Master the Art of Photoshoots with these Dubai-based Tips
‘Click!’ There it was, my 1,000th photograph clicked near Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. Each one capturing a different emotion, a different story. You ask, ‘Do all those 1,000 photos look the same?’ To which I reply, ‘Does every sunrise look the same?’ Just as each sunrise is unique, so too is each Dubai photoshoot.
Did you know Dubai offers over 150 various architectural and natural backdrops for your photography! But it’s not just about snapping ‘pretty’ pictures. It’s about capturing the soul of a moment, the grace in the mundane, and translating it into a language the world understands – a photograph. Let’s embark on a journey today to master the art of photoshoots, with a little help from the trusted advice of Dubai’s acclaimed photographers.
Get Acquainted with your Canvas – Dubai
‘The beauty of Dubai is that it’s like an open canvas,’ a famous photographer once reflected. I’ve personally walked down the old lanes of Al Bastakiya, the heart of Dubai’s heritage, with my camera and witnessed the city revealing its true colors – a vibrant assembly of cultures, each with its own storyline.
Embrace the Dance of Light
Next, let’s talk about light, the photographer’s closest ally and notoriously challenging adversary. I remember a Dubai photoshoot I once had at dawn in the gold-spun desert. As the first rays of sunlight pierced the hazy sky, bathing the dunes in colors I hadn’t seen before, I realized something – light doesn’t just illuminate, it paints.
Understanding the color, direction, and quality of light can dramatically improve the output of your photography, adding depth and dimension to your clicked moments. ‘Embrace light’s dance’, as one noted Dubai photographer told me during an unplanned coffee catch up. ‘Let it lead, and you follow.’
Compose Your Shots Effortlessly
Seemingly simple, composition can make or break a photo. It’s like arranging puzzle pieces – each object, person, and even empty space play their distinctive parts. The camera is your stage, and as a photographer, you’re the choreographer. You decide how to orchestrate the drama on this stage, how to weave individuals, objects, and locales into a harmonious ballet of visual narration.
Take, for instance, the rule of thirds — an age-old, yet powerful tool in your composition arsenal. Imagine dividing your frame into a 3×3 grid and then placing your subjects along those lines or at their intersections. It creates a balanced, appealing image – an unspoken harmony that the human eye cannot resist.
Capture the Soul, not just the Face
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, remember that every photoshoot is a conversation without words, a dance without steps, a melody without notes. Whether it’s a bustling cityscape or a charismatic model, every subject has an essence – a soul. As a photographer, your purpose is to seize that essence and transform it into a tangible memory.
This was a lesson I learned the hard way during one of my initial assignments. I focused so much on getting the perfect shot that I forgot to create a connection with my subject. The result? A beautifully composed but soulless photograph.
Conclusion
Much like Dubai itself, photoshoots require you to blend the old with the new, the timeless with the transitory, the soul with the spectacle. But aren’t these contradictions the very essence of art? So, at your next Dubai photoshoot, think beyond snapping and strive for capturing. Because in the end, isn’t that what all legendary photographers do? Turn each click into a story.