By Aabiya Baqai, Sahrish Ali and Sohila El Saadany
These photographers decided to capture candid moments of anonymous people and not let life pass by unnoticed.
Zuhair Ahmad
Wanders around parts of Saudi and takes pictures of what touches his soul.
Beginnings
In late 2013 I decided to start a long-term photography project about the Saudi streets. I visited different areas and photographed what we view as routine scenes containing a human subject and I have been doing so ever since.
His Photo Subjects
They usually revolve around a couple of things like a story in a scene, the light and shadows or an extraordinary moment. These are all challenges since I have to take most of them candidly, without staging the scene.
Those lives I capture, those details are sometimes beautiful, painful or joyful, I just put them in a frame to share with others.
Instagram: zuhair373
Akram Al Amoudi
Got into street photography because of the intricacies of the process and the thrill of documenting what’s around.
Beginnings
The inner workings and kinetic mechanisms of analogue cameras, the dark room process, the light transfer from emulsion to paper chemically capturing a still of time are what initially drew me into photography. It was the rush of documenting the world around me that inevitably led me to street photography.
What His Images Convey
A sense of escapism, to be able to briefly delve into another realm and to instill a sense of empathy.
Instagram: akram.alamoudi
Johara Almogbel
It was her mother who pointed her in the direction of photographing people, believing that they are the ones who breathe the sense of uniqueness in any picture.
Feelings When Taking the Shot
A little excitement and a little fear. Excitement because there’s a teeny spurt of adrenaline when you know you’ve only got three rolls of film and every frame needs to count. The fear is for two reasons: that I’ll miss the perfect moment and that someone will call me out and yell at me.
What Her Images Convey
I want people to wonder what kind of person it is, what their life is like, what was going on and how it’ll end up. As if they’d been watching a play or a movie that suddenly freezes up and leaves them wondering what would happen next.
Instagram: jaylovesfilm
Sami Altokhais
The streets themselves emit vibes that lure Sami Altokhais into taking the photographs of those walking past him.
Inspiration
For me, the love for street photography stems from a love of travel. Whether you are in your hometown or in some far city, the beating heart of that place is usually the street. It transcends all language barriers and speaks with one voice. While walking down a street, one can’t brush away the thought of this place’s history, people and culture. This environment is generally rendered through street photography.
Getting the Shot
When you sit quietly and observe with a clear mind and a curious eye you start to notice patterns that can be pre-visualized for a final image. At other times you just have to hunt for the subject.
Instagram: samitokhais