: 02 35343111

Galleries dealing with photography in Cairo

Townhouse Gallery of contemporary art
10 Nabrawy Street off Champollion Street
Downtown, Cairo
http://www.thetownhousegallery.com/

Mashrabia Gallery
8 Champollion Street
Cairo
Tel: +20 (2) 5784494