Syrian Girl, Covered, Migrant Worker, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, August 14, 2009

Continued from the previous post, this is her formal portrait with her hair covered. Her smile remains unchanged, pure. Her clear eyes, usually a challenge for anyone working in the sun, are a testament to her strength. As written before she has never refused me her portrait and has always allowed me to direct her during our sessions.

In this instance she was sitting on a small chair and facing her home. Behind her was a white sheet. Surrounding us was perhaps a dozen girls and boys in all stages of activity. Some were watching peacefully and others anxiously reminding me that the sun would set at some time in the very near future.

She was wearing a sweater under the shawl, and every once in a while that sweater would show at the lower right hand corner of the image. I would walk over to correct this and then back to the camera to make the exposure. She has since become accustomed to my insanity while photographing and just smiles in acknowledgement.

Her older brother is a dear friend of mine, and makes my work much easier by speaking to the younger boys. They look up to this most handsome man, and this makes all the difference in this world for me. He also has the same smile, shares her kindness and generosity.

As she gets older the time will come when I will no longer have access, when I will have to learn to do without her portrait. Until that time comes I cherish this last session and believe it to be more than I could ever ask for photographically.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Syrian Girl, Uncovered, Migrant Worker, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, August 14, 2009

Her clear eyes have always affected me deeply, along with her smile. She is among the most beautifully timid of the girls from this tiny village, and yet she continuously allows me to make her picture. She rarely speaks a word but says so much with her expressions.

She lives within a row of tents on the side of a two lane road, where cars speed by without thinking much of the children playing along the side. Children have been struck by cars many times and my eyes have seen evidence of this unthinkable violence. These are the children of migrant workers from Syria, and are seen in an unequal manner unfortunately in very much the same way as migrant populations in any other country.

This row of tents was the scene of my very first photographic venture of another ethnic group. She is young enough to be born within my time with this group of people, and I have photographed her older sister as well as her older cousins even before she was born. After fifteen years with these families my presence is almost unnoticed by the adults, while the children never seem to get tired from saying my name upon arrival even before my car comes to a halt.

For this image she sat down in front of neighbor's home, the leader of this community. A few of the boys sat next to me in the sun in order to prevent unwanted sunlight from below. We were just having fun and used a digital camera to make these images. The pace was faster and the work more enjoyable since they were able to see the images immediately, both on the camera's screen and through the prints provided a few days later.

She is wearing an informal blouse and has let her hair go uncovered. She is at an age when her hair is at times covered and at other times uncovered. On this day she chose the latter and allowed herself to be documented in this manner. I have always admired her and her friends, for they are courageous enough to work with me regardless of the statements made by some of the boys in the early part of my work (since then the boys have become fond of me and respected my decision to give the girls their day in the sun).

I miss her very much and look forward to next year's visit. Along with my family living nearby, she is a very important reason for my continued visits to the birthplace of my parents.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography