Photographer Shaikha Al Khayyal is an Emirati marketeer with over 10 years of experience in events and sponsorship management. She is currently living in Abu Dhabi, and pursing her graduate studies in Tourism and Cultural Communication. She has travelled to various corners of the world with a camera in hand, in search of beautiful places and people.
How would you describe your style of photography?
I like to think of myself as a photo storyteller. I try to gather the right pieces within a frame, capture it in a manner that allows the viewer to tell it in his or her own words. I often zoom out just enough to look at the big picture, literally and figuratively.
Can you share the backstories behind these two photos?
Both were taken on the same day, the morning after my unsuccessful attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. I roamed about Moshi town in Tanzania aimlessly just to meet the people and get a feel of the place. On this day I learnt that no matter where in the world they are and what their circumstances might be, children all over the world just want to play and laugh.
What are your dreams as a photographer?
My dream is to create a legacy of inspiration. I want my photos to speak the human truth and to fuel other people’s dreams.
Follow her here – Blog | Instagram– MySuperSpace | Twitter – @MySuperSpace
The “Snapshot” series are mini interviews with fellow black travel photographers to inspire others and myself. As I’ve navigated the world of travel photography over the last few years, I’ve found very few fellow photographers of color who are also doing this professionally with a heavy focus on travel documentary. So this inspirational resource of professional travel photographers of color is a way for people to always find us. Please get in touch if you’d like to be featured or know of others to feature.