The Wave /  by Yousuf Zafar

IMG_9292.JPG

Off the coast of Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia, Canada

 

I've been obsessed with the texture and movement of waves ever since I saw Holudai's "The Great Wave off Kanagawa."  The deep ocean colors and bright white caps in this image remind me of that woodblock print. 

Photography as Response /  by Yousuf Zafar

Rites of Hajj, 2011

Rites of Hajj, 2011

Very excited that this photo was selected for the Photography as Response show at The Center for Fine Art Photography in Colorado...and was selected as Honorable Mention by Juror Christy Havraneck (Photo Ops Director at HuffPost)! Check out the other great photo's selected here.

As I was walking behind this man, I noticed a convergence of lines in front of him. The crowd cleared a little at just the right moment so I could take the shot. As pilgrims leave Medina, the first act of the Hajj is to enter the “Ihram,” a state of being, before entering Mecca. Men drape themselves in two white sheets, and women wear any loose-fitting clothing. The sheets are symbolic of the physical and spiritual purity of the state of ihram. Upon arriving in Mecca at The Grand Mosque (Masjid al-Haram), pilgrims usually complete the tawaf, or walk seven times around the Kaaba while praying. As with any mosque, shoes are not permitted inside the Mosque.

Durham Art Guild /  by Yousuf Zafar

The DAG Annual Juried Exhibition is up and running. I'm excited to have my work included! Details here.

Paper planes /  by Yousuf Zafar

Paper Planes
Honduras, 2011

"I fly like paper, get high like planes/
  If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name"
- MIA

I took this at an orphanage in rural Honduras. This boy was launching his paper planes into the air. The static lines and colors framing his movement caught my eye. 

Nikon D40
18mm
f5
1/60

Morning Catch /  by Yousuf Zafar

Stone Town, Zanzibar
2015

I took this near the end of a morning at the Stone Town fish market. The last remaining fishermen were heading home with their catch. As I took this shot, I was backed up against a large dry-docked boat, hunched against its side, trying to stay out of the way of people walking by. Because my back was to the boat, I had a hard time getting the right angle, until this shot. The sun was to the right of the photo resulting in strong shadows and shading, with muted colors. 

Nikon D7000
18mm
f11
1/2000

Under the overpass /  by Yousuf Zafar

Mumbai, 2010
 

Taken from inside a taxi, this photo depicts a fairly typical street scene in Mumbai. There's traffic, pedestrians, and cargo. A new overpass built over an old street. Symbols of faith. All of it happening at once. 

Canon Powershot S2
6mm
f2.7
1/250 

Opening! /  by Yousuf Zafar

My show at the fantastic Carrack Modern Art opens today and runs through June 11. Please stop by during gallery hours, join me for an artist's talk on June 9 at 7:30pm, and drop in for a reception on June 11 at 6pm.

The Carrack is at 111 W Parrish St in Durham. 

Hours
Tu-Fr: 12 – 6 pm
Sat: 2 – 5 pm
and by appointment

Sunrise in a cemetery /  by Yousuf Zafar

Medina, Saudi Arabia
2011

Located next to the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, the cemetery often called the Garden of Baqi is visited by worshippers. This particular morning, someone had just been buried at the break of dawn. Funeral attendees were just starting to walk away as the sun rose above their heads. 

Nikon D7000
40mm
f8
1/1250

Night traffic /  by Yousuf Zafar

Istanbul
2015

Istanbul straddles two eras as easily as it straddles two continents. Wherever I looked, I'd see busy, European life juxtaposed against Ottoman tradition. I took this photograph on the Galata Bridge spanning the Golden Horn. In the distance, is the glowing Rustem Pasha Mosque, built in 1563. The original Galata Bridge was also built in the 1500's. Today's Galata bridge holds 3 lanes of traffic, tram tracks, and walkways.

Nikon D7000
38mm
f4.5
1/6

Waiting in line /  by Yousuf Zafar

Honduras
2011

These people were waiting in line to be seen at a rural clinic set up for just the day. Because they have limited access to health care, people often walked for miles to be seen and waited for hours, often leaving with a sandwich bag full of vitamins and heartburn meds.

Nikon D40
26mm
f4
1/800

Nat Geo! /  by Yousuf Zafar

Thanks to National Geographic for selecting this photograph as one of their "Daily Dozen" favorite photographs of the day! If you get a chance, please vote!

Medina, Saudi Arabia
2011

I watched these women walking through the grounds of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. This was taken a few days before the start of the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. Groups travel to Saudi Arabia together, often wearing similar clothing to see each other in crowds.

Nikon D40
38mm
f6.3
1/1250

Stone Town fish market /  by Yousuf Zafar

Stone Town, Zanzibar
2015

More from the early-morning fish market in Stone Town. The fishmongers wade out into the water to meet the fishing boats. Then the boat crews fill buckets with the morning's catch and hand them down to the wading fishmongers. The sunrise casts a beautiful light on the scene.

Nikon D7000
18mm
f9
1/1250

Magnum Awards Gallery /  by Yousuf Zafar

Makkah, Saudia Arabia
2011

I'm really excited that this image has been featured in the LensCulture Magnum Photography Awards 2016 curated gallery! 

This was taken during Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Makkah, in 2011. Over 2 million people travel to Saudi Arabia every year, and many save for a lifetime to make the trip. This image hopefully gives a sense of scale.

Nikon D40
1/5
20mm
f22