Dave Burnett is over in Dubai right now, working with Mohamed Somji and our dear friends at GPP. I have known David since the late 70’s, and have always stood back in awe as he amassed a visual archive that is the stuff of our collective histories. Got a wonderful email from him this morning that mentioned Ravi’s Restaurant. (I’m in Hong Kong, and bouncing off the walls of my hotel with the false energy of jet lag masked by a couple espressos.)
Last year, I made a few portraits of the staff at Ravi’s, a wonderful restaurant on the streets of one of the those out of the way neighborhoods in Dubai, far from the soaring towers of steel and glass. Beautiful food, and the kitchen crew are an affable, decent bunch. David and Mo wandered over for a meal last night, and Mo had thoughtfully taken the time to make some prints out of the quick pix I had shot last year.
It was just heart warming to see these expressions, all the way from Dubai to Hong Kong. I have to expect this doesn’t happen everyday for these fellas. Thank you David and Mo….makes my day. Or night. Or…whichever it is.
And, it appears their visit wasn’t just about distributing pictures. David, ever the story teller, sent this as well. When you’re talking Ravi’s, it’s all about the bread.
More tk….
The gift of a photograph is a truly wonderful thing. Beyond the ink and the paper, it doesn’t only anchor you to a specific point in time, but it affirms the notion that for a full moment (no matter how brief) you matter. Great stuff as always!
That is awesome! One of things I enjoy most about photography is shooting for a repeat client and seeing prints hanging on the walls of photos I had taken for them. I never get around to making prints for myself so its always a good feeling seeing your work appreciated.
Hey Joe, nice post, thanks for sharing! It’s nice when people remember your work long after it’s been done. (And there’s just something about actual prints…) You must have made a nice impact on them. I bet it was good indeed to see some friends when you were away from home.
Take care,
Brant Thompson