Last week was the biggest holiday for this part in Iraq. It’s called Nowruz (New Year) and I got invited for a picnic at a small village named Mawat.

As I knew I was going to have a great time with local friends, and that we were going to spend some time together in a beautiful location, I decided to bring most of my gear with me. I know it sounds crazy and probably out of place, but you never know when you will find a great location or subject to photograph.

In my case I did not want to interrupt time spent visiting friends or with my own family (my kids were having a blast) so I waited for the right moment, and then gently asked about it. As with most people in this part of the world, where photography is a embraced and appreciated, they all agreed to take a break and have some fun with the camera. I was able to have some fun with a speedlight in a softbox too.

The whole shoot was done in less than 20 minutes, but that was enough time to capture a great moment for our families, and especially for these friends who will be receiving a print to show my appreciation for their generosity and being great models.