Photowalks Attract Experienced and Amateur Photographers to Khorfakkan and the Sharjah Mosque

Overview

Two photowalks in January took enthusiastic participants to Khorfakkan and the new Sharjah Mosque at the intersection of Emirates and Mleiha Roads. Both photowalks were led by photographer Mohammed Al Hammadi, and photographer Mubarak Mahboub joined the group in Khorfakkan.

On Saturday, 18 January 2020, 39 participants embarked on a trip to Khorfakkan to explore and photograph the rich landscape and vibrant community in and around the coastal town. The participants, aged 16 and older, were able to meet and connect with fellow photographers and members of the Khorfakkan community.

Starting their excursion at Khorfakkan Art Centre, participants were briefed about the photowalk by Al Hammadi and Mahboub, who encouraged participants to discover stories they could use to create a narrative for their photographs. Then participants boarded a train provided by the Khorfakkan Municipality to travel to the various shooting locations. The first stop was Al Rabi Mountain. Participants scattered around the mountain and photographed both the landscape and other participants. The second location was the old souq in the downtown area. Here, photographers were able to capture images of the historic buildings and take portrait photos of residents, who conversed with them about the area.

A week later, Al Hammadi led the second photowalk, during which more than 58 photographers came together to explore and photograph the unique architecture of the new Sharjah Mosque. Aged 18 and older, the participants included both experienced and amateur photographers who were able to share their experiences with each other and discover new ways to tell stories through their photographs.

At the main gate, Al Hammadi presented a short introduction to the photowalk and asked participants to walk around the mosque to frame their compositions and take the shots that interested them. Equipped with a range of devices, such as DSLR cameras, digital cameras, drones and mobile phone cameras, participants captured photographs from different angles and perspectives. Many had brought along tripods to take time-lapse photographs.

The cloudy day allowed the photographers to create remarkable photographs, and since the photowalk took place between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm, the participants were able to capture photos in daylight, at sunset and after dark.

More than 150 photos were taken during the Khorfakkan photowalk and nearly 300 at the Sharjah Mosque. The images, tagged as #saflearning, can be viewed on Sharjah Art Foundation’s Instagram page.

The photowalks were part of the Winter 2020 Programme for Youth and Adults.