A Week in Pictures Middle East & Africa December 15 2017

Okay okay it’s from last week, but it’s good enough for a mention this week as I bend the rules to include Ronen Zvulun’s picture. Wham! You are drawn in to the white shirt and face on the pavement make up a tiny fraction of the picture. As your eye draws out from the centre, the more intrigued and maybe confused you are. Shadows of people push you back in, where you are met with a surreal combination of hooves, boots, shoes and stirrups that I think Salvador Dali would have admired.  

A Palestinian man lays on the ground beneath police horses as he is detained by Israeli police during scuffles at Damascus Gate after Friday prayers in Jerusalem’s Old City, as Palestinians call for a ‘Day of Rage’ in response to U.S President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel December 8, 2017.   REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

A crisscross composition of blacks, reds, whites and the silhouette of an outstretched hand that demands you look at the weeping woman makes for a powerful picture of grief. Everything leads to the open mouth and closed eyes of the woman who sobs for her dead relative. The sadness of this picture is burned into my mind forever.   

A relative of a Palestinian man, who was shot dead during clashes with Israeli troops on Friday, mourns during his funeral in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza strip December 9, 2017.   REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

To say that Thaier Al-Sudani’s picture is a little messy is an understatement - a blue gash right to left across the centre of the picture, ugly lines in the buildings in the background, a power cable top right, not to mention two balloons, one red, one pink, in the bottom left. So why did this catch my eye? The answer is in the detail: this is a moment of sheer joy. A man is dancing and waving a flag, and in fact he is so happy he has thrown his crutches aside and is dancing on the roof of a kiosk on his one good leg.  

A man holds an Iraqi flag as he celebrates the final victory over Islamic State at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, Iraq, December 10, 2017.  REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani 

Sometimes a picture raises many questions. Satish Kumar’s picture of a camel hanging upside down is one such image – what is going on? At first glance I thought of food, game hanging from the ceiling or even a giant turkey, maybe because it was near lunchtime and I was hungry. Who are the people on the right? They are actually vets and this is the Dubai Camel Hospital, a warm picture that will certainly bring a smile to most – click here to know more. 

A camel is seen hanging upside down as he is brought in for foot surgery at the Dubai Camel hospital in Dubai, UAE December 11, 2017.  REUTERS/Satish Kumar

I bet Baz Ratner could not believe his luck when a tiny figure dressed all in black stopped at the exact point on a wall where the sunlight ended and the shadows began, climbed onto a railing and leaned over to try to catch a glimpse of the burial of Rabbi Shteinman. This gives a focal point to what would otherwise have been a very busy picture with a strong diagonal composition and no focus. 

An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man tries to see the burial of prominent spiritual leader Rabbi Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman, who died at the age of 104, during his funeral ceremony in Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Israel, December 12, 2017.   REUTERS/Baz Ratner

On Wednesday I was interviewed by Monocle about Reuters’ pictures of the year and was asked what makes a picture of the year. The answer is easy: a powerful, beautifully composed image that captures a key moment in a top news story. Mohamad Torokman’s picture of an undercover policeman making an arrest is made extraordinary when the policeman points his pistol at Torokman, delivering a very clear message – keep back. Torokman’s presence of mind has to be admired. In one minute everyone around him is shouting anti-Israel slogans, and in the next, as the undercover security reveal their identity, protesters are grabbed and detained. To continue to take pictures when a gun is being pointed at you at close range in a riot situation is for me truly remarkable. Could you remain calm enough to grasp what had happened, react, keep safe and get the picture sharp? The full back-story can be read here. 

Undercover Israeli security personnel detain a Palestinian demonstrator during clashes at a protest against U.S President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, near the Jewish settlement of Beit El, near the West Bank city of Ramallah December 13, 2107.   REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman

I think it’s worth showing a few more pictures shot by Mohamad Torokman this week to demonstrate that his fantastic picture of the undercover policeman was not a one-off but part of a very strong body of work. It’s also worth mentioning that he works as part of a team, but this week the luck was with him.

A Palestinian lawyer hurls stones towards Israeli troops during clashes toprotest against U.S President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, near the Jewish settlement of Beit El, near the West Bank city of Ramallah December 13, 2017.   REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman

An Israeli border policeman reacts as he fires towards Palestinian protesters during clashes as Palestinians call for a ‘Day of Rage’ in response to U.S President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, near the Jewish settlement of Beit El, near the West Bank city of Ramallah December 8, 2017.   REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman

A Palestinian demonstrator hurls stones towards Israeli troops during clashes to protest against U.S President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, near the Jewish settlement of Beit El, near the West Bank city of Ramallah December 11, 2017.   REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman

A Palestinian kicks a burning tire during clashes with Israeli troops at a protest against U.S President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, near the Jewish settlement of Beit El, near the West Bank city of Ramallah December 12, 2017.   REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman

The slowly turning wheels of the political story in Zimbabwe have overtaken the frenzied elation in the streets in Harare of last month. It’s much harder to photograph politics than street demonstrations, but it’s equally important and when it’s done well, it’s very rewarding. I think that Philimon Bulawayo’s quiet photograph of a picture being hung, half out of the spotlight, prior to a political meeting speaks volumes. To me this picture asks the question will President Mnangagwa bring  Zimbabwe out of the shadows and back into the international community? Only time will tell, but either way, it’s a great picture.

An official puts up a portrait of Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa ahead of a meeting of the ZANU-PF central committee in downtown Harare, Zimbabwe, December 14, 2017.   REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo

Sometimes when events unfold and there is a great single picture there is also the sequence around that single image. A question often asked is can video be replacement for a series of stills? Personally, and especially in this case, I don't think so as each picture can be carefully studied frame by brutal frame as the event unfolds. Video would have been more about the motion but you just would not be able to see the detail a high resolution picture provides. Have a look at Goran Tomaesvic's picture and then the combo we produced and decide for yourself. You can read the full story here too.

Israel border police stand away after shooting a Palestinian man with a knife and what looks like an explosive belt near the Jewish settlement of Beit El, near the West Bank city of Ramallah, December 15, 2107.   REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

A Week in Pictures Middle East & Africa November 3, 2017

Palestinian militants killed by Israeli security forces security while digging tunnels from Gaza are taken to the mortuary where their bodies are viewed by grieving family and supporters. On this occasion, not one or two but three dead faces are pulled out for inspection.   Mohammed Salem photographed the scene from on high so that we look down on the dead and the chaotic scene, the light from the TV cameras drawing us down, down into the picture.

People gather around the bodies of Palestinians killed in a tunnel near he border between Israel and central Gaza strip October 30, 2017.    REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

How can you possibly go wrong photographing a re-enactment of the ‘Battle of Beersheba’, a WW1 battle that involves costumed military history enthusiasts, horses, a low sun and dust from the desert. Amir Cohen managed to produce something extra special as the horses rode past. The light filtered through the dust, silhouetting the horsemen and creating an effect that I am sure Spielberg would spends hours recreating.

Descendants of soldiers from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) take part in a dress rehearsal of a re-enactment of the famous World war One cavalry charge known as the ‘Battle of Beersheba’, when ANZAC soldiers conquered Turkish forces and helped the British capture the Holy Land in 1917, in Beersheba, Israel October 30, 2017.   REUTERS/Amir Cohen

The sheer joy and release of tension seen in the screwed up faces and hands of the hugging families makes Omar Sanadiki’s picture of people who has escaped Islamic State in Syria one of passion and beauty. The faces, to me, tell the viewer their thoughts ‘I never thought I’d see you again, but here you are in my arms’. Could it have cropped tighter? Maybe, but then then you’d lose the sense of place: this is happening in the street, in public, for all to share in.

Relatives hug one of the hostages held by Islamic State militants who escaped from his captors in Qaryatayn town in Homs Province, Syria October 29, 2017.    REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki

Photographs of graffiti artists and their pictures are on the whole easy to shoot. But clandestine acts of graffiti on the Israeli barrier in Bethlehem are a different story. In this picture, artist @lushSux paints a kiss between leaders Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. What attracts me most to Ammar Awad’s picture is that the artist himself is like the censor’s pen, hiding the actual kiss. I think if we could see it all the artist’s message would be less clear. Read on here.

Australian graffiti artist works on his mural depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the controversial barrier in the West Bank city of Bethlehem October 28, 2017.    REUTERS/Ammar Awad

A simply composed picture by Baz Ratner seems to me to sum up the whole political election struggle in Kenya, as we all wait to see what happens next. There is just enough light on the figure to see details but Baz has ensured he has dropped low so the figure against the sky is strong and dark. A powerful picture, to me giving the sense of tension and pending violence.

A member of the Luo ethic group is seen as he holds a machete near the town of Muhoroni in Kisumu County, Kenya, October 29, 2017.     REUTERS/Baz Ratner

Very much in the same compositional vein as Baz’s picture, I am a sucker for simplicity of design. Afolabi Sotunde’s affectionate image of a woman walking down the fairway during a golf tour raises the question, what is she doing? But actually, who cares, it’s a great picture of warm tones and soft green colours, but your eye races to her white hat. The sort of picture you shoot to enjoy just because it’s there. For some a bit like playing golf I suppose?  

A guest walks on the course during the West Africa golf tour in Abuja, Nigeria October 28, 2017.    REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde

Ismail Zitouny’s picture is one that takes a little time to understand. At first glance it’s a queue of young men at a table – so what? The first two elements I noticed is that the men queuing are ordered into height and this picture is all about feet. Those queuing are wearing no shoes but they have matching tops – a team? The man on the left foot and the table legs on the yellow line guide you from left to right to look along the line of bare feet, your eye driven to the right of picture only to be pushed back into the frame by the figure in the orange top with the help of the man’s arm extended out to pull you back in. Quickly along the line of heads to the central figure in the red shirt his eye line looking at the shoes on the table. It’s then you finally notice the man pointing to the first in the queue and the man on the left holding the soccer boots. You almost hear them asking ‘what size son? Get your boots on and then onto the pitch”. I love this picture as I think it’s about hope, charity, self-help, determination and teamwork. Maybe I am seeing too much here, but read the caption and decide for yourself.

Migrants receive boots before playing a soccer match at a detention centre in Tripoli, Libya, October 30, 2017.    REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny

Just because I enjoy mildly bizarre pictures that make me smile Muhammad Hamed’s picture is included this week as it fits the bill. Brightly coloured robotic jockeys are firmly attached to their camel mounts that are seen from the rear prior to a race in Wadi Rum. The combination of the bright colours of the ‘silks’ numbered with just legible figures of 4 and 11, the arms of the robots leading down to their crops gives the viewer with a sense of miniature jockeys on giant beats ready for the off. See the whole race slideshow here.

Robot jockeys are seen on camels prior to a race in Wadi Rum in Jordan, November 2, 2017. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed