Yeehaw.
Hello there.
My name is Layal. I am a fifteen year old amateur photographer from Bahrain. I got into photography at age fourteen and am currently practicing it as a very intense hobby, which is quite costly at times (haha?). By that, I’d like to expose my photography to as many people as I can, and Esra’a right here, helped me do so. Thanks again Esra’a. 
And ah! I like politics, and I like to read. A lot. So I think this website will be my homepage from now on. Google is giving me a bore.
So thats all, I guess.
I’ll leave the rest to the pictures. Adios!
I think smoking is beautiful. Just not cool.
This was taken by my house. For days Bahrain was drowning with rain, and I personally was loving it!
A lady at an exhibition about indian culture. She had great eyes.
He wasn’t too amused by me. He did smile afterwards, though. Most of them do.
Bahrain Musuem
My cousin was sick. We went to the hospital.
a scary dude who stared at me with creepy eyes like I was an alien from Planet Jupiter. I think people find me to be intimidating with my camera. hmm.
Cheers !
Join the Conversation
Amazing. I’m very impressed. Do keep it up please! It’s great having you here with us.
Thanks a lot, Esra’a. I really appreciate your support.
Great photos. Thank you and welcome:)
Layal-
Nice work…I have a daughter just a bit older than you who also loves photography.
I have to share a quick and true story.
I introduced my daughter to a friend of mine who is professional photographer that specializes in a method of super low-speed exposure. He then gets his paper from France and it takes him a month to develop one pic. It is amazing.
Anyhow…he told me that when he was a kid, about 10…he told a friend he dreamed of meeting Ansel Adams…maybe the most famous photographer in the world. His friend said…’why don’t you look him up in the phone book?”
Sure enough…the guy was in the phone book!! Pete called him and said “oh geez Mr. Adams, it has been my dream to meet you”. Ansel told him “well..then come over”. Just like that…he got to hang out with the dude.
Things have changed…but I guess there is still a lesson in putting yourself out there if you want to do anything significant with your life.
Go get ‘em Layal.
Layal, nice too see a person who is interested in the arts who is from the ME. I have yet to encounter an artist from that area. They either want to be engineers, doctors or Islamic scholars. WTF wrong with the last one… anyways… I consider myself as a mix media artist. I do photography also, one of these days I might post my work online.
Photography shouldn’t be expensive now a days, well until you get a nice DSLR.
Anyways, take lots of pics… that’s the only way to develop your talent and skills.
Anyways… welcome and enjoy
There are some great internships and contests that you should get involved with too, including some by the National Geographic which I think has some of the most beautiful and unusual pictures in the world.
I’m confident that with your passion you’ll go a lot of places, meaning Mideast Youth for you is just a start.
Jina – there are actually a lot of aspiring artists and photographers from the region, they just never get any attention, support, or publicity especially because art in the ME never gets you any money, for most artists it’s just a hobby which they can’t make a living out of so they end up having to work as the things you listed.
I met a taxi driver in Oman who painted some of the most amazing paintings I saw and I took its pictures, I told him I’ll try my best to help him start a gallery in Bahrain and I’m still in the process of doing that. If it works, it will be a dream come true for him. He’d certainly deserve it, his talents are awe-worthy.
Esra’a-
Art does not typically get you money anyplace that I know of, unless you get very lucky and/or go very mainstream.
In the US…we have a joke about waiters and waitresses always being musicians, painters and actors waiting for their breakthrough..and waiting, and waiting, and waiting…
Layal…don’t quit your day job
But keep clicking.
Of course being an artist doesn’t get you money
Esra’a, ever wonder why I am broke and have to work in stupid factories?
Laalalaaaaaaa
Mehh… I love it… and money doesn’t really interest me till I have to pay my bills so I don’t mind being a poor artist
… that is until i get my big break muahahahahha…. dum dum dum
To be honest I think being poor and doing what you love to do is worth much more and is way more rewarding than being financially stable by doing things you hate to do.
When I graduate, I decided that I will focus on making Mideast Youth bigger and bigger to the point where we’ll have offices representing us in various Middle Eastern countries. That is my dream, and I will do everything in my power to make it come true, even if it means I’d be poor or in debt for the rest of my life.
Layal, I think if you consider this to be your passion, you should go for it and not let anything get in your way of being as successful and well known as possible.
Jina, I definitely think you should do the same. I think this site will find a way to help all of us in the long run if we keep this work up. For the past 6 months this site has come very far, especially after I met Jina who made lots of things possible. The site would’ve given up a very long time ago if it wasn’t for our passion and energy.
Keep it up Layal and keep striving for the better. Your talents will pay off. That much is a promise.
First of all, I’d like to thank all the people who commented.
Howie – Ansel Adams! Hah! He sure is grand. Definetly one of my favorite photographers of all time. And what a lovely story, a dream come true, I bet. Gee, I appreciate the advice. But you know, sometimes its hard to ‘put yourself out there’, especially in this place we live in since there aren’t many oppurtunities, especially for people who are interested in arts. But I strive to change that. Some people tell me I can’t. But I got dreams. Sometimes, I don’t believe I can ever make them happen, but with the right motivation, I think anything is possible. And yeah, dreams do come true. You just proved it by the story you told me. Merci. (:
Jina – The thing is, most of the aspiring artists and photographers are hidden behind other jobs like a dentist, banker, or whatever. A collage friend of my mom’s had great talent as an artist, but being an artist doesnt put food on your table, as my father says. So he picked the alternative. He became a banker. The middle east doesnt appreciate art. Thats a fact, and its crystal clear. But I think, that sometimes money doesnt matter. Sure it matters when you got no food to feed yourself, but what about happiness? Money doesnt bring happiness. Food doesnt bring happiness (well, sometimes it does, but, y’know..) Look at yourself. You see happy…sorta
I don’t think thats because you’re loaded…hmm, maybe with talent or whatever.. but not money…err….yes? hah. Keep on being a starving artist. I support youuu 
Esra’a – National Geographic, well.. we’ll see where I’ll go.. I’ll just have to stick to my passion, and never let it go.. because I know I’ll regret it if I do. I think you even thinking of helping that taxi driver is really great, because artists in the ME seriously need more publicity and attention. Its like there’s some sort of big invisible cover over them and no one can see them, but ahhhh, one day will come where we will take over the world.. BAHAHAHHAHA… err.. yeah
And Esra’a, I hope your dream comes true. I for sure would like to help you make it happen. All the best, dear.
Layal-
Oh…SO many things I have to say to you…maybe I should write an article on my philosophy of dreams vs. practicality.
#1 idea though…find a way to study abroad…sure you will be corrupted by Western Europe or the USA, but freedom has it’s price…but while in any major university..even minor colleges…even frek’in community colleges you will have a million opportunities
3. Read “Reading Lolita in Terhan” and Perisopelis (spelling??)…of course art is loved in the ME…but well…I don’t want to start an argument here about what happened to the Omar Kayyams and Kahlil Gibran’s…but I do think a negative aspect of the culture got way to much power and represses human spirit..esp. that of young women.
4. Yes you have to have bread on the table…but you must also develop who you are…you know…I love a Buddhist philosopy that says “have no expectations”…I agree completely…but dreams and not expectations…they are hope. I also like what the great philosopher Max said (that’s my dad) “you have to have things to look forward to”. Balance Max and Buddha and make something wonderful of your life. Geez you remind me of my daughter.
@ Jada – my favourite fotos here were the second, thisd & fourth & also the last (the scary dude – well maybe he’s a nice man inside) – if you’re so involved in photography, why not make a small online gallery with your best photos? – webspace is cheap meanwhile – or maybe just put some stuff in flickr?
I don’t think, that at your age it’s relevant to make money out of it – the first step is always appreciation.
A friend of mine a photographer here in Nuremberg who made long photo journeys to Maroc, China & especially India etc for long long years. He made calendars, postcards etc. had also sometimes pictures sold to magazines, but meanwhile hardly can make a living with it – his website is http://ursschweitzer-foto.de – His not a professional webdesigner, but he made a lot of splendid photos (I made the slideshow (Diashow) there for him).
@ all – I like it if here in Mideastyouth from time to time photos are released, that tell their own stories of the surroundings & atmosphere, you bloggers here report of or live in. –
On one hand you can use photos to tell the truth or to lie depending on the true or manipulating eye behind it (see Reuters sometimes), while on the other hand photos are virgins who only tell the plain truth what they see. – If photos lie, then the lie lies in leaving out other views – you can make a desert country seem to be a country full of water, trees & plants, if you only photograph the few oasises & surrounding palms. – & you can make a clean town look awfull dirty & disgusting, if you only photograph scrap heaps, gutters & garbage cans there. – yes we all know that.
& it’s also astounding how much the description to a photo can manipulate the sight & impression of the viewers – would we think different about the man standing in front of the shop in the last photo here if the description would be?:
“My grandpa who’s posing proudly in front of his shop he grounded in 1964â€
instead of
“a scary dude who stared at me with creepy eyes like I was an alien from Planet Jupiter.â€
I believe that the spoken & written word stands above the picture, as beautifyull & telling pictures can be. – The word is spirit – the picture is senses. – Hmm & the trinity of these 3-One-God-religions in their original form, be it Judaism, Christianity or Islam forbid to use pictures to tell the real things. – Religions that are ruled by sculptures & pictures I always sensed as dark & mysterious, religions that come from the belly instead of the spirit – but that’s another story & would lead to far here..
oops – with @Jada I meant @Layal (sometimes (very often) I mix names) -
Heimo
Interesting points…
Have you ever heard of the Germans…Nyanaponika and Lama Govinda…really a very interesting story I just read (I am Jewish…but have a lot of respect for Eastern philosophy).
Great photos Layal. I love photography. Have you ever tried to take on a white on white shot? Those are hard, but I’d love to see your take on it.
Gorgeous photography and I hope you continue to create art of this caliber. I’m happy I’m not the only fifteen year old who goes on this site.
Howie – I didn’t know this Nyanaponika, but now researched for him in wikipedia etc. – can you tell me the exact title of that book? – Is it originally written in English or in German? – I found something like ‘conversations between N. & L.G.’ – I consider ordering it on my next amazon buying excursus – I don’t believe in Buddhism, but at least it’s one of the most peaceful religions to be found on this earth & glimpses of wisdom you find in most of them
Heimo, what makes you think that Buddhism is a religion?
Heimo-
I came across the names while reading “The World’s Religions” by Huston Smith. I am Jewish…not a Buddhist, but was powerfully influenced by their thinking along with Hinduism many many many years ago. Reading the book made me realize just how powerfully Eastern thought influenced me. Those were two German guys who were so overwhelmed by WWII they went on a spiritual quest to…yes Jina…Sri Lanka and became well know monks by the names I mentioned. Before they received those names…hell maybe they were Hans and Rudolf…don’t know. Just a story I found very interesting.
Jina-
Funny..in the book, the author gets into that very discussion. He talks about how Siddartha tended to avoid cosmolgical and theological speculation…so, at least according to Smith, Buddhism as a religion or philosophy is a debate. However, there is a split in Budhhism Thervada vs. Mahyana…one looking like a “way of life” the other more like a religion (for example prayers of petition, humans as supported by divine powers and some other stuff).
It is your birthday…you should be out getting drunk with Canadians aboot now…eey?
Heimo-
Lama Anagarika Govinda was born Ernst Lothar Hoffman in Waldheim
Isn’t it? – I wouldn’t call Konfuzianism a religion – it’s more a philosophy, wise ways to live your life), but all of the controversial things I ever heard know of Buddhism is, that it is a religion.
It’s a belief in re-incarnation, in a long way to change by being reborn again & again to a better, higher state of life depending how you use actual life to may ever reach the final goal of Nirwana, means the state of Buddha. Isn’t that a belief, what we humans call religion -
Well I don’t know why then they build all these temples & statues of buddha, like he was a God to be worshipped , while on the other hand it’s supposed to be only the highest state of being for a soul to be achieved. – But if you’re there do you forget everything of lower state behind or do you turn back to those lower, still struggling beings, to give them a helping hand & blessing. –
I noticed a Thai friend of mine pray to Buddha (because the oven on her new restaurant on the day of starting got broke – so: “Please Buddha fix our ovenâ€) & I really wondered why she prayed like he was a God who could ‘do things’ –
That makes Buddhism so hard to understand for me – I know the pure teaching of Buddhism (somehow) & than the lot of people praying in Shrines & statues of Buddha – same schizophrenia like I watched in Catholic Church e.g. when I see people praying to Mother Mary & all the made up Holy Saints (if that isn’t idolary – what else?)
But of course Buddhism is a religion, so considered by big fractions of mankind – see CIA world fact book of Thailand p.e.:
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)
It’s just how it’s called by public: religion – as I’m also a very contraversial thinker & I understand that public opinion doesn’t prove everything. – Is Voodoo or Satanism a religion? . Hm – I think so, because there are people who believe in it. – Is capitalism or comunism a religion? – It’s a belief, but not a belief in something like a higher being or final after-death-determination..
& what Jina makes you think that Buddhism is not a religion?
Heimo-
I found it. Check…The Way of the White Clouds…
Since the guy was German…maybe he wrote it in German or likely a German translation around.
I just ordered it on Amazon…dude had one hell of a life…and what irony given this blog and the above topic…he married a Persian photographer…
Not that is a mystical experience I’ll tell you what.
Is it a belief? Yes. Is it a religion? No. The belief of reincarnation is there, the concept of nirvana is there. Buddha was a teacher, he is no god. There is no god in Buddhism. Ever since the onset of Western religions, people have begun to turn Buddhism into a religion and it gets confusing. Yes, people pray to Buddha, but that’s not what Buddhism is. Buddhism is a set of teaching/philosophy taught by Sitharatha.
To those who grew up to a Western concept of religion (this includes Judaism, Christianity and Islam), they will think of it as religion. Buddhism is just like Taoism or Confucianism, but you can’t say they are religions either but to a Westerner it is. There are temples and shrines and also prayers for all of them.
The raw concept of Buddhism is just philosophy. A way of life, just like Taoism and Confucianism and in some cases even Hinduism, yet you will find temples and prayers for all of them because people made it so. Buddhism doesn’t say you have to do this, it says you can if you want. It says if you find a better way go a head. It doesn’t say if you don’t’ do this you’ll will not reach nirvana.
Vedic concept of nirvana and Buddhist concept of nirvana are little different where the Vedic concept says that you will become part of the universal soul of Brahma while Buddhism just says that you will realize existence of the universal knowledge.
Reading none-Western philophy or religions as you call it can help. Start with Tao Te Ching. It’s an easy read and very simple.
You’re so quick!
& that was the thing confusing me in Buddhism – while I see people praying to Buddha, what a misconcept to original. – But people tend to idolry & superstition, they turn philosphies to religions because they are in need to pray to something or someone above, who solves all their problems. – The orignal concept is soon forgotten.
I doubt the definition of religion that there has to be a God involved – it also has something to do with, where the soul goes, after you have died – going to reincarnation or paradize – it’s the belief that we are immortal & our life somehow goes on after dead – so I would call a believe about anything what happens to our soul after dead a religion..
& yes I look for that Tao Te Ching these days..
Idolatry in Buddhism is not allowed because that is against the teaching of the Buddha. He was against people idolizing him, but his followers did it anyways. Buddhism is a very anti-materialistic belief. Making a statute for Buddha with gold ain’t gona go along with the teaching of Buddha, so once again the followers screwed up the original meaning.
I have to make a “Lord, save me from your followers” t-shirt one of these days.
I guess this is the major issue in all religions or philosophies. The followers just fucks them up.
Under your definition of religion, Buddhism would be considered as a religion. That’s where it gets confusing, everyone have their own definition of religion, so it’s very tricky
yes right! -
I remember a similar qote in literature – I can’t quite remember it – it was something like ‘the wisdom ot the master is getting spoiled by his followers’
religion is anyway very tricky – who knows what is invented & what is real? – the true believers of course
I remember a poetry line of Leonard Cohen: “Let’s start a murder or invent a religion” – all religions started in small conditions but later on gets more & more confuse by its followers – at least no religion started from L. Cohen’s poetry lines..
I love it! You are brilliant Layal. I will be one of your addicted audience from now on. Waiting for more.
Howie – thank you for the informations – I’ll check that out on amazon & put it on my booklist for my next order – you made me curious..