In today’s digital age, a photograph has truly become something anyone can create. Photography, as a form of art, involves a freedom of interaction between the three fundamental components of art – the artist, the medium and subject. The image is thus a synthesis of information filtered through the eye and mind of the photographer, and then selected for “recreation” through the camera lens.
In capturing a timeless face, a horrific event, a breathtaking landscape, or the awesome strength of Mother Nature, images are not only a fragment of life preserved for eternity. They wield a tremendous power to capture our attention and trigger a gamut of emotions or memories, in ways words cannot. They are so seductive that they have transformed human social communication, and have influenced our evolution, helping to spread awareness of other cultures and bring about modern globalisation.
The rich diversity that distinguishes the Middle East and the Gulf is masterfully seized and conveyed in the pictures that follow. These subtle and extraordinary images strikingly reveal the character of various countries in the region, all the while reflecting the marked contrasts that abound.
HYPERLINK "http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&pid=2K7O3R14RD59&nm=Ian%20Berry" Ian Berry - OMAN. Near Ras al-Jinz. Sand devils whirl across the new road in a sandstorm. 2004.
Desert sands take on a new life in this sandstorm across an Oman highway. The scene, framed with an amazing balance of elements, reveals an eerie atmosphere as all recognisable forms seem to disappear under a layered haze of whirling thick dust.
Ian Berry, born in Lancashire, England, made his reputation in South Africa, where he worked for the Daily Mail and later for Drum magazine. He became the first contract photographer for the Observer Magazine in 1964. Since then assignments have taken him around the world and have included work for National Geographic, Fortune, Stern, Geo, Esquire, Paris-Match and Life, which have garnered several awards.
HYPERLINK "http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&pid=2K7O3R14OJHQ&nm=.%20Abbas" \o "http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&pid=2K7O3R14OJHQ&nm=. Abbas" Abbas - SAUDI ARABIA. Mecca. Muslim Hajj pilgrimage. A huge crowd of pilgrims attends midday prayers outside the Haram mosque, the most sacred place of Islam which houses the Kaaba.
From an eagle’s eye view, we look upon an almost indistinguishable image of white pillar-like objects interspersed with patches of color. Slowly, the picture reveals itself to be a scene of thousands of figures kneeling for prayer. Filling the entire frame, the streams of figures create an undulating procession of waves in this sea of worshipers. The awe-inspiring nature of such a gathering is visually communicated with great impact.
Iranian-born Abbas has dedicated himself to documenting the political and social life of societies in conflict. His major works include wars and revolutions in Biafra, Bangladesh, Northern Ireland, Vietnam, the Middle East, Chile, Cuba and apartheid South Africa. Abbas’ concern with religion has also led him to several projects, which include a long-term project about the clash of religions.
HYPERLINK "http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&pid=2K7O3R13LVAE&nm=Mark%20Power" Mark Power - Dubai. 2007.
The surreal vista of skyscrapers rising out of the desert sands has become the trademark of Dubai. In this picture, Power has seized the quintessential nature of Dubai’s modern skyline, delineated as it is by an astounding stream of illuminated steel, glass and concrete structures against a largely desert-scape.
British photographer Mark Power studied painting and drawing, but 'became a photographer' in 1983 working in the editorial and charity markets for nearly ten years, before he began teaching in 1992. Power's work has won several awards and been seen in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the world. He has published four books including Superstructure, a documentation of the construction of London’s Millennium Dome.
HYPERLINK "http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&pid=2K7O3R13CHLN&nm=Paolo%20Pellegrin"Paolo Pellegrin - Tourist police guarding the pyramids in Giza, Egypt. Jan 2006
Two guardsmen – on duty – sit lost in thought under a makeshift shade beside the three great pyramids of Egypt, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings and the task at hand. The grandeur of the setting takes a secondary role as the focus shifts to the disinterested guards. The impact is marvellously heightened through a juxtaposition of the elements and their colours – blue sky, the pyramids, desert sand, and the dark sloping shade that cuts through the backdrop as it frames the figures dressed in black.
Paolo Pellegrin is a contract photographer for Newsweek. Throughout his career, he has won many awards, including eight World Press Photo, numerous ‘Photographer of the Year Awards’, an Olivier Rebbot Award, the Hansel-Meith Preis, and the Robert Capa Gold Medal Award. In 2006, he was assigned the prestigious W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography.
HYPERLINK "http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&pid=2K7O3R14OJHQ&nm=Abbas"Abbas - Beach, Islamic style. One wears a swim suit, the other a hijab. Lebanon. Tyre. 2006.
Diversity of lifestyle and religion are part-and-parcel of the Lebanese identity. This seemingly random snapshot of two woman bathers, one in a hijab, the other in a bikini, captures with poetic simplicity the sheer contrasts that co-exist in Lebanon. Timelessly captured in black and white, the silent exposition of this dichotomy speaks volumes.
