CairoScene Photo of the Week: Sara Younes
Documentary photographer Sara Younes captures a quiet moment at the Temple of Philae in Aswan, reflecting on the connection between ancient history and everyday life in Egypt.
“There is something particularly special to me about this photograph: the connection between two different times,” Egyptian documentary photographer Sara Younes tells CairoScene for Photo of the Week, commenting on her snapshot of an everyday moment at the Temple of Philae in Aswan.
Each week, we speak with one of Egypt’s image-makers - the photographers documenting, archiving and shaping the visual memory of contemporary Egypt - and ask them to choose the single image that best captures their practice, their perspective and the way they see the world.
Sara Younes is a documentary photographer and visual storyteller whose work explores representations of the body, public spaces and photographic norms. With a BA in Media Studies, she has worked as a freelance photojournalist for various independent media outlets in Egypt. Her work has been presented at exhibitions across the region, including The Arab Street Vol. II (2019), Medrar’s Roznama 9 (2023) and Africa Foto Fair (2024). Her first solo exhibition was held at Darb 1718 in 2025. She received the Encouragement Award in photojournalism from the Egyptian Syndicate of Journalists in 2021 and is currently an ADPP Alumni Fellow working on her first photobook.
What’s the story behind this image? Where and when was it taken?
I took this photo in Aswan in 2017, at the old gateway of the Temple of Philae. While my friends and I were looking around at what remained of the temple, Mohamed, who had taken us there by boat, was leaning against the ancient gateway, taking a moment to rest.
Seeing him brought a sense of calm despite all the noise around. I think this is exactly when I feel I have to take a photograph.
Why did you choose this particular image?
There is something particularly special to me about this photograph: the connection between two different times. They meet here, naturally, in an ordinary moment of everyday life, opening up so many questions and thoughts.
But I also chose this image simply because I love Aswan, and I love sharing stories about people and places I care about. There are so many ways of life across Egypt, beyond the capital, that deserve to be seen and talked about. I feel it is important to tell those stories too.
