“I was taking photographs at a photography convention in Saudi Arabia.  I was already excited by the simple fact that I was in an environment where photography was being celebrated, which meant I could roam freely with my camera.  In Saudi Arabia, it is technically illegal to photograph people in public without direct permission, so I tend to keep my camera hanging around my neck instead of attached to my face.  Set aside such technicalities, I never want to offend anyone and steal a photograph of them, especially in Saudi.  On this day, my camera spent less time hanging.  I met her through my viewfinder, through an iMac, in Photo Booth.  She was passing by and decided to fix her scarf in the webcam.  When she noticed me in the background, she smiled…I could tell from her eyes.  She said, “Do you like this…me fixing my scarf?” I said yes and we made this photo together.  It was such a contemporary interaction.  The world is huge, but globalization, and all the technology that comes with it, sometimes makes it seem tiny.  If this is now, what is the future of Saudi Arabia?  In many ways, Saudi Arabia is a private country, but there is so much expression here in every sense of the word.”

– Ayesha Malik // @ayeshamalikphoto

080/100 of #100DaysofConfessions Instagram Project