Princess Reem on a roll: Saudis can capture Kingdom like no other

There’s a known proverb “A picture is worth a thousand words.” A picture or a photograph can transport the viewer into another place or time and can tell the viewer of a story, just as the proverb explains it. A photographer who is able to grab the attention of the spectator and provide them with the pleasure of viewing can be defined as a successful photographer, one that has a keen eye on a specific detail in the angle they’re shooting that would grab the attention of any spectator. The granddaughter of the late King Faisal Al-Saud, Princess Reem Al-Faisal is a well-known photographer, with a career spanning over close to 25 years. She started her career just like any photographer, placed a camera in her hand, got the feel of the camera, started shooting and grew a habit of doing so. She says that was not a career plan from the get go but soon enough she found herself taking great shots that were very worthy of printing. She moved on to studying photography professionally in Paris, France and worked for commissions and projects here and there that helped shape her career.
Her work has been exhibited in many countries around the world, her collection reflects her travels in countries such as China, Egypt, Ireland, Istanbul-Turkey, many cities in Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Makkah, Madina), the US and many more. She was the first photographer from the Gulf region to have exhibited her work in Palestine, she also has exhibited her work in South Korea, Dubai, Egypt, Germany, France, the US and the Netherlands. The uniqueness in her photography can be defined as a sensitive form of photography due to the rawness of the images.
“The school of photography that I would apply to is what they call the humanity school of photography, very connected and concerned with humanity. You get to see many people from many walks of life, the way they live their lives in connection with their relationship with their Creator. Whether it be through people who are in touch with their Creator through prayer or meditation for example or people who are totally disconnected, desperate and alone. I am able to show both through my images, it basically shows how small you are. Through this type of photography you see a lot of suffering which puts things in perspective and makes one thank Allah for all that they have. I am also a part of the Islamic school of art, this type of photography is all about the divine presence in our lives.”
Her royal highness’ work is about the divine presence of everyday life, you can find a picture of a man amongst his belongings in a street corner, natural landscapes, Muslim women worshippers at a mosque, pilgrims performing the sacred annual Haj, men playing cards in a street café and they might seem mundane but they also show the divine presence. She has traveled to many countries and visited areas hard hit with poverty and sketchy places to take stills of the raw lifestyle of the inhabitants. Her choice of photography can be described as to show the simplicity and humility of the life in these areas.
“I travel abroad and take pictures because I get to see something new, I like to be a stranger taking photographs, I prefer it that way but I would love to take more pictures in my home country, in my city. I don’t get to do it as often as I like for two reasons, the first being that when something is familiar to me, I don’t see it the way I want to. The second, even though I did take many photographs in the Kingdom, it soon became tiring and bothersome due to the restrictions and permissions that I have to obtain and social stigmas so it’s easier to go abroad and find the angles I look for in my photographs.”
She admits that it has become easier to be a photographer in Saudi Arabia and encourages many photographers in the Kingdom to go ahead, be bold, take the chance and photograph different aspects of their surroundings. Saudi Arabia can be one of the most difficult places to be a photographer due to many social restrictions but there is a lot of beauty hidden in the different alleyways, streets, cities, towns, mountains, deserts and beaches that portray the lives of people living in Saudi Arabia.
“I want Saudi photographers to go out there, take risks, and take good pictures. What better way to start than in their home country? Saudi Arabia is worth it, it’s a beautiful country and I encourage foreign photographers to come and take pictures, but again I want Saudis to do it as well. The way we photograph our people is never the same as a foreigner, we see things that they might not see.”
What really defines the princess’s work is her preference for black and white photographs as well as using only film in her photographs. She prefers it to digital because according to her, film gives you something that digital doesn’t give you at all, in post production, film has more depth, much more gritty, more life in it and sensuality than digital print. “When using film, one must be careful in the method of use, there is a teaching mechanism in it too. It teaches you to construct the image in your mind long before you snap, it teaches you patience, it teaches you to be slow and aware before snapping which gives you a strong end result,” explains Princess Reem.
Her latest participation in the Saudi photography scene was at Jeddah’s 21,39 where she was part of a three-day photography workshop along with award-winning filmmaker and photographer Pep Bonet and world-renowned photojournalist Stanley Greene. The workshops were attended by many serious photography enthusiasts who found the workshops to be extremely beneficial in their chosen career paths.
She founded the Empty Quarter in Dubai eight years ago, a gallery solely for exhibiting photographs. Princess Reem will be opening another one in Jeddah with the intention of not only it being a gallery for displaying photographs, her vision is to make it into more of a center of photography than just simply a gallery. The center will focus on both photography and calligraphy, a place where people can come and print their work in high quality prints, a place to attend workshops, frame their pictures in the correct manner, a place where young artists and photographers can meet and discuss their ideas and create momentum.
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