Mohammed Salem

I cover the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and stories of daily life. I also shoot sports and other assignments related to the political situation in the Middle East.

Some of my earliest memories of photography are clashes between Palestinian stone throwers and Israeli soldiers.

I loved photography as a hobby when I was very young, and my brothers Ahmed and Suhaib encouraged me. I used to follow them during their work and I learnt how to shoot and edit. I also learnt from the other foreign photographers who used to visit the Gaza Strip. They were highly professional.

My first assignment was covering a tennis championship in Dubai. It was a different experience to be away from conflict and violence. I realised that photography is not only about politics; it is about everything in life.

The presidential elections in Egypt left a big mark on me. I witnessed the people’s emotion, and saw how happy they were, considering they had not expected to see fair elections, since their old president ruled Egypt for decades.

A picture should not be taken just with the eye; it should have a meaning in the heart.

I respect the feelings of people who are being photographed, especially if they are in difficult situations.