Emirati photographer Salem Sarhan wins National Geographic Abu Dhabi photography competition

Depicting life in lockdown, his work was selected among 27,000 entries in 2020

In Al Ain, three family members performing the Asr prayer at home, following the closure of mosques due to the pandemic. Taken by Emirati photographer Salem Sarhan, this work is the winner of the National Geographic Abu Dhabi and Almarai’s 2020 ‘Moments’ competition. Photo by Salem Sarhan.

When barber shops in Gaza closed due to the pandemic, Sameh decided to set up shop outdoors in his neighborhood. Here, he tends to the children of his relatives and neighbors, while everyone maintains social distancing protocols. Photo by Samar Abu Elouf

Socially distanced beachgoers in Fujairah, UAE, just after the public was allowed on the beaches again following months of closure. Photo by Ahmed Alshehhi  

Mahmoud Abdel Hadi, an 8-year old refugee, studies inside his tent after the pandemic forces schools to close. He uses a mobile phone to check instructions for his homework. Photo by Khalil Ashawi

Jordanian calligrapher Mohammad Hindi who has been practicing since the 1950s, in his workshop. Photo by Ahmed Alazzam

Iraqi photographer Ahmed Abdulameer Lazem depicts a child in reverie, wondering when the pandemic will end. Photo by Ahmed Abdulameer Lazem The picture was shot of a child wondering what life will be like when the pandemic ends and things returns to normal.

Saudi photographer Afrah Alharbi captures her younger sister painting, a new skill she has picked up during quarantine. Photo by Afrah Alharbi

Teens rollerblading on a rooftop in Gaza with murals as a backdrop. Photo by Samar Abu Elouf

A young Saudi boy performs his studies at home due to the pandemic. Photo by Hussain Ali A Buhligah

This photo shows children playing the traditional Emirati game of Carrom. It was taken by photographer Safia Al Zaabi during quarantine. Photo by Safia Al Zaabi

Photographer Salem Sarhan has been announced as the winner of National Geographic Abu Dhabi’s annual Moments photography competition for 2020, making him the first Emirati to receive the prize in its 10-year history.

The winning image is an aerial shot of a family performing the Al Asr prayer at home. The theme of the 2020 Moments competition was "a year lived differently", which asked photographers to consider the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, particularly how families and communities adapted to social distancing rules and stay-at-home guidelines.

Take a look through the gallery above to see the winning and shortlisted images of the 2020 Moments competition.

Sarhan presented a snapshot of what many families have been doing since the pandemic started; praying together at home, particularly during the closures of mosques and other places of worship.

Thephotographer, 27, captured the moment at his home in Al Ain. It was the composition of his image, with its symmetry and the intricate elements of the prayer rugs, that gave him the edge among the 27,000 entries for the competition.

"I spend a lot of time getting the right composition. Sometimes I wait a few hours just to get the perfect moment," Sarhan tells The National. He adds that the key to a good photograph is "to capture a moment that has an emotional impact, be it nature or with people".

He began taking photographs in 2015. On a trip to Oman, Sarhan found a camera in his friend’s car and began capturing the sights they visited.

"My friend commented that my photos were very good and encouraged me to pursue [photography] further," he says.

Over the years, his body of work has included documentary and nature photography. "I started by documenting the world around me, the street life, then it evolved to portraits and conceptual photos. Today, I am focusing on the beauty of nature," he explains. He particularly likes to photograph across the UAE and Oman, he adds.

His pristine photographs are carefully constructed, as seen in the series taken in his home during the pandemic. Similar to his winning photo, Work from Home features a bird's-eye view of family members gathering on top of an ornate carpet.

His photographs in nature include the night sky in Oman, where a lone Ghaf tree stands in the desert with stars and sweeping clouds overhead.

In another image, he captures lightning as it flashes over the top of Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. "I waited four hours, from 10pm to 2am, to get the right photo," he says.

As the winner, Sarhan will receive $10,000 worth of photography equipment and his work will be featured in National Geographic Al Arabiya magazine. His hopes now are to present an exhibition of his photographs in the future.

Established in 2010, the Moments competition recognises rising talent in the Middle East and North Africa, accepting entries through a themed open call. In 2014, Almarai joined as a partner to the initiative, changing the name to the National Geographic Abu Dhabi and Almarai Moments photography competition.

Throughout its decade-long existence, Moments has reviewed 275,000 entries from photographers across the region. Judges include two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and National Geographic photographer Muhammed Muheisen, whose body of work includes documentation of the refugee crisis around the world.

This year, judges awarded second place to Jordanian photographer Ahmed Alazzam. His image features Mohamed Hendy, a seasoned calligrapher whose practices stretches back to the 1950s.

In third place is a street photograph by Samar Abu Elouf, who has documented a barber named Sameh who offers his services outdoors after the Covid-19 lockdowns forced his shop to close.

National Geographic Abu Dhabi has also announced the shortlist for the competition, which includes images from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Palestine.

For 2021, National Geographic Abu Dhabi will feature a new category specifically aimed at a younger photographs aged 13 to 17.