Picture this: These photographers dish on why they love capturing the UAE
Stories stood in time…
Everyone is into photography these days. Of sorts, because the camera in question is usually the latest export of a certain fruit-flavoured corporation’s money-making scheme and the motivation is generally that perfect shot for that perfect Instagram post for that perfectly curated feed.
It’s all very manicured, and while all is fair game in love, war and art, some seekers of the scenic walk a fascinating line of juxtaposition. Photography is a carefully planned and joyfully spontaneous art, all at once. One may pick up the shutter with a story in mind but never expect to find twists and turns in shadowy corners suddenly brought to light.
In the UAE, the practice of visual storytelling is a labour of love and coursing with curiosity, for here, the landscape hides many a secret and the promise of striking contrast found in few other countries.
“This place is a photographer’s paradise,” says shutterbug Vishnu Ramachandran, adding that the UAE’s landscape is unique in its own way, and that’s what makes it so ideal for photography. “I mean where else would you find a diverse and dynamic place with serene deserts, unique architecture, skyscrapers, wadis, mangroves, salt lakes, mountains, events and festivals? It’s a visual feast.”
Mo Azizi, fellow photographer, tells me the same thing.
“From megastructures like the Burj Khalifa to the serene Love Lakes in Al Qudra and the historic Al Fahidi district, the UAE presents an incredible blend of modernity and tradition,” elaborates Azizi. “This dynamic mix of skyscrapers and desert dunes creates a unique landscape that is a joy to capture.”
Naturally, the lens craves variety and variety we have, not just linear but through the trawl of time as well. From past to the present, the country has seem a mind boggling transformation at a lightning fast pace.
“It’s been incredible to witness the transformation over the past decade. When you look at my photos from the early days, the skyline and landscape are vastly different compared to today,” says Azizi, who has been capturing the UAE since 2015.
What’s interesting about the visual community here is the number of expatriate lenses you’ll come across. Residents hailing from countries far away from here, who have made the UAE their home, find new ways to love the place, and freezing it’s beauty is just one of them.
Ramchandran is from Kerala, in the South of India, and Azizi is from Iran. Zohaib Anjum, perhaps known to you as the Storm Chaser, whose perfectly fated shots of the local rarity that is a rainstorm, comes from Pakistan.
Unlike the other two, Anjum has a specialty – the storm. Whenever it rains and pours, he traverses across the length and breadth of the UAE to capture this powerful phenomenon, made all the more electric by less it’s seen around these parts.
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“Capturing dramatic weather events, such as sandstorms sweeping across the desert or rare rainstorms transforming the urban landscape, adds an element of dynamic intensity,” explains Anjum, adding that, to his lens, the look of lightning illuminating the iconic skyline of Dubai is a spectacular sight.
Picture this…
Ramachandran’s lens loves: If my camera could speak, It would definitely start with the architectures, cityscapes and recently a lot of street photography! Sticking to a specific niche is not something my camera is used to.
Azizi’s lens loves: My lens is mesmerized by the towering skyscrapers dominating the skyline, the delightful sunny weather, the desert dunes and in old Dubai, the charm of traditional architecture and winding streets.
Anjum’s lens loves: My lens loves the sleek lines of Dubai’s skyscrapers, especially the Burj Khalifa, juxtaposed with the serene, golden dunes, as well as bustling souks to majestic mosques.
Keep up with these lenses at @vertigodubai, @vishnu.ae, @alphaspotting
Images: Provided