[Leica] Iran Update

[Tina Manley]

Peso:

An update from Iran.  Wi-fi is very iffy and I had to get a VPN to get
Facebook or see my own site so communication has been limited.

We are having a great time!  After an initial problem with my SL lens,
which was remedied by advice from Leica, all 3 cameras are working fine.  I
did have a problem with the external hard drive that I'm using for a
back-up.  It seems to be working fine now, but because of that, I'm not
downloading any cards until they get completely filled-up so I have no
photos to show yet.

The week in Istanbul photographing Syrian refugees was shortened by a day
and a half because of delayed and cancelled flights but I did manage to get
in a couple of days with Syrian children and families.  If you ever run
across a tour agency called Urban Adventures, it's well-worth going on
their tours in many cities of the world to photograph ordinary people and
families.
.
Our Iranian guide is wonderful!  On the way in from the airport, we stopped
and :shared picnics with Iranian families. Then he managed to get me and my
cameras into the Ayatollah's Tomb where photography is normally forbidden.
He has continued to do that everywhere, getting me permission to shoot in
forbidden places and finding Iranians who are happy to share with us and be
photographed.

Today we are in Hamedan.  Yesterday we visited Arak, the village where we
used to live.  It's now a megalopolis with hundreds of high-rise apartment
buildings.  We found the area where we used to live but couldn't find the
house.  Tom went by the plant where he used to work but when we lived here,
it was in the middle of the desert by itself.  Now it is surrounded by
industry and commerce in a busy industrial complex.

Our guide has promised many more adventures.  It's cold here but beautiful
with lots of snow in the mountains.

I'll post photos when I get back home!

Tina

-- 
Tina Manley
www.tinamanley.com
tina-manley.artistwebsites.com
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photography/3B49552F-90A0-4D0A-A11D-2175C937AA91/Tina+Manley.html