Photographer Hasnain Ahmed’s assortment of photographs while displaying the totally different faces of the United Arab Emirates additionally tries to attract a parallel to Indian tradition
“{A photograph} is a poem about time,” says Hasnain Ahmed; the photographer might be exhibiting a set of his photographs titled Colors Of Arabia in Chennai on October 9.
“Images can seize a second in time that’s gone eternally, or seize a second in historical past for future generations. They will additionally change behaviour and stimulate understanding between folks,” he provides.
He holds up {a photograph} he has taken of Al Jahili Fort, which he explains is likely one of the largest forts within the United Arab Emirates constructed within the late nineteenth Century by Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (1835-1909), as a royal summer time residence. There are additionally vivid, vibrant photos of an outdated Iranian carpet store, the Dubai Souk and the Creek Facet market, the place unique spices, oud and perfumes are bought.
“Oud is sourced from the wooden of the agar tree which when contaminated with a selected sort of mould, produces a heat, woody, smoky perfume that’s extremely wanted. The Arabs name it ‘liquid gold’,” he says.

A heritage construction which as soon as served as the house of few Royal members of the family within the UAE
| Photograph Credit score:
Hasnain Ahmed
Connecting cultures
Colors Of Arabia is a set that reveals the totally different faces of the UAE and its swank cities, a number of miles from which lie massive swathes of empty desert the place the Bedouins dwell, like they’ve for hundreds of years.
“My intention was to deliver to the folks of India numerous photos from the Center East, and in addition do a Colors Of India picture exhibition within the Center East. My hope is that these photos will deliver the folks of the 2 areas collectively, as I really feel that there are quite a lot of similarities between us when it comes to meals, household values, the hospitality we prolong to our visitors…” says Hasnain, who’s the nephew of the present Nawab of Arcot.
He grew up in Chennai on the Amir Mahal Palace in Royapettah, and is a descendant of the second Prince of Arcot, Nawab Zaheer-ud-Daulah Bahadur.
“Rising up in Chennai and visiting my grandparents in Saudi, and my prolonged household in UAE, I felt at dwelling in all these locations. I feel there’s extra that we’ve in frequent than what separates us,” says Hasnain.

Contained in the Jumeirah Mosque, Dubai
| Photograph Credit score:
Hasnain Ahmed
Wanting again
The turning level in his life was when his father gifted him a Panasonic digital digital camera when he was in Class X.
Hasnain says, “I used to be a median pupil, and never too enthusiastic about lecturers. The digital camera opened up a brand new world for me — a world of sunshine, shadows, colors and tales.”
He learnt pictures from the Thoughts College Movie Institute, Chennai, based by filmmaker Rajiv Menon.
“I subsequently did superior skilled pictures and movie making programs from IFTA, Mumbai and the Gulf Photograph Plus Institute in Dubai,” he provides.
He began his personal manufacturing home, Hasnain Ahmed Productions, in 2018, and now does company and documentary movies, music movies and brief movies for shoppers in India, the UAE and the UK.
Colors Of Arabia is open to the general public from 5pm on October 9 at Resort GRT in T Nagar.