Photography

“With photography, the beauty of its form is its limits,” Abdulrahman begins, “but for me it’s much more than that.” Abdulrahman Alhoumrani was born and continues to live in AlUla – a fact that has intricately intertwined with his journey pursuing photography as both a vocation and a passion. “It is the sights and the nature of AlUla that helped me become a photographer,” he shares wistfully.

And it’s certainly not difficult to understand why. Anyone who has experienced AlUla will know that one of its greatest treasures is its breathtaking natural beauty. No visitor is left untouched by the majestic and mystical grandeur of AlUla’s rock formations, standing like works of art sculpted by wind and rain over millions of years. The landscape as a whole provides Abdulrahman with an endless muse, from its rolling dunes and volcanic shelves to sandstone canyons and ancient valleys. “It has all the elements to take stunning photography, whether you’re a photographer or a tourist.”

As any photographer will tell you, the difference between a good shot and a great shot often comes down to the light. “And as for the natural light in AlUla,” Abdulrahman explains, “it is different, and photographers love the light at sunset when the sunlight is very beautiful and not as bright.” The AlUla sandstone also has a remarkable quality that radiates different tones as the sun starts to approach and then dip over the horizon. Free from the intense brightness of the daytime sun, colours transform from fiery oranges to glowing pinks to velvety purples. And when darkness falls, the clarity of the sky reveals thousands of stars to create a magical shimmering backdrop for spectacular night shoots.

But it’s not just AlUla’s dramatic desertscape and extraordinary light that inspires Abdulrahman’s photography. “Human life, wildlife and nature are a continuous inspiration,” he continues. The subject of human life in his work stretches all the way back to documenting the ancient inscriptions carved on rocks by travellers from centuries past, to reflecting the colourful local community that makes up what AlUla is today. “Our society is very welcoming,” he explains, “we welcome all different types of people, all different religions, all different diversities, different backgrounds. AlUla is a very vibrant city for coexistence.”

AlUla’s burgeoning status as an artistic and cultural hub for the 21st century is gaining momentum every year. This means not only attracting a new generation of creativity to the area but also creating a scene in which artists can collaborate and spark off each other. “The art scene in AlUla has become more prominent, which in turn raises the profile of arts and artists in general,” Abdulrahman reflects, “and immersing myself in an artistic environment with other creatives gives me a great deal of inspiration.”

AlUla is also constantly evolving as an exhibition space both inside, such as the ground-breaking Maraya venue, and out with the street art you’ll find dotted around the buzzing AlJadidah Arts District. Daimumah, part of AlUla’s lush Oasis, also plays host to a variety of art installations created in AlUla artist residencies. Moreover, the scenic valley of Wadi AlFann is set to become AlUla’s ‘Valley of the Arts’ with spectacular grand-scale commissions by high-profile artists integrated into the desert landscape. It all adds up to AlUla developing into a major new cultural destination for art, both for the region and on the international stage.

For photographers, AlUla on the one hand serves as a limitless source of inspiration – through its timeless natural beauty, rich history and budding art scene. On the other, it provides a canvas for displaying the fruit of their creativity, through its art-friendly public spaces, cutting-edge exhibition rooms and lively programme of artistic events such as the annual AlUla Arts Festival.

In the midst of this vibrant cultural landscape, Abdulrahman remains committed to his craft, using his camera to reflect the beauty, mystery and magic of his birthplace. Every click of his shutter captures another piece of the rich tapestry he feels privileged to call his birthplace. “Photography gave me purpose,” he concludes, “and AlUla is a photographer’s paradise. Every day I discover something new and every day I fall more in love with it.”