Doha: The World Photography Day, celebrated on August 19, honors the creativity of photographers and highlights their prominent role in capturing human and societal issues, celebrating the values of righteousness, virtue, and beauty in their work, and using the aesthetics and art of photography to reflect human conditions and the efforts sustain and preserve the planet’s resources and its living beings.
On this occasion, photographers have affirmed, in special statements to the Qatar News Agency , their dedication to preserving the environment, promoting sustainability, and documenting progress, in alignment with Qatar National Vision 2030. They highlighted their experiences and expertise in this field through their artistic visions and aesthetic methods, employing modern technologies and advancements in photography to express their feelings and connection to the environment, and their commitment to raising awareness about its preservation and the protection of its natural treasures.
In this context, photog
rapher Azzam Abdul Aziz Al Mannai said in an interview with QNA that photography is a form of contemporary art and a form of expression and capturing scenes, documenting moments that may not repeat, adding that World Photography Day serves as an occasion to remind us of the importance of images and their role in documentation.
Regarding his use of photography to document and preserve Qatar’s environment, Al Mannai said that a person is a product of their environment, and for him, the Qatari environment is the habitat where he was born and raised, noting that the camera is his tool for documenting the environmental diversity in Qatar and recording all the changes occurring in the natural system over time. Through images, he shed light on the challenges affecting natural balance, such as climate change, making the photograph a visual and aesthetic motivator to mobilize efforts and innovate solutions for preserving the environment and maintaining natural balance.
He mentioned that both the desert and marine en
vironments in Qatar are a constant source of inspiration for his artistic work in photography. Therefore, he has dedicated his effort and creativity to highlighting their beauty and advocating for their preservation and protection.
Among his works is the exhibition titled Azzam Al Mannai: Behind the Camera at the Eiwan Al Gassar Gallery in 2022, which featured photographs and videos that gained international attention and were displayed on global platforms, including the video ‘Whale Shark in Qatar’ shown on National Geographic.
The exhibition also included rare images of mangrove forests, coral reefs, animals from the Al Mashabiya Reserve, birds of Al Aaliya Island, and sharks in Qatari marine waters.
His works were also included in the joint exhibition Saif at the Al Markhiya Gallery in 2023, which featured selected images of the beaches of Al Thakhira, Fuwayrit, Al Ruwais, and Khor Al Adid.
He mentioned that his passion for photography has led him to travel around the world to explore its natural wonde
rs and creatures, from the Pantanal forests in South America to Komodo Island in Indonesia and Iceland’s volcanoes, as well as the Indian Ocean’s sperm whales and humpback whales, the central African gorillas and his exceptional experience photographing orcas in the North Sea in Norway.
The Qatari photographer explained that he focuses on three perspectives in his artistic photography to appreciate the Creator’s marvels and discover the beauty of the universe and nature. These perspectives include: aerial photography using drone technology, underwater photography to highlight the beauty of the seas and explore marine life, which combines his diving hobby with his passion for photography, and documenting wildlife.
In his statement to Qatar News Agency , photographer Mohammed Jassim Al Baker hailed the efforts of photographers in the State of Qatar and around the world, emphasizing their achievements in raising awareness, spreading knowledge and culture, and capturing local and global events through images th
at convey genuine emotions. He noted that photography is the simplest and most beautiful language through which the people of the world can connect with one another. Al Baker affirmed that the work of these photographers, as both photographers and creatives, aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 in the areas of economic and social development, as well as environmental protection and development. Their artistic photographs reflect the accomplishments of Qatar in various fields, he added. In the field of environmental conservation, and in support of the efforts of the State and its institutions in promoting sustainability and fostering a green culture in society, Al Baker explained that he specializes in photographing wildlife, particularly resident and migratory birds, to showcase the beauty and diversity of Qatar’s environment and the efforts to sustain it. He has produced educational and documentary programs for Qatar TV and Al-Rayyan TV, culminating that journey with an art exhibition in 2023 entitled “Sab
er” at Qatar Photography Center of the Ministry of Culture. He also published a book with the same title during the 33rd Doha International Book Fair in May 2024. The book features selected photographs from over five years of work, spanning from 2019 to 2024, capturing images of resident and migratory birds in Qatar. He noted that the title “Saber” is derived from the Arabic word meaning “observer,” reflecting the act of observing bird movements and then photographing them. Al Baker told QNA that his passion for bird photography, the uniqueness of his style, and the aesthetics of his work are deeply rooted in the connection between creativity in photography and the culture and wildlife, and the awareness of the educational and pedagogical significance of birds in maintaining both environmental and natural balance. Therefore, he included verses from the Qur’an, Hadiths, and famous sayings in his exhibition and book to reflect the teachings of Islam and the importance of environmental conservation in Arab cultu
re and Qatari society. The meanings of the Quranic verses, Hadiths, and proverbs were translated into English in both the exhibition and the book to highlight the cultural heritage and values of Qatari society in the field of environmental conservation and nature preservation, he added.
Source: Qatar News Agency