As the World Press Photo 2006 winners hang in Zamalek, the people who brought them to Egypt hope they'll help change Egyptians' attitudes to photography: Hadeel Al-Shalchi reports Tucked away under the 26th of July Bridge in Zamalek hang some of the best photographs in the world. They tell stories of war, natural disasters, alcoholism, and sometimes of simple, happy moments. After touring 60 different countries, the World Press Photo 2006 winners finally made their way to Egypt thanks to the Contemporary Image Collective (CIC). Every year, an independent international jury judges entries in ten different categories. Photojournalists, newspapers, magazines, and agencies from all over the world submit the photographs. In this collection, some 45,000 photographers competed. The photos are then shown all over the world, subject to the condition they are not censored. Even though this batch of photos has already visited 40 countries, and comes late to Egypt, the CIC believes it was still important to bring the exhibit to Cairo. "There's a big difference between seeing pictures on the Internet and seeing pictures in an exhibit," says Thomas Hartwell, CIC's Chairman of the Board. "It can have a lot more impact, and I think for Cairo it was important because the city doesn't really have that many venues that show photography." Hartwell, an American freelance photographer who has lived in Egypt for 27 years, says Egypt lacks appreciation and understanding of what photojournalists really do. He says many people dismiss him as merely a "photographer" -- not a real journalist, because he doesn't write. There's little understanding of how a picture may tell a story. And that was another reason it was important to bring the World Press Photos to Cairo. "It's important for Egyptians to see a different kind of photojournalism, because I don't think the best photojournalism practices are practiced in Egypt." He says newspapers in Egypt are normally not very visual and one rarely sees photo stories. A photo may be used to illustrate a story, but it's granted far less importance than text by the editors and even by the readers. The exhibit itself is made up of approximately 200 striking photos. A walk through the exhibit transfers the viewer to parts of the world beyond the reach of many Egyptians. From bats flying in the sky, to women praying over their dead children in a war zone, the photos are beautifully shot and thought provoking. It's difficult not to stop at one of these winning photos and ponder the state of mind of the photographer who took it; what was the story behind the story the photo tells? They are a mix of black and white pictures, and vividly colored ones. Many reflect the disasters that characterized the year 2005, namely hurricane Katrina, the tsunami in Banda Aceh and the plight of Afghans during the earthquake last year. It's hard not to get lost in thought when looking at these, in particular. But the photos aren't all about disaster. An interesting photo of a man taking a tumble down a small hill while enjoying a picnic, tells the story of the problem of alcoholism in parts of Eastern Europe. Another taken by a journalist in Afghanistan shows a child holding onto his father for comfort while a doctor looks at his amputated arm. The look of fear in the father's eyes and the silent plea from the child's open mouth jerks any person's parental instincts. But the winning photographers also capture happy moments. It's hard not to join in the laugher or the bright white smiles on a shot of Congolese boys enjoying a splash of water. After seeing the photographs, it's easy to see how intricate and magical capturing feelings onto a still image can be. Indeed, the more thought- provoking the photo, the more respect and admiration the viewer will have for the person who had to be in the right place at the right time to take it. Hartwell hopes this collection of photos will heighten the awareness of what a photograph really does to tell the story: "When Egyptians see excellent photojournalism and how strong the message can be, I think it can only help to improve the image of photography in the Middle East and Egypt." And that's basically the goal of the CIC. Founded in 2005 by a volunteer group of board members, the CIC wants to promote the visual image, be it photography or film. Located off Qasr Al-Aynee in downtown Cairo, the villa the CIC occupies is a cosy place for activities such as photo galleries, training courses, and movie screenings. The CIC board is made up of people with different backgrounds and interests. One of their goals is to develop a visual library for research and a database of different photographers in the region. This is in addition to various training sessions for professionals and the local community. To encourage photography in the Egyptian community, the World Press Photo sponsored the CIC to exhibit the award-winning photographs and also conducted a training program for ten professional photojournalists in Cairo. The three-month course was given and evaluated by the World Press Photo. Realistically, however, Hartwell says it's going to take a while to change attitudes about photography and photojournalists in Egypt. "I don't have any illusions that we're going to change the mindset that's prevalent here and that certainly goes for the newspaper editors and the authorities," says Hartwell. "But it [the exhibit] can't hurt... it's also good for young people to see more intense use of photography." But he says there's hope. "Everyone has a camera in their phone now and they're taking and sending pictures," says Hartwell. "Maybe that will lighten up the attitude a little bit."
