Female photographers take a Dubai photowalk to remember

  LITTLE did 16-year-old Dubai student and photography enthusiast Sara Mehdawi know that a random idea on her local Facebook photography group to bring female photographers together would spiral into what would now be known as the maiden “ladies photowalk”. “We wanted to inspire female photographers so we came up with this idea of a ‘ladies photowalk’. But we wanted to do it in a different way so we decided to share our stories as well as photography experiences and techniques,” Mehdawi, who organized the event, told ExpatMedia.Net. Eleven female photography enthusiasts showed up for the session, which took place in the old Dubai souq, Gold Souq, Spice Souq, Dubai Creek and Deira. “The interesting thing was how people accepted the idea of female photographers and allowed us to shoot pictures of them. Usually, we face drawbacks, especially in Arab societies where female photographers are still considered somewhat unconventional,” she said. “After shooting around the old souq, we met again to tell our stories over coffee,” Mehdawi said, adding that the group is working towards organising a second photowalk session. Meet Dubai’s female photography enthusiasts and read on as the ladies share their favourite photos and stories from the photowalk
Name: Sara Mehdawi Age: 16 Profession: Science student Residence: Dubai My story: I started photography when I was 9 years old. Since then, I have come across many genres of photography but street photography and candid photography are closer to my personality. It's all about capturing a moment from the object's life that is right in front of you. I want to show people how things look from another view; from my view! As a female photographer I always want to inspire other women in all types of art form. As a young female photographer, I do face some difficulties, especially in an Arab society where some people are not used to anything out of the ordinary. I worked up a lot of courage to get over those barriers. As I always say, just go ahead and enjoy what you're doing and enjoy clicking! My photos I captured this as it shows my photography style. Those balconies seem to have many stories behind them to be told. sarah3
Here is a sample of street photography where a single red chair is the hero of the photo… sarah2
I took this one using my phone while passing by the spice souk. It shows that there is life going on… sarah1
Name: Rahel Urech Age: 41 Profession: Architectural draughtswoman and cultural anthropologist Residence: Dubai My story: My transition from snapshots to photography started in 2011 when I got my first digital camera. For the past two years I have been taking photos with it. My photo We were shooting in the gold souk area. As I passed by this jewelry store, I noticed a salesman in a discussion with a group of women, with a male bystander and a girl sitting in a chair who looked quite bored and unimpressed by the action. I took a picture and walked right on - feeling a bit like I had intruded on a private moment in the blink of an eye. But this is an essential part of street photography and how I like to practice it—quickly capturing a moment without attracting the attention of the object. rahel1
Name: Afnan Nuwaid Tayeb Age: 19 Profession: Medical student Residence: Sharjah My story I discovered a passion for photography in 2016 and I find it really enjoyable. My photos These photos were taken after we hopped on a boat to get to the other side of the Dubai Creek to take good shots there. It was interesting to see the aloeswood and the smoke coming out of it. It made an interesting photo. afnan2
It makes a path look lively when there is a passerby. afnan1
This image was taken while we were walking in the spice souk. The lights looked aligned, which made it interesting to frame in a photo. afnan4
Name: Wija Neil Age: 43 Profession: Former accountant Residence: Dubai My story I used to work as an accountant when I lived in Indonesia where I am from. Now, I am a full-time mother, although I do find time for photography, which is a hobby I picked up in 2009. My photos It was interesting to see inside the gold shop. The gold necklaces helped to make an interesting composition in this photo, which also captured the shop assistants in traditional clothes. wija1
wija2 This one was interesting because of the dramatic late afternoon sunlight. The boatman in the foreground helped balance the composition.
Name: April Ann Vocal Age: 27 Profession: Dental technician Residence: Dubai My story I am still new to photography but I love it, particularly street photography. I just love how you can capture a story or a moment with a single photo without having to explain it because the photo explains itself. My photos I took these photos in Deira. It’s one thing to take a picture of what a person looks like. It’s another thing to create a portrait of who they are… april1
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