Matt Moyer

Photographer

The Sinai

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Location: Syracuse, New York

Biography: Matt Moyer is a photojournalist, teacher, and public speaker who focuses on social and cultural issues. Moyer, has photographed multiple feature stories for National Geographic magazine and is a National Geographic Explorer. His assignments... MORE

Blue waters of the Gulf of Aqab...nd profit-seeking developments.

Blue waters of the Gulf of Aqaba ripples between Saudi Arabia (far shore) and resorts lining the eastern coast of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Long both holy land and battle ground, the wedge of desert has become a mecca for pleasure-loving travelers and profit-seeking developments.

A European woman sits on the be...pt on April 26, 2008.

A European woman sits on the beach with her Egyptian boyfriend and other Egyptian men near Nuweiba, Egypt on April 26, 2008.

Israeli tourists enjoy relaxing...icide bomber in 2004.

Israeli tourists enjoy relaxing while vacationing at camp Ras Shitan during the Passover holiday near the city of Nuweiba in the Sinai, Egypt on April 25, 2008. Ras Shitan was attacked by a suicide bomber in 2004.

In an enclave of tolerance, bea... to protect this vital economy.

In an enclave of tolerance, beachgoers from worlds apart coexist near Sharm el Sheikh. This coast has been consumed by development since 1982, when Egypt last assumed control of the region. The country has built the world's largest tourism police force to protect this vital economy.

At dawn on Mount Sinai, camels ...to earn cash are few.

At dawn on Mount Sinai, camels rest and Said Spayel prays. Tourism on the peak has been a boon to Bedouin like Spayel: He charges about $15 a person for camelback rides to the summit. Thousands of other Bedouin live in the desert, where opportunities to earn cash are few.

A Mubarak era police officer st...gypt on June 1, 2008.

A Mubarak era police officer stops the photographer from taking a pictures in Dahab, Egypt on June 1, 2008.

Two women from Russia take pict...on Taba resort on May 18, 2008.

Two women from Russia take pictures of each other on a beach near the Hilton Taba resort on May 18, 2008.

Egyptian police stand in front ... and Egyptians alike.

Egyptian police stand in front of Ras Shitan camp near Nuweiba, Egypt in the Sinai on May 1, 2008. Ras Shitan was attacked by a suicide bomber in 2004 and is frequented by Israelis and Egyptians alike.

Decked out in baubles and crown...rtainment under the desert sky.

Decked out in baubles and crowns to mimic ancient Egyptian royalty, Russian and Italian staff performers from Domina Coral Bay resort pose for photos with guests. Beach resorts ship patrons to the sands near Sharm el Sheikh for dinner and entertainment under the desert sky.

A group of Egyptians, many of w...pt on April 28, 2008.

A group of Egyptians, many of whom work in the tourism industry, belly dance at a public beach on a day off in Nuweiba, Egypt on April 28, 2008.

Descending Mount Sinai, a Bedou... Sinai a destination in itself.

Descending Mount Sinai, a Bedouin boy and his donkey return from carrying supplies to tribal-run shops on the trails above. Biblical Israelites wandered here on their way to the Promised Land. Today, historical sites and natural beauty make Sinai a destination in itself.

A monk walks in front of the ma... Catherine's Monastery.

A monk walks in front of the main chapel inside the walls of St. Catherine's Monastery.

Age-old trust and mutual relian... Damianos (far left).

Age-old trust and mutual reliance endure in St. Catherine's Monastery, where Bedouin Salam Hussein (seated at right) and his chief have come for advice from Greek Orthodox Archbishop Damianos (far left).

A bedouin man prays outside the...Egypt on May 7, 2008.

A bedouin man prays outside the entrance of the Monastery of St. Catherine as other bedouins look on in Saint Catherine Egypt on May 7, 2008.

Christian monks shape bread dou...nsula on May 7, 2008.

Christian monks shape bread dough into loaves with several Bedouins at the Monastery of St. Catherine in Egypt's Sinai peninsula on May 7, 2008.

A monk of the Saint Catherine M...monastery every year.

A monk of the Saint Catherine Monastery reacts as tourist take photographs of a religious procession on May 6, 2008. Tens of thousands of tourist descend upon the ancient monastery every year.

Egyptians walk in the street in... city of El Tur on May 6, 2008.

Egyptians walk in the street in the Sinai city of El Tur on May 6, 2008.

A man walks toward the doorway ...erine Monastery on May 8, 2008.

A man walks toward the doorway of the main chapel inside St. Catherine Monastery on May 8, 2008.

A mirror reflects passersby in ...pt on August 6, 2007.

A mirror reflects passersby in Dahab, Egypt on August 6, 2007.

A SCUBA diver drifts along Jack...gypt on June 5, 2008.

A SCUBA diver drifts along Jackson Reef near Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt on June 5, 2008.

A swimmer enjoys the water in S...eikh, Egypt on August 11, 2007.

A swimmer enjoys the water in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt on August 11, 2007.

A bedouin's leads his c...rine on May 14, 2008.

A bedouin's leads his camels through the landscape of the Sinai near St. Catherine on May 14, 2008.

On a peak above the monastery, ...lt over 16 centuries.

On a peak above the monastery, wind whips German travelers at the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, built and rebuilt over 16 centuries.

A visitor has a more sheltered ...s plunged but are rising again.

A visitor has a more sheltered view, including of the luxury Hilton Taba resort. Terrorists released their fury at the hotel's opulence and ethnic mixing in 2004 with an attach that killed 31. Bookings plunged but are rising again.

Resort trash offers recyclables...en pasture is scarce.

Resort trash offers recyclables to needy boys and food to Bedouin camels when pasture is scarce.

Simple bread called feteer help...jobless and families suffering.

Simple bread called feteer helps feed Bedouin families in a squatters' camp near Naama Bay. Drought has pushed tribes down from the mountains to seek work, but deep-rooted distrust by Egyptian bosses keeps many of the men jobless and families suffering.

Members of the Mizena Bedouin t...St. Catherine, Egypt.

Members of the Mizena Bedouin tribe meet for an annual celebration in honor of their early ancestors near St. Catherine, Egypt.

Hayley Shtienberg, 22, lights a...f of Aquba near Nuweiba, Egypt.

Hayley Shtienberg, 22, lights a cigarette with her friend Eilat Zukerman, both of Eilat, Israel while watching the moon rise over the Gulf of Aquba near Nuweiba, Egypt.

Revelers dance the night away a...pt on August 9, 2007.

Revelers dance the night away at Pacha, an internationally known dance club, in Naama Bay, Egypt on August 9, 2007.

Bedouin children sell trinkets ...eikh on June 5, 2008.

Bedouin children sell trinkets to wealthy tourists outside a "desert" party near Sharm El Sheikh on June 5, 2008.

A bedouin woman throws a can to... and their livestock.

A bedouin woman throws a can to collect water from a cistern in the squatter camp she lives in on May 24, 2008. The bedouin live in a makeshift squatter camp near a garbage dump on the outskirts of Sharm El Sheikh. A seven year drought has forced the bedouin down from their traditional mountain homes. Discrimination by Egyptian business owners and operators in Sharm El Sheikh leave the Bedouin no jobs and little to no income. The Bedouin have resorted to sifting through the garbage thrown out by tourists to feed themselves and their livestock.

Whirling atop a cafe overlookin...ng as the tourists keep coming.

Whirling atop a cafe overlooking Naama Bay's pedestrian boulevard, a tambourine-shaking Sufi dancer seeks to approach the divine - and attract diners. Despite the threat of terrorist attacks, Sinai's open arms and modern aspirations will persist, as long as the tourists keep coming.

Shimrit Oded of Israel spends s...icide bomber in 2004.

Shimrit Oded of Israel spends some time with Egyptian, Youssef Bashat of Cairo while vacationing at camp Ras Shitan during the Passover holiday near the city of Nuweiba in the Sinai, Egypt on April 25, 2008. Ras Shitan was attacked by a suicide bomber in 2004.

Tourists watch the sunrise from...nt Moses and watch the sunrise.

Tourists watch the sunrise from the top of Mount Moses. People from all over the world travel to the Sinai to climb Mount Moses and watch the sunrise.

Nawamees stone structures are i...s or burial chambers.

Nawamees stone structures are illuminated by moonlight in the desert between Nuweiba and St. Catherine, Egypt on August 2, 2007. These structures were constructed between 4000 and 3150 BC. Their use is unknown but they are thought to perhaps be tombs or burial chambers.

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Thumbnail of Blue waters of the Gulf of Aqaba_and profit-seeking developments.

Thumbnail of A European woman sits on the bea_ypt on April 26, 2008.

Thumbnail of Israeli tourists enjoy relaxing _uicide bomber in 2004.

Thumbnail of In an enclave of tolerance, beac_e to protect this vital economy.

Thumbnail of At dawn on Mount Sinai, camels r_ to earn cash are few.

Thumbnail of A Mubarak era police officer sto_Egypt on June 1, 2008.

Thumbnail of Two women from Russia take pictu_ton Taba resort on May 18, 2008.

Thumbnail of Egyptian police stand in front o_s and Egyptians alike.

Thumbnail of Decked out in baubles and crowns_ertainment under the desert sky.

Thumbnail of A group of Egyptians, many of wh_ypt on April 28, 2008.

Thumbnail of Descending Mount Sinai, a Bedoui_e Sinai a destination in itself.

Thumbnail of A monk walks in front of the mai_. Catherine's Monastery.

Thumbnail of Age-old trust and mutual relianc_p Damianos (far left).

Thumbnail of A bedouin man prays outside the _ Egypt on May 7, 2008.

Thumbnail of Christian monks shape bread doug_insula on May 7, 2008.

Thumbnail of A monk of the Saint Catherine Mo_ monastery every year.

Thumbnail of Egyptians walk in the street in _i city of El Tur on May 6, 2008.

Thumbnail of A man walks toward the doorway o_herine Monastery on May 8, 2008.

Thumbnail of A mirror reflects passersby in D_ypt on August 6, 2007.

Thumbnail of A SCUBA diver drifts along Jacks_Egypt on June 5, 2008.

Thumbnail of A swimmer enjoys the water in Sh_heikh, Egypt on August 11, 2007.

Thumbnail of A bedouin's leads his ca_erine on May 14, 2008.

Thumbnail of On a peak above the monastery, w_ilt over 16 centuries.

Thumbnail of A visitor has a more sheltered v_gs plunged but are rising again.

Thumbnail of Resort trash offers recyclables _hen pasture is scarce.

Thumbnail of Simple bread called feteer helps_ jobless and families suffering.

Thumbnail of Members of the Mizena Bedouin tr_ St. Catherine, Egypt.

Thumbnail of Hayley Shtienberg, 22, lights a _lf of Aquba near Nuweiba, Egypt.

Thumbnail of Revelers dance the night away at_ypt on August 9, 2007.

Thumbnail of Bedouin children sell trinkets t_heikh on June 5, 2008.

Thumbnail of A bedouin woman throws a can to _s and their livestock.

Thumbnail of Whirling atop a cafe overlooking_ong as the tourists keep coming.

Thumbnail of Shimrit Oded of Israel spends so_uicide bomber in 2004.

Thumbnail of Tourists watch the sunrise from _unt Moses and watch the sunrise.

Thumbnail of Nawamees stone structures are il_bs or burial chambers.

Public Story

The Sinai

Updated May 2022

Location Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

Topics Arts & Entertainment, Culture, Desert, Documentary, Editorial, Essays, Journalism, Landscape, Photography, Photojournalism, Terrorism, Travel, Underwater