“I started taking photos three years ago. I really enjoy documenting our history and our civilization, from clothing to food. It allows me to show the great mixture of nationalities and cultures living here in peace.” Says 27-year-old Emirati national and Dubai-raised street photographer Noora Khalifa Al Remaithi.
Noora’s desire to document the little known diversity of Dubai is what motivated her to embark on photography. “Most images of Dubai only show the very new and modern Dubai, which has essentialised the city. Dubai is more than that, so I realised that old neighbourhoods deserved to be documented and saved before it’s too late”.
Whereas street photography is not staged and rather spontaneous, Noora’s process is quite cautious and well thought out. “Now, I am working on taking my street photography skills to the next level, and finding my own style and signature. I choose the background first and then it may take an hour or two before the right person enters my frame, but it’s worth it and it teaches you more than just photography skills”.
But Noora has faced challenges. “For instance, people in Cairo are friendly, but once they see you taking pictures, they start acting perplexed and aggressive, which is something I can understand due to the tensed political situation in the country.
It also happened to me in Dubai when I entered an abandoned mansion and found a man in front of me in his underwear yelling at me. This situation was quite funny. Unfortunately, it happens that I have to let go pictures I know would look great”.
