While visiting Kairouan, our tour group was invited to lunch at the home of a local family. I was talking about photography with the son of our host and he asked me if I would make a picture of him with his cat. I asked him to stand next to a window, which gives the image a sense of dimension and provides a contrast of light and shadow that complements the black and white cat. Since the only significant color in this image is in the skin of the face and hands, some might wonder why I did not convert this portrait to black and white. When I tried it, all the life went out of the image. It became more symbolic and less real, losing its immediacy. The coloration of the skin tones adds warmth and his cradling of the cat is a warmly humane gesture. The medium fits the message here.