09 September 2007

The scariest night of my life [READ]

ATTENTION: This could be the longest blog I ever posted and probably the longest I will ever post...It could be real, spooky (to me) and funny.

On the last weekend, the moon was a crescent; so I thought to take a drive away of the city for Astrophotography...I drove away for so long until I reached an area crowded with huge houses and very dark, I thought it's great since that area is located away of the city lights and close to the sea, I wanted to take some photos of the moon's reflection on the black dark sea with the stars all around.

Anyway I reached that place and kept my car's lights on because it was very dark and I wanted to see all the text around the buttons on my camera; then I begun taking some shots for lighting test; when I am done I turned my car's lights off and begun to take some light testing photos of the moon, stars and the sea....Suddenly...

A 4X4 black car was driving toward me really fast and I was like :O
The car's lights wear very bright and it caused me a tiny headache so I turned my face to the other way, then it stopped like 5 meters away of me...
And that's when I noticed the blue and red lights above the car LOL
Remember, I have a middle eastern look and that means I am a terrorist according to many people in the world (F.Y.I. That's me being sarcastic).
Anyway....

- He asked If there is anybody else with me, my ID, where do I work, my work's ID and If they (my work) knows that I am a photographer and what will I do with the photos I take...Etc
- I said well, It's my hobby and I was trying to take moon shots away of the city lights because it's ruins it, and I am alone and kinda afraid that a group of dogs might pop up anytime and then I have to run really fast like hell (at the time I wasn't in the running mood)...
- He laughed then told me you shouldn't be here and asked me about the camera's film...
- I replied it's digital...
- He asked me to follow him so he could take a look on what I was shooting...
- So I did...
He took me to a room full of monitors LOL
I was like OH MY GOD, what did I get my self into LOL
- He said that he saw me when I got here but he wanted to wait for a while before following me, just to catch me doing what I wanted to do...
- He also said that he zoomed on me and took some snap shots...
- I replied why didn't you tell me? I would smile...
He laughed again then he left to get some water and came back...
-I told him about the last time when I've been into similar thing while I was trying to photograph the national assembly (locally known as "Majlis Al Omma", but obviously this time I've got my self in way bigger troubles...I never blogged that story before but it was kinda funny when you know the details I told him about :D
- He laughed...Then he asked me to see the photos and I showed him...
- Then he told me that I could take some photos in other place and that he'll guide me to it...You could leave now if you want, so I left back to my car (as fast as I could LOL) then he followed me to lead me to a different photography spot, and that's when his phone begun to ring; he went away to answer and he was laughing almost all the time (I could see that) but I had no idea what he was saying because he was far away...
Then he came back and told me that other people saw me on the security camera when I came here and they were checking out...
Then he asked me for my ID again and went back in, probably to xerox it :+
He came back...
Then I told him, did I get my self in some kind of most wanted black lists? LOL
He laughed and said don't worry :D
He begun to tell me about the other place where I could take some photos...
Then told me be safe..
I replied thanks and sorry for the mess and left...
I drove to the place he told me about and I found a sign says: "ATTENTION: STRICTED AREA, NO PHOTOGRAPHY"...

So I had a you turn and went back to Kuwait city :(

I had a photo in my mind that I want to visualize it but I didn't have the chance :(

Anyway I went to a different location, somewhere by Kuwait towers to take a photo of the crescent...I was trying to experiment my lens's maximum vocal length (200 mm) and I actually could see the unlit part of the moon!
The camera shakes when I press the shutter release button and I have no idea where did I lost my remote control (my room is a mess, I probably throw it in the trash LOL)...So I used the timer...Because I didn't want any blurr in the photo...
And that's when a car stopped LOL
- He told me what are you shooting?
- I replied why?
- He said that he is a "Mabahith" (Similar to FBI agent)...
- I asked him for his ID...
- He showed it to me...
- Then I replied shooting the moon...
- He talked for a while then he left...

I moved by the beach to take some photos of the dawn, when I am done I went back to my car and drove to a different spot...

When I was just about to exit to the main road, I noticed a guy shooting Kuwait towers and I was happy and not sure whether I should stop or not because sometimes it makes me nerves when someone do that to me or when people gather around me...
But I did anyway...I was kinda excited about it and I never did it before :D

We talked for awhile about our cameras, I asked him if he knows flickr and about photography spots, I didn't want to stay long although I was excited but I didn't want to bother...
I left to other different spots to have different sessions, then went back home...We were going to meet in another spot but we didn't.
I went back home and I was online...I got a message from someone I have no idea who was it, when I read the email...It was that guy, I was totally surprised because he knew nothing about me...I asked him how did you find me, he said through flickr :D
I guess, I just found a new photography pal :Pp~

1 comment:

Maya // مايا said...

OMG! I would've just freaked out like there's no tomorrow and screamed and screamed! Seriously! :)

Oo! A new flikr pal is fun! And to think he found you thru there. The wonders of technology.. another scary thing!! :D

Tc hon.

Ramadan kareem! Mabrook 3alaik elshahar!

-Maya