“I think it's mostly about identity and gender politics. I often gravitate toward doing work centred around women,” says Egyptian photographer Lina Geoushy. “I am more informed about the stories closest to me, but I’m also generally interested in how society, politics, and religion affect all genders.” The emerging talent is reflecting on her artistic practice and in particular, her recent series, Cleopatras Scoring Change, which features two Cairo-based athletes, footballer Rooka and gymnast Malak. It was created in response to the Against All Odds commission, a British Journal of Photography’s 1854 Studio x The Malala Fund grant for projects centred on remarkable girls facing challenging circumstances. “I believe that physical education, sports, and movement are just as important as traditional education,” reflects Geoushy. “When I was growing up in Cairo I noticed how it wasn't integrated or valued in schools and this led me to focus on girls in sports.”

Geoushy trained to be a tennis player during high school, where she faced many of the same struggles as her subjects. “I can relate to Rooka being bullied for having darker skin than her siblings [due to training outdoors in the sunshine] and being judged as less feminine for playing football. I was mocked for my athletic physique at school, and by one of my brothers,” she explains. “With Malak I could relate a lot to how gymnastics was her escape and armour, and the centre of her life,” she reflects. This natural empathy comes through in the warmth and affection that emanates from her portraits of the girls as they train, rest and play. “There are a lot of undiscovered female athletes, and there's very little funding for women in sports, especially non-traditional sports like trampolining or football. The struggle to get basic sponsorship and the lack of grassroots initiatives is a common issue.”

Geoushy initially studied communications and psychology at university, and then got into photography while working at an ad agency. “I decided to take an evening photography class to develop my skills and visual literacy,” she remembers. “I needed an outlet away from my stressful job that was in a toxic, male-dominant environment. That motivated me to work more on projects and be more intentional about making photos.” She went on to do an MA in photojournalism and documentary photography at the London College of Communication. Choosing this path as a career has been a brave move in itself, one requiring her to shrug off societal pressure to pursue something with more stability and respectability.

It’s perhaps for this reason that she is so drawn to putting her lens on other impressive and resilient women. Her 2018 breakout project, Breadwinners, was awarded Documentary Photographer of the Year by the Royal Photographic Society. ”It was shedding light on Egyptian housekeepers, their lives, and the social and legal injustices they face,” she explains. Her more recent body of work, Shame Less, which gives voice to female survivors of sexual violence, won the 1854 Female In Focus Series Award and has seen her recognised as a Foam Talent for 2022.

But for Geoushy, these and other well-deserved plaudits she has received are nothing compared to the real reward, which comes from being able to celebrate the brilliance of Egyptian women. “I want to highlight our strength and resilience in the face of a very patriarchal culture and society. With lots of challenges and injustice, Egyptian women are – and have always been – achieving in all fields. For me, it's about asking questions that we are afraid to ask, and talking about taboo topics.”