"Angles of Photography" .. A Palestinian turns his roof into a hanging garden

Raed Moussa-Gaza

The young 30-year-old Amjad Jaradah transformed the roof of his house in the densely populated neighborhood of Shuja'iya in Gaza into "masterpieces", in a project called "Photography Corners", through which he realized his childhood dream of professional photography.

The idea of ​​turning the roof of the house into something like an "open studio" Amjad (32 years), after he was unable to rent a place to open a studio, using natural materials and recycling materials used, because he did not have the necessary money to do so, the roof of his house was a suitable space to start in the world of photography.

Since his early childhood, Amjad has been passionate about photography, but his family's difficult economic circumstances prevented him from completing his studies, joining the Faculty of Journalism and Media at the university.He was forced to drop out of school and work to help his family.However, the dream of photography did not leave his imagination.

Tale of love
The story of love between Amjad and the art of photography began since he was in elementary school.He told Al-Jazeera Net, “I studied elementary school in Hitteen school in Al-Shojaeya neighborhood.There was a photography studio next to the school.I was spending hours at his door looking at cameras and photographic equipment.”

He added that his daily and continuous standing drew the attention of the owner of the studio, who stopped him one day, and asked him about the secret of this daily habit, and allowed him to enter the studio. "It was the first time I touched the camera, and I had an indescribable feeling," Amjad said.

The days passed, and at the age of 15 Amjad began to take the first steps in the world of photography, using a mobile phone camera, to come the last Israeli war on the Gaza Strip in 2014, during which it was the beginning of Amjad with photography using the camera.

Ambition begins with an idea
"I had to borrow money, and I divided the roof of the family house into two parts, half of which was built on a small house, and the other half, which is no more than 80 square meters," said Amjad, who founded a project (Zawaya). take photo)".

Amjad relied on his personal talents and abilities in establishing his project, and said: I wanted to prove through this project that the youth of Gaza possess the energies and capabilities that qualify them to make miracles, and not to give in to the difficult reality.

Amjad used about eighty varieties of aloe vera, embroideries, recycled wood and used materials, and with special artistic touches, the roof of the house became like a harmonious painting.

Amjad uses the holidays and creates a temporary photography corner in the street in front of his house to promote and publicize his project. He is very satisfied with the success of the project over the past eight months.

Hanging garden
Hossam al-Kurdi is one of those who admire Amjad's project and his determination to succeed and realize his childhood dream.

Al-Kurdi told Al-Jazeera Net that it is not an ordinary roof of a house. It looks like a "hanging garden" and represents a unique experience in the Gaza Strip.

"Although I need money, it is not my only goal behind this project, so I do not set prices for photography, I leave it to the customer, and the words of praise and tribute that I value are equivalent to money and perhaps more," Amjad said.

Spaces for beauty
Amjad uses social media to market his project "Zawaya Photography" and feels very proud when he receives messages from outside Palestine from fans who inquire about the project and are surprised by his presence in the Gaza Strip, which they believe from the tragic news about him that he does not have "spaces of love and beauty" .

Amjad aspires to be able to own a private space from which to develop his project, but the debt accumulated on it makes this dream postponed until a while.