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

Preserving Oman’s beauty and life’s special moments through photographs

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By Qusai al Abri


They said that important events only stay for a moment and the only way to preserve a special time and make it last forever is to preserve it in photographs.


This is what photographer Abdulmajeed al Shuaibi has been doing, creatively documenting life events so that they can be preserved for future generations.


Abdulmajeed discovered his love and passion for photography when he was in high school. He started out by using his phone camera as acquiring DSLR and high-end cameras was not yet possible at that time not only because of the financial challenges, but also because of other considerations.


In order to learn mastery of the field of photography, Abdulmajeed connected with friends who share the same passion. It is through his connections that he would be able to learn and educate himself mostly relying also on Youtube and available tutorials on the Internet.


When he finally got the chance to own his very own Canon700D camera in 2016, it’s when he decided to become serious in his passion joining photography clubs in college and covering university events.


Because he was already studying Information Technology, it was easy for him to learn the technicalities of operating a camera. Through different courses and classes, he developed his skills further and in the process began to develop his own voice in photography.


“I love documenting life’s beautiful moments. I think this is one of the motivations why I am very passionate about learning photography. OI wanted to make fleeting moments permanently last,” he shared.


He added, “Photographers perform an important role of documenting life events so that memories can be retrieved in either print or digital format. It’s the beauty of photography, to be able to capture a memory so that it can be relived,” he added.


As a species, Abdulmajeed believes that we are bound to forget. He thinks that had it been not for ancient writings and documentation, we would have forgotten what the past was like. In essence, he said that pictures allow for a moment to live forever.


Abdulmajeed’s talent as a photographer has recently created a stir in social media when a photo he took of Wadi Shab went viral. Other than attracting followers who love his work, Abdulmajeed is also an important personality that helps promote the beauty of the Governorate of Al Sharqiyah.


“Oman is full of beautiful tourist places that are unique to the country. We have a great combination of mountains, valleys and seas and we need to promote these destinations to the world,” he shared.


While he has an eye for details, Abdulmajeed is actually more keen on just a few genres of photography.


One of his favourites is aerial photography using drone cameras.


“I like taking photos from unique angles. By taking the bird’s eye view, you provide a different context to a scene,” he said.


In 2019, he invested in getting a drone camera that he can use to promote different tourist attractions in the country making sure that he takes a unique approach to his photography.


Other than aerial photography, Abdulmajeed also loves portrait photography.


“There is something beautiful about people, how their features tell their stories,” he said.


He shared that when you capture a person right, you would be able to showcase his wrinkles, eye colour and other defining feature. As a portrait photographer, he said it is important to be able to compose a photo that not only highlights the subject but captures the person’s essence.


He prefers to leave photos as they are without using Photoshop and other correction programmes. He believes that all features of the face are unique and wrinkles make people prettier.


Abdulmajeed is also drawn to taking photos of children saying that their innocence and compassion as well as their childish expressions make them a very interesting subject to capture.


As of late, Abdulmajeed has been obsessed with cars, including car racing and Formula One events. He said that events like Formula One offers a different challenge which pushes him to be even more creative.


By attending racing events, he gained extra experience about the right moments to photograph a car while racing, and the best moves and was able to produce some marvellous pictures showing people that entertainment has no limit when it comes to formula one activities. He also aimed at sharing some pictures that are like rare pieces of art.


Abdulmajeed aspires to achieve positions in international competitions, as well as obtain titles for photography, such as a FIAP Artist and other distinguished titles.


From his humble beginnings, Abdulmajeed has started to create a name for himself but his learning continues wanting to take the beauty of Oman to a higher level. He also aspires to have the honour to photograph His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and said that his passion for photography will not stop, but will continue until he achieves all his goals.


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