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This Egyptian Instagram Account is Archiving Strangers from Around the World

February 25, 2021
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found in cairo – moez street
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Found in Moez Street, Cairo.

Film student Salma Olama was finding strangers all over the world, collecting antique memories of people near and far in place and time with nowhere to share them. That’s why she decided to start uploading her photos online to share with the world.

“I was inspired to start this account or project mainly because I had been collecting old discarded images from antique shops and flea markets for years and wanted to digitally archive and share them!” Olama tells Egyptian Streets.

“I’ve always been super interested in old photos, the people in them, making up stories for what the context behind the image could be. I just find it very exciting and beautiful to be honest,” Olama says. Old cyanotype found in Zamalek, Cairo.

A cyanotype is a type of photo produced in a low-cost method, popular in the 19th and 20th century. It produced cyan-blue tinted photographs.

Old cyanotype found in Zamalek, Cairo.
“These three pictures below specifically blew me away! This one one I fell in love with as soon as I saw it,” she adds. Found in Zamalek, Cairo.
“I’m just so interested in the context of this photo, who are they? What happened to them? And the fact that there’s a note on the back as well, it’s so beautiful,” Olama added. Found in Zamalek, Cairo.
Found in Zamalek, Cairo.
Found in Zamalek, Cairo.
Found in Zamalek, Cairo.
Found in Zamalek, Cairo.
Found in Zamalek, Cairo.

 

 

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A post shared by @archivingstrangers

Olama is archiving strangers and accepting submissions online at @archivingstrangers on Instagram.

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