Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
broken clouds
weather
OMAN
23°C / 23°C
EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

A teacher’s visual tale of Oman’s landscape

IMG_20160627_175214
IMG_20160627_175214
minus
plus

This legendary land of the fabled Sindbad the Sailor, Oman has something to offer to everybody — whether it is the deserts of Wahiba, peaks of the Hajjar Mountains and the long sandy beaches of its long coastline. Oman is a combination of different natural wonders — from its colourful flora to exquisite fauna, from its distinct Arabian culture to its mesmerizing landscapes.


As a travel website, remoteland.com, noted, “Still holding onto its rich heritage, Oman is one of few destinations where visitors can experience the exotic flavors of Arabia without the distorted perspectives of modern-day values.”


It also summarized, “Oman’s gleaming cities are alive with tradition, retaining their historic appeal and Bedouin values. It’s rare to encounter a country that is still rooted in ancient traditions and this, together with abundant natural scenery, makes Oman an exclusive travel option for those seeking a taste of modern-day Arabia while also journeying into its ancient soul.”


All of these noteworthy attributes of Oman did not escape Mohammed Said al Qalhati, a 33-year-old Omani who currently works in the education industry as a mathematics teacher.


This photographer in a series of images has captured the essence of the landscapes in the Sultanate of Oman. The idea of landscape photography is to capture the nature, fauna and flora or to focus on how man-made features coexist with the organic surroundings to create a work of art and display a picturesque and visually pleasing photograph.


A full time teacher, in his spare time Mohammed is also an avid photographer who travels the country to take pictures of the beautiful and diverse landscapes that the Sultanate has to showcase.


His journey as a photographer started four years ago when his environment inspired him and he began capturing the nature and landscapes around him and soon after got involved in photographing the diverse landscapes visible across the Sultanate. Even today, landscapes are his favourite genre for his photography.


From his collection, one can take a virtual tour of Oman’s seldom seen but definitely worthy of second look places like the flyover at the popular Wadi Shab near Sur.


His journey to take the perfect shot starts simply by having a DSRL camera with his choice of lens, a Tokina (11-10mm) long exposure lens.


He also carries his camera bag, a tripod, lens filters and a laptop. Using these basic equipment, Mohammed is able to produce the beautiful photographs of this diverse country and gives his audience a glimpse of what people in Oman are missing.


When not teaching or roaming the country for the best shots, Mohammed also spends time learning and gaining inspiration from his favourite photographers’ like the famous American ‘Afghan Girl’ photographer Steve McCurry and British


Photographer Jimmy Nelson. He also takes inspiration for themes and editing from the works of the renowned photo editor and journalist John G. Morris. Mohammed doesn’t narrow his attention towards landscapes only, he enjoys learning and getting to know various photography methods and styles to grow his hobby.


When out in the in the open lands, Mohammed says “I grew up admiring nature and the gift given to us and today this is where I draw all my inspiration from. There is a constant urge to document the landscapes that this beautiful country has been blessed with.”


Sunrise and sunsets, views of the beaches and sea and waterfalls are some of Mohammed ‘s favourite landscapes to photograph, his favourite he claims are “mountains at sunset”.


The concoction to the perfect photograph Mohammed believes is “using the atmosphere to your advantage, configuring the camera to enhance the beauty of the landscape and being at the right place at the right time.”


For him, the best time to take photographs in Oman is during dawn or dusk. He also like taking photos of moving water.


Titash chakraborty


SHARE ARTICLE
arrow up
home icon