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United Arab Emirates in Pictures: The Beautiful Places to Photograph

With a wide range of landscapes ranging from resort lined beaches to endless sand dunes to craggy mountains, the United Arab Emirates is a great destination for photographers. Culturally, photographers can find ancient souks with narrow, shop filled alleyways, as well as city skylines with ultra modern skyscrapers The United Arab Emirates is a Middle Eastern country made up of seven emirates, states ruled by emirs.
The most well known emirates are Dubai and Abu Dhabi (the country’s capital city), but all seven offer some great places to photograph. Visitors to the UAE should never photograph the police or any government or military buildings or bases. They should also keep in mind the country has strict privacy laws you can’t photograph someone without their permission. Let’s exploce United Arab Emirates in Pictures: The Beautiful Places to Photograph below.

United Arab Emirates in Pictures: The Beautiful Places to Photograph

Tolerance Bridge

The Tolerance Bridge connects the two banks of the Dubai Water Canal. Its impressive arch frames the skyscrapers of Sheikh Zayed Road. Arrive twenty minutes before sunset and set up your tripod on the boardwalk below the bridge, a couple hundred metres from the ramp on the same side as Safa Park.
As the sun dips below the horizon, the lights of Sheikh Zayed road, the skyscrapers and the bridge offer the perfect conditions to take a long exposure shot, creating interesting light trails on the canal. You can get a similar result with an iPhone by converting a “live photo” into a long exposure (find this option by swiping up on a live photo).

United Arab Emirates in Pictures: The Beautiful Places to Photograph

Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary

The Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary is a tidal estuary with salt-water lagoons that attract resident and migratory bird species. Arrive around 2:30 p.m. to beat the tour groups. At the Mangrove Hide, you’ll spot grey herons, reef herons and more, while the Flamingo Hide is a gathering spot for pink feathered supermodels.
Make sure to save enough time for the Flamingo Hide; it is the more photogenic of the two. Bring your zoom lens and use quick shutter speeds to capture movement and flight.

Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary in Dubai

Jumeirah Fishing Harbour

Jumeirah Fishing Harbour is a great place to admire beautiful yachts, see fishermen banter as they prepare their tools and watch flocks of seagulls around sunset. Along the harbour, restaurants serve fresh seafood specialities with al fresco seating in the traditional style buildings of the souk.
Use your smartphone to take photos of the souk (for personal use only), as photography of the harbour isn’t officially permitted. On your iPhone, use the burst mode to get a crisp image with flying seagulls. Natasha Amar is a travel writer, blogger and photographer based in Dubai. She regularly contributes to print and online publications for hotels, airlines and tourism organisations around the world.

Deira

This rapidly disappearing area, also known as Old Dubai, is located near Dubai Creek. The narrow alleyways and typical medina like Arabic bazaar vibe offer a contrast to Dubai’s luxurious modern areas. The spice and fragrance souks, with their eye-popping displays of colorful spices and products, make great subjects.

Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo

The Dubai Aquarium is located inside a shopping mall, and this is a great place for underwater photography. They offer experiences like being able to get into a shark cage during feeding time. This is once of United Arab Emirates in Pictures: The Beautiful Places to Photograph.
You wear a helmet with an air line attached to it, no scuba experience is necessary. You can photograph feedings of manta rays, sharks, and a “King Croc,” too. A good vantage point is the Aquarium Tunnel, a round chamber that goes through the center of the structure.

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Umm Al Quwain

If you’re into history and archeological photography, the emirate of Umm Al Quwain is a great place to visit. This emirate, the smallest by population, is located on a peninsula with a large medina area.
Other places to photograph include the Umm Al Quwain Fort and the old harbor with its traditional boats and shipmakers. Two sites in the emirate, Tell Abraq and Ed Dur, are some of the oldest settlements in the Middle East. The ruins at Tell Abraq can be visited and photographed.

United Arab Emirates in Pictures: The Beautiful Places to Photograph