It’s only 7.30 on a February morning, but the day is already quite warm. A few days ago, a friend of mine called me on the phone and asked me if I would be interested in going to a camel race in Barka, one hour drive from Muscat. “Of course I am interested”, I replied. After all, I never had the chance to go to one of these events before, so I was not going to pass on this travel photography opportunity.
Off we went then, on this warm Thursday morning, bright and early. The
drive between Muscat and Barka, a local village, was uneventful. I was excited
to be able to finally have the chance to witness, and photograph, one of
these famous races. Camel races are quite an important event in the Gulf
region, drawing large crowds. Racing camels are raised and trained throughout
the Gulf countries, and can be sold for astronomical prices.
Upon arriving at Barka, we immediately saw that numerous tents
were pitched in the gravel plains. These belonged to the camel
owners and trainers, who had probably arrived the previous night.
Many cars had license plates from the Emirates, so this was indeed
a major race. We were later told that it was the final race of
the season, so we were lucky indeed.
There was a lot of pre-race activity going on. The spectators
were arriving, dressed in their best clothes and special attire.
Each tribe or village, featured turbans of their own unique
colour. The camels themselves were sporting fancy saddles and
ornaments. Musicians were arriving too, and their drums would
set the tempo for a good part of the morning festivities.
The races would start at around 9.30 a.m., so I started wandering
about, trying to make sense of what was happening all around
me. I realised that the camels I was seeing were not the ones
that were going to participate in the races. These were camels
brought from several villages, and they were getting ready for
some sort of parade. Men were busy tending to their animals,
gathering them in organized groups. These men are both old and
new, and judging by their smiles, they are truly enjoying this
important event. Later on, they will have to ride their camels
in the track, for the numerous spectators to watch and admire
their show.
Nearby, the musicians and dancers are busy too, organizing themselves
and agreeing on the programme. There are going to be three races,
and each one will be preceded by music and dancing. The rehearsals
show that this will include the typical Omani folklore, with
rhythmic dances and pretend sword fighting, while the sound of
the drums continues.
I was expecting to have lots of interesting subjects to photograph,
and indeed this is the case. I walk through the middle of the
camels and the people, through dust and heat. I try to make friendly
conversation with a few people, in very basic Arabic. From my
experience, a smile goes a long way in creating a momentary rapport
with the men, who do not shy away from the camera. Thus, I start
taking some photos with my favourite lens for these occasions,
a 35mm focal length. It provides wide enough coverage, without
the noticeable distortion of a true wide angle. Camel riders
start posing on top of the saddles, and I click away. But I try
to get more than these obvious shots. I get low on my knees and
try to get different angles.
After a while, I switch lenses, to a tele-zoom. I want to capture
more of the facial expressions of these men, with their skin
showing the marks of their difficult life under the Arabian sun.
I notice one of them laughing, because a blonde tourist is trying
to climb on top of a camel, for a short ride. I waste no time
in zooming in and grabbing the shot. Later on, it turned out
to be one of my favourite shots of the morning.
It is difficult to keep up with everything that is happening
around me. After the smiling man, I notice a boy who is taking
a few snaps of his friends with a small digital compact camera.
I quickly recompose and take the shot. This is happening a few
metres away from an old man, who is sitting on the ground, near
his camels. It is this contrast of generations, the old and the
new, which fascinates me. The young boys have digital compacts
and mobiles; the old man is just sitting there, like a statue,
with a cane in his hands. I approach him, and he allows me to
take his photograph. The lighting is becoming poor, as the sun
climbs in the sky, but this high-contrast lighting suits the
subject well.
I continued to wander around, photographing the animals and
the people, trying to capture interesting interactions between
them. Camels are very stubborn animals, but they can be funny
as well. It is hard to believe that such an animal can go on
without drinking for two weeks at a time, in the desert. I know
I would be dead after three days.
At 9.30 in a nearby area, the musicians and dancers were performing
more earnestly. This looked like it was the official “opening” of
the event. I was trying to understand where the starting point
of the races would be, and I did manage to grab a leaflet. Alas,
it was in Arabic, so I was still in the dark. There was a seating
area in the shade, where most of the spectators were. I went
there to get away from the sun, at least for a while.
I tried my luck closer to the track. I approached the guards
smiling, but to no avail. They were very friendly, but they would
not allow anybody close to the fence. I backed up a little bit,
and waited for the first race. The race was preceded by a dance
performance from one of the tribes. I tried to spot the starting
point, away in the distance of heat and haze. I managed to see
the start of the race on the giant screen that was mounted on
the track. This was the shortest race, only two kilometres. A
cloud of dust can be seen in the distance, from the camels, but
also from the cars that are following up on the adjacent dirt
road. The trainers go in the cars, giving instructions to the
jockeys (normally young boys). A commentator describes the race
in the loudspeakers, the crowd is cheering, and the winner crosses
the finish line. I was not taking photographs, even though I
had the camera ready.
I was trying to adjust the auto-focus points and the metering,
in order to fine-tune the settings for the next race. Of course
camels do not run as fast as horses, but they run in a sort of “wavy” way,
which is not very predictable. Nevertheless, I decide to try
my luck with servo auto-focus and aperture of f/8.
After this first race, there is a lull in the activities, while
the camels and jockeys get ready for the second race. This one
will be four kilometres, more demanding on both animals and riders.
Another dancing performance, and off they go. The same clouds
of dust allow me to follow the action. I grab a few shots before
and during the finish. I know they will not be good, because
I am far from the action, and with the fence in front. Still,
it would be strange to go to a camel race and come back without
photos to tell the story!
The winners of the first and second races will both win a brand
new Land Cruiser, in display near the finish line. Not bad, you
may think, and rightly so. However, the big prize is selling
a winning camel to potential buyers, especially the ones coming
from the Emirates. Prices can go up to a quarter million dollars
for an excellent racing camel. And this is the reason why it
is taking longer to prepare for the third and final race. This
one will be six kilometres. It is really hot now, and I wonder
how the riders can cope with it. I know the animals can. I check
my camera and lens again, just in case.
Because the race is longer, the starting point is closer to
us, near the finish line. I try to get there, but I am not allowed.
No one, apart from the trainers, is allowed to approach the starting
line. This is to avoid unnecessary stress on both animals and
their riders, while they prepare for the start.
Off they go, in the midst of a cloud of dust. The commentator
sounds really excited now, and the crowd is standing up. They
are on the far side of the track, and running fast. As they negotiate
the final curve, I start to lock focus on the rider that has
the lead. Then, as he approaches the finish line, I just shoot
a quick burst. Hopefully, I will be able to get some interesting
shots, fence and all.
After this final race, the crowd starts to disperse towards the
parking lot. I pack my camera away, and start leaving too. I can
not wait until the next racing season starts!
About the Author
Paulo Bizarro has been taking photographs since 1987. More of
his work can be seen on www.paulobizarro.com
. He can also be contacted at: pbizarro35@yahoo.co.uk
