Omar Attum ’91 first fell in love with Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula when he was 16, after traveling there with his mother. That love has proved to be lifelong. As a wildlife biologist, Omar has studied Sinai’s wildlife since 1998. He’s also brought his love of photography to the region and has been shooting Sinai’s wildlife and landscapes since 2000. Last year, 150 of Omar’s photos were published in the beautiful Sinai: Landscape and Nature in Egypt’s Wilderness (American University in Cairo Press). These photos reveal the beauty of a region that can often be unforgiving, offering a view of Egypt that few people get to see.
Omar is an assistant professor of biology in the School of Natural Sciences at Indiana University Southeast. He’s currently on a Fulbright fellowship in Jordan, where he’s studying striped hyenas and the Nubian ibex.
A self-taught photographer, Omar’s credits include National Geographic, The Courier Journal, Outdoor Photographer, Popular Photography, Shutterbug, Egypt Today, and The Jordan Times.
Photos courtesy Omar Attum