Huawei and HIPA take UAE-wide photography project to Ras Al Khaimah

The “The UAE. A Closer Look” initiative sent photographers to capture an emirate that is stepping further into the spotlight

Huawei and the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) have taken their UAE-wide photography initiative north to Ras Al Khaimah.

Somewhere along the drive to the emirate, the terrain shifts and mountains loom into view. The air feels different, too, and you begin to wonder why you don’t make the trip more often. That sense of wonder, which makes you reach for your phone before you have even got out of the car, was the idea behind Huawei’s “The UAE. A Closer Look” initiative.

Developed by Huawei with HIPA, the initiative responded to a particular moment in the nation’s story, when Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, launched the “Proud of UAE” campaign.

Huawei and HIPA channelled that energy into a lasting visual archive. Working with the tourism boards of each emirate, they sent photographers across all seven emirates with a brief to find the country beyond the usual frames.

Why Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah has long been known for its mountains, desert and coastline. The emirate is home to Jebel Jais, the UAE’s highest peak, and the world’s longest zipline. Its coast features fishing ports, beach resorts and mangroves, while heritage forts and the desert are a short drive away. While other emirates are better known for their architecture, Ras Al Khaimah offered photographers an exceptional variety of settings.

The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority provided access to some of the emirate’s signature experiences. HIPA guided the photographers across nine XMAGE Awards categories, including So Far So Close, Colour and Shade, Good Night, Faces, Action and A Heartwarming World.

The itinerary

The day began at Corniche Al Qawasim. Photographers then stood before the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Masjid as the morning light moved across its walls. From there, they went into the protected desert reserve at The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert, and visited the interiors of Rove Al Marjan Island. They returned to the shore through Anantara Mina Ras Al Khaimah Resort, where the lagoons of Mina Al Arab were waiting in the late afternoon light. The day ended at Banan Beach, with a sunset over the Gulf.

The kit

The photographers shot throughout the day on the Huawei Pura 90s Series, whose features mattered as the landscape kept changing.

The 200MP Ultra Large Sensor Telephoto Camera captured detail in a distant dune ridge and the carved stone of a minaret without the photographers having to move closer, even in the bright midday light.

AI Glare Removal, suited to the UAE’s high glare, reduced haze and hotspots before they reached the frame. AI Composition 3.0 helped photographers find the strongest frame when the options were almost overwhelming. The phone’s lighting management adjusted continuously, from the early light on the water to the late-afternoon light on the coast.

The 2nd Generation True-to-Colour Camera rendered the emirate’s palette faithfully: the earth tones of the Al Wadi Desert, the blue-green of the Mina Al Arab lagoons and the warmth of the sky at dusk. The photographers also shot in uncompressed RAW format, which gave them more freedom in editing and shaped how they saw the day’s opportunities.

The result is a set of images that conveys the spirit of Ras Al Khaimah, with the shift from desert to lagoon captured in the drive between the two. It is the same variety that the emirate invites visitors to experience for themselves.