Even after having been in Dubai for 22 years now, Dubai Creek is still one of my favourite places for street and travel photography. For generations it has been the lifeblood for locals and the favoured site for early settlers at the start of the 19th Century – the place where the city’s pearl industry once thrived. When I was asked by Fujifilm to test the brand-new GFX 100S II in early 2024, shooting a project centred around Dubai Creek was my first choice.
Today, Dubai Creek is still pulsating with history, culture and commerce, something first-time visitors to the city often miss. In the old part of Dubai, we find a large number of dhows, traditional wooden Arabian vessels, that still take goods to and from Iran, India, Pakistan and parts of Africa. The contrast between their brightly painted wooden hulls and the shiny skyscrapers of modern-day Dubai couldn’t be more dramatic. For just one UAE dirham ($0.27 USD), one can cross the creek on one of the more than 150 water taxis, known as ‘abras’. While they are mainly used as a mode of commuter transport to and from work, they should be on the to-do list of every visitor to Dubai! Feeling hungry? Hop on one of the many converted cargo dhows for a night dinner cruise on the creek.
Dubai: city of contrast
I often refer to Dubai as ‘the City of Contrast’ and this is never so apparent than along the creek. While the old part of the town is more iconic and traditional, newer parts like Dubai Creek Harbour, Festival City and Business Bay stand in hard contrast to the old part of town. They have developed into vibrant waterfront destinations with modern amenities and properties but also with plenty of interesting photographic opportunities. Photographing the Dubai skyline on a clear winter day from one of the above never disappoints.
This is an excerpt from an article by Bjorn Moerman in issue 99 of FUJILOVE MAGAZINE (June 2024). Subscribers, you can find this article by downloading this issue from your subscriber area.
You will find the remaining part of this article in FUJILOVE MAGAZINE.
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