JEDDAH - Arabstoday
The book, called “Young Saudi Lenses,” has 315 photos taken by young talents in the Kingdom, as well as Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA). Kamil Hawa, who came up with the idea of the book and critiqued its content before it was published, said the aim was to introduce upcoming photographers in the Kingdom. The book’s message, he said, is not, “This is the Kingdom,” but rather, “This is the youth of the Kingdom.” The selection of pictures, he said, was based not only on the quality of the photos but also on creating a variety of submissions that were connected. “The goal was to chose photos that leaves impressions of excitement and curiosity,” he added. Marwan bin Shaihoun, CEO of Professional Saudi, said the work took three years to be completed with the help of a number of photographers and the SCTA. Zaki Gawas, one of the photographers, said contributors visited the streets and alleyways and buildings in the Kingdom to get perfect shots that capture life in the country. Tariq Al-Abdullah, also a photographer, called for holding a photography competition. Women photographer Lojain Zahid, who takes pictures as her hobby, said the main challenge for them is a public fear of cameras. Zahid said that she submitted 12 pictures and was honored after a pair was selected. The two pictures from her include one shot of a girl praying and another of a girl taking a rest after playing basketball. “Photography is a mood and we seek to send a message through our photos,” said Zahid. From : Arab News