The Strange Worlds of Ajnabiyyat

There is something strange about photography. It might not transport you to another world, like a book, a TV show, or a movie but it can let you go free, to imagine free, to look at a picture and imagine what living through that moment would be like.

Of course, I don’t know much about photography. I have no idea about what color grading is, what are the angles, or how to capture emotion through a click. My curiosity about photography was ignited when Ajnabiyyat computationally popped into my Instagram newsfeed.

I was blown away!

Scrolling through the images, I began to imagine a world of my own.

A world of serenity. A world to dive into and enjoy the tranquility of the evenings. I imagine the silly laughter of the truck drivers coming from nearby restrooms, discussing the political turmoil of this country. I longed to be on the very top of the hills nearby, to evaluate the breeze with calmness, to witness the formation of birds, traversing back to their “home sweet home” with the coming of nightfall, and of course to observe the reddish half-sunk ball of fire melting into the horizon.

 

A world of menace. A world where dangers are lurking around every corner. That elongated howl of the wolf at a distance, that faint sound of a barking dog from a nearby ghost town, that hiss in the nearby bushes. That silhouette…those silhouettes among those vast clusters of trees and bushes. Suddenly glaring yellow eyes pop on one of those silhouettes' shadowed faces. One by one they incur, on each silhouette. The full moon is out, perhaps I should hide behind shadows to remain undetected, to be safe and tranquil.

A world of Grasslands, an intermediate between forests and deserts. I imagine myself sitting in the shades of that tree, reading “Love from A to Z” and watching the rope swing roped on the tree beside me, swinging to and fro due to gusty winds. The last thing that I don’t need is for my mum to call me to trek four miles into town and bring an arm’s length list of groceries from the general store.

A world of seclusion and self-assessment. A world that lets you crave to be alone. To observe the birds, the grass, the clouds, the insects, flowers, birds, and hills, to look at the very art created by God himself. To look in the reflection of water and to remind yourself, of who you are? Your standing in terms of morality, your goals your self-growth, and your beauty.

A world of yours. In fact, A universal world for all of us. The gravel path is the path that all of us will follow, seeking the light, and wisdom, for growth. The trees are those precious people that no matter what happens, will always remember you, support you, and listen to you. They are your parents, your relatives, your best friends, and if you are married, your children, or if you are old enough, your grandchildren.

Follow Ajnabiyyat on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajnabiyyat/