AlUla, Saudi Arabia – August 2026: Every photograph tells a different story of AlUla. This World Photography Day, eight photographers connected to the destination have each selected one photograph that captures AlUla through their eyes, revealing how its landscapes, heritage and everyday moments transform with changing light, weather and perspective. From photographers who call AlUla home to Saudi creatives drawn to its landscapes and night skies, the collection brings together contrasting views of the destination: the green canopy of the Oasis seen from above, sandstone formations illuminated by the first and last light of day, moments of culture and nature, dramatic weather over the valleys, and ancient heritage beneath star-filled skies. Together, the eight photographs offer more than a collection of familiar landmarks. Each is shaped by the photographer behind the lens, what caught their attention, why they chose that particular frame, and the moment or connection that made it worth capturing.  |
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When the light finds Elephant Rock Photograph by Mohammed Nasif For Mohammed Nasif, it was the quiet of the morning that made this moment worth capturing. As the sun rose behind Elephant Rock, its low light began to reveal the textures of the sandstone, casting long shadows across the ground and transforming the landscape. What stayed with him was more than the view itself: the stillness of the morning, the warmth of the rising sun and the way the light seemed to invite him to stop and simply take in the scene. |
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Emerald of the desert: Photograph and title by Mohammed Alatiq From an elevated viewpoint, Mohammed Alatiq set out to reveal the scale and density of the palm farms stretching across AlUla’s Oasis. For him, they form the “vibrant heart of AlUla,” framed here by the desert mountains rising in the distance. It was this perspective that drew him to the scene: layers of lush green palms, red sandstone mountains and golden sands coming together in a single frame, capturing the striking contrast that defines AlUla’s landscape. |
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AlUla through a smaller frame: Photograph by Ethar Alruwaily Ethar Alruwaily approached AlUla from a different perspective, using the surrounding sandstone to deliberately narrow her frame. Through the small opening, a glimpse of the green Oasis and distant rock formations is all that is revealed. For Ethar, that was precisely the idea: AlUla does not need to fill the frame to make itself known. Even when the view is restricted and only a fragment of the landscape appears, its beauty still finds a way through. |
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Where the streets tell their own story Photograph by Nick Jackson Nick Jackson’s photograph shifts the focus from AlUla’s expansive landscapes to the human scale of its streets. Against the earthen architecture and mountains beyond, people move through a scene filled with small details: colourful textiles, market stalls, shaded gathering spaces and conversations unfolding along the way. Rather than isolating a single landmark, the photograph captures the layers that give the street its character, where architecture, landscape and everyday moments all share the frame. Across eight photographs, no single view defines AlUla. Instead, the destination emerges through the details each photographer chose to notice: changing light, unexpected weather, quiet streets, movement, landscape and the night sky. Together, their images are a reminder that the character of a place is shaped not only by what is there, but by the people who stop to look. |
