Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Through the lens: Oman after dusk

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The perfect photograph is one where the photographer finds the perfect balance of light, scene and object. Photography in natural light produces some of the most beautiful results but when these hobbyists challenge their talent and find beauty in the night-time, the result is something spectacular and unique.


Night-time photography is defined as outdoor photography that is taken after dusk or before dawn. In today’s cities and urban settings, this has become a popular style of photography where the artificial light is used to the photographers’ advantage to take the perfect shot.


Although popular, perfecting this art form comes with its challenges and isn’t an easy task for your average joe. Someone diving into this style needs to possess a thorough understanding of the mechanisms of a camera, the right equipment and a grasp of the technique allowing one to capture their shot.


This style of photography can be just as, if not more rewarding than photographing in natural light as it gives one a glimpse of the same place in a very different light (pun intended). A common street, a bridge or even the traffic may seem mundane in the day, but at night the same objects produce incredible photographs.


The early hours of the mornings, at the crack of dawn is a photographer’s nirvana. With the sky starts to change colour as the sun ascends, this short time frame is what many night photographers wait to capture the perfect shot, especially of landscapes. The same goes for dusk, when the sun starts its descent, the low lighting during these times are ideal for night photography.


One such photographer, who enjoys taking photos around the sultanate to present to the world its beauty and charm is Omar bin Nasser bin Hamoud al Wardu. As commonly said, a photographer’s eye for beauty is different from ours, they see beauty where the common eye cannot and this stands true for this young Civil Engineering student from Sohar University.

Omar’s journey as a photographer began in 2013 and his hobby has since developed, he said, “At the beginning of my hobby in photography, I was inclined to photograph the nature and landscapes around me but soon found myself being stuck in a repetitive rut, this was when I turned to doing portraits and candid photography, capturing the lives of people, especially of people in the midst of work, this was very popular with my audiences. To this day, I continue to take photographs of what is around me, but with a vision of reflecting the beauty of the Sultanate of Oman.”


One of his photographs that really stood out was that of the Mohammed Al Amin Mosque in Muscat. The mosque standing prominently in the background overlooking the Muscat’s highway is a remarkable photo, also reiterated by its many likes on Omar’s social media pages.


Omar’s plan and wish through his photographs is to show the world the Sultanate’s diverse beauty and the country’s ability to progress without compromising its natural aesthetic and organic beauty — the coexistence of man and their lands. He added, “Oman is a beautiful country with amazing opportunities, all it needs is a boost on social media and a chance for the youth to keep doing what they do best. The world needs to know more about this rich and vibrant country.”


Although a young student with a fiery passion for photography, his challenges don’t steer him away from his passion. Like Omar, creative minds don’t stray away from their creativity leaving Omar on a continuous mission to draw inspiration, improve his talent and capture the perfect shots, to show the world the beauty of the Sultanate of Oman.


Siham al Saidi & Titash Chakraborty


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