Yesterday I had a photo class with several university students- a few girls and about five guys. They're all very nice, and know more about photography than I expected them too. I tried to explain the rule of thirds- even though I don't think it's an important or necessary thing to understand in regards to photography. You can compose a beautiful photograph regardless of the rule, and I hate to even call it a rule. But I decided to go over it because it's a basic thing that most photographers know. So I began explaining it, and one of the kids let me know that they were already familiar with the rule of thirds, and that actually, it's more of a theory than a rule. This was the first of many times they amazed me during the day.

It became apparent that the first thing we needed to do as a class was go and shoot some photographs, because any of the limited information I could teach them through our language barrier would probably not be of much aid until I could at lease see what they knew so far. I figured it was better to start with some photographs that they had taken, and discuss with them how they wanted to improve and grow from those. So we decided that next class we would all meet at the City Center and walk through the Old City taking photos. Two students however, Montaser and Masuood, were available to go to the Old City with me yesterday, so we jumped in a cab (which generally costs 2.5 sheckels, or $0.68 each person) and went down there. For two hours we walked through the Old City, and Montaser gave me a narrated history of the Old City. This included a sweets factory, a spice mill, a site of an Israeli massacre of a family during the Second Intifada, the city water pump, and of course, Kenafeh, the dessert Nablus is famous for.

One interaction I've become familiar with and fond of is the lone Palestinian who sees you walking with a group, and comes to join you with a pointed interest of asking how you've found life here in Palestine. Has everyone been pleasant? Have you been able to find your way around? Have you tried Kenafeh? What do you think of Palestinians? And most importantly, will you be sure to tell everyone when you get home what it is like here? This happened while we were in the Old City, and has happened a few times since I've been here. Another example of Palestinian hospitality, and they're acute awareness of how they are perceived in America as exactly the opposite of that.

I came home and loaded the photographs that the two students took onto my computer, and was really astounded. Here are a few of them, the first three by Masuood ( you can see some Kanafeh in the third) and the last two by Montaser.