Since his youth, Emirati photographer Rashed Al Balushi has found in his camera more than just a lens; it has been a source of a special artistic language and a bridge to beauty, allowing him to capture unique and rare moments. Between light and shadow, he weaves together diverse moments, whether documenting city scenes, places, and architectural aesthetics, or even engaging in macro and nature photography. He has been present at numerous major events, capturing distinctive photos of Their Highnesses the Sheikhs, and has succeeded in immortalizing special moments in various sporting occasions with rare photographs that have gained wide circulation and great appreciation.
An early talent was the starting point in a long journey with the lens. Rashed Al Balushi spoke to "Al Ittihad" about it, saying: "My relationship with the camera began in middle school, where I started taking artistic photos. This allowed me to join the police, specifically as a criminal photographer. The latter was beneficial in terms of the advanced equipment used and its impact on my experience, especially since it involves searching for evidence." He added: "Criminal work presents many challenges and requires the photographer to work doubly hard to highlight certain evidence, as fingerprints are sometimes not entirely clear and require a special type of photography."
Despite his work in criminal photography, artistic photography never left Al Balushi's lens. The beauty of Dubai always captivated him, prompting him to capture its most beautiful scenes. He tends to vary the nature of the photos he takes, including the contemporary architectural aspect of Dubai and the old, traditional character. Each face of Dubai represents a different aesthetic case, with Al Balushi noting his preference for documenting contemporary architecture due to its richness in colors. He emphasized that photographing Dubai in winter is more beautiful than photos taken in hot weather.
Alongside nature, photographing the Sheikhs and leaders of the country became a pivotal station in Al Balushi's journey. He began by taking these photos at endurance races, and through these events, he managed to capture some distinctive photos. Among them was a rare photo of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktum, Vice President of the State, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, which spread widely. He also described a photo of His Highness as precious to his heart because it was signed by him. Speaking about the details of this photo, Al Balushi said: "This photo carries a special story. I was asked for a distinctive photo of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktum to be presented at a special auction for humanitarian and charitable works. His Highness signed it, and fortunately, it was not displayed at the auction, and I still keep it to this day." Al Balushi explained that his success in capturing rare moments is due to waiting for the special moment that carries contemplation and highlights the majesty of the Sheikhs, confirming that his successes in this field led him to become the personal photographer of Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Diversity in photography distinguishes Al Balushi's work, from official photos to cityscapes, as well as macro photography. He noted that diversity in photography requires more than just talent; there are different skills for each type of photography, in addition to varying lenses. He pointed out that the camera is a helpful tool, but the photographer's eye is the most important; it is the one that sees the shot and controls the camera. He believes that skill is an experience that develops over time, while technology that plays a big role in the world of photography is, in Al Balushi's view, just tools. Today, there is much talk about artificial intelligence, which is actually a helpful tool that cannot offer what the photographer's eye can, just as the "Photoshop" system was a program to improve the image. He saw that these tools aim to improve the quality of photos but cannot perform additional tasks, as human work that takes into account many criteria is essential.
This distinction in capturing photos prompted Al Balushi to launch his own project, in which he employs the photos he takes by creating artistic products, including merging them with the sayings of the Sheikhs on panels, in the form of calendars or boxes, and much more. He noted that government departments are the most prominent buyers of these designs. He explained that all the products he works on carry his personal touch, stating that he started the project from home and now has his own factory for various productions.
Rashed Al Balushi enjoys a long history in the world of photography and has won numerous awards over the years, including first place in the photography competition "Islamic Landmarks in the Architectural Heritage of the Emirates in the Emirate of Sharjah," as well as second place in the photography competition for the National Day endurance race in 2005, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Court Minister. Criminal work holds many challenges and requires the photographer to work doubly hard to highlight certain evidence that is sometimes unclear and requires special photography.
