At The Bakery

I young Iraqi girl with traditional Muslim headscarf peers out from behind a gate.

Yesterday we went to a local “bakery” to do a story. I brought my camera along to take a few shots and was asked to write a bit for a Fox News web story.

Here’s what I wrote:
At first glance the "bakery" was nothing more than a stone fire pit wedged up against a chain-link fence that separated the bare dirt lot from a trash heap, and it wasn't even doing a good job at that. My reaction was, "Oh, this is it?"

The family soon emerged from its home and began the bread making process. The "bakers" were two women dressed in traditional black burkas, a photographer's nightmare. Burkas are specifically designed to hide the wearer from curious eyes, or even more inquisitive cameras. Getting a clear shot of even one of the women was next to impossible while they continually adjusted their veils and averted their eyes. All I had were amorphous black shapes tending to a fire pit.

The children soon came to my rescue and insisted on being in every shot. The little girl with the bright blue headband and her more traditionally dressed cousin provided a good contrast. Soon the grandparents emerged and I turned the lens on them. I attempted to endear myself to the aged grandfather by showing him the shots that I had taken of him and his wife, but was soon told that he was blind. Probably better that way anyway.