FirstLook: Golden Hour in Karachi, Pakistan

For a long time now, I have felt there is a richer, more complete narrative about Karachi—my hometown—than what is often produced in news media. I’ve seen it labeled one of the world’s least-livable cities, one of the most violent. Perhaps. But that’s not Karachi’s full story.

For this photo series, I walked the narrow alleys of Lyari, the most-populated locality of Karachi, with two German filmmakers who were interested in capturing authentic Karachi narratives. It was nearing sunset, and as I looked up, I saw stunning rays of light spilling into the street. It was the “Golden Hour,” or “Magic Hour,” as we photographers call it—that time right after sunrise and right before sunset that offers the softest, warmest, most-dramatic lighting, perfect for photography. Many people were walking home from work, and I remember thinking I had never seen the Golden Hour quite this distinctively in any part of Karachi before. It was magical indeed, and the scene shown here reflects words that come to my mind in describing my city’s people: resilient, passionate, courageous and determined.

—Khaula Jamil
@khaula28
khaulajamil.com

The Quest for Blue

Written by Tom Verde

Rare in nature and difficult to extract from minerals, blue eluded artisans for centuries until Egyptians invented the world’s first synthetic pigment. Formulas for blues from cobalt and indigo followed, and the results have delighted our eyes and evoked the sacred, the royal, the opulent and the mysterious ever since. And the quest is not over.

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The Dialogues of Don Quixote

Written and photographed by Tom Verde

Amid the fearful turbulence of the 17th century, Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes invented a plot, characters and names that seemed innocently comical, but they cleverly cloaked his insistence that Spain recognize its historical diversity—and Don Quixote became the bestselling novel ever published.

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Creatives

FirstLook: One Eye on You

Photography by Mohammad Khorshed

I usually photograph birds in Kuwait during the migration seasons, when the country becomes an important stop for birds migrating throughout Africa, Europe and Asia. In October 2012 friends alerted me to a spotted, short-eared owl at Jahra Pools Nature Reserve in al-Jahra.

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