In an industry where women are often positioned behind the lens, this story brings them into focus. Across fashion, portraiture and still life, six photographers step in front of the camera, offering a rare shift in perspective. Spanning different personal histories, their stories come together as a portrait of a generation redefining what it means to create and be seen.
Born and raised in Dubai, Hind AlRaeesi’s work is shaped by the rhythm of a city defined by movement and contrast. Drawn initially to sports, she found in photography a way to capture intensity within a single frame – moments where emotion and motion collide. Her visual language sits between portraiture and sports. “I’m particularly interested in blending studio elements with the raw energy of sports to create a distinctive style,” she says. She uses light as a central tool to heighten mood and direct the eye, whether capturing an athlete mid-action or a solitary figure in the rain.
For AlRaeesi, the process is as much about persistence as instinct. Each challenge has pushed her to refine her approach and trust her vision. “I want people to feel the moment, not just see it,” she adds – a sentiment that defines her work, creating images that linger long after the frame has passed.
“A portrait is a sum of all the connections and conversations that are built before the picture is even taken,” says Raheed Allaf. With a background in filmmaking, her approach to photography carries a cinematic sensibility, where each image is guided as much by exchange as composition. Raised between Jeddah, Al Khobar and Riyadh before settling in Dubai, her perspective is informed by a life lived across cities, each shaping how she observes people and places. Ironically, photography was not initially on the cards, but gradually became her primary mode of expression.
She is drawn to capturing people in their most unguarded state, often working with Arab women artists, while also paying close attention to fleeting, everyday moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. She hopes people find wonder in her work. “Not in a grand way, just in a subtle, personal way where you look at an image and feel a shift, even slightly in how you see yourself or the spaces around you,” she shares.
“I’m a bit of a magpie for all things beautiful,” says Sophia Cliffe, whose work reflects a sharp eye for detail and a fascination with image-making from an early age. Raised in the UK on a stately home estate, she was surrounded by exhibitions, fashion shoots and a constant flow of creative influence as her mother was a graphic designer. Early exposure to figures such as Damien Hirst, Mary Katrantzou and Nick Knight left a lasting impression on her, later refined through her studies in commercial photography at Arts University Bournemouth.
Her practice today leans towards still life and fashion with a focus on polished, high-gloss imagery. “I love playing with juxtaposition and a bit of humour,” she shares. The creative has shot some of Vogue Arabia’s most striking still life stories, placing high jewellery on a backgammon board, a Schiaparelli purse in a shoebox and a Loewe bag among shelves of laban. There is a sense of play in her work, where unexpected settings give each image a distinct point of view.
“I knew I found myself right through the lens,” says Amina Zaher, who made a decisive career shift from business to photography years after working in the corporate world. It was clearly the right move. She was behind the lens when Vogue Man Arabia featured Rami Malek on the cover and did a series of fashion and beauty shoots defined by a sharper, more experimental edge. These include a portfolio of rising Egyptian models shot in the backdrop of The Pyramids of Giza, a shoot on the streets of Jeddah featuring Alanoud Al Turki, a profile of comedian Bassem Youssef and capturing celebrities at the Red Sea Film Festival. Elsewhere, she proudly boasts campaigns for brands like Dior, Louis Vuitton and Loro Piana.
“I quit my job, applied to the New York Film Academy’s photography course and pursued my passion,” she shares about her journey. Raised in Egypt, she moved to Dubai to pursue fashion photography, drawn by the city’s growing presence in the industry. Her path was built through persistence and a willingness to start again.
Her work remains anchored in feelings, with a desire to give space to stories that deserve to be seen. Zaher’s aesthetic is defined by a conceptual approach, often inflected with a distinctly regional sensibility. “I try to show all the emotions I’ve ever felt in my images. I like it when people tell me that my photos have emotions,” she adds.
“I came into the industry as a Filipina woman by being in spaces that were often male-dominated. There were times when I had to fight to be seen before I could even begin to prove myself,” says Hyku Desesto. From a video shoot of Vogue Arabia’s cover star Ciara in 2019 to capturing high-profile events like Vogue Ball of Arabia, as well as shooting Anna Wintour, global editorial director of Vogue and chief content officer at Condé Nast, during her Dubai visit late January last year to launch the company's Middle East expansion, she has become one of the city’s go-to photographers.
Born and raised in Davao City, Philippines, her photography journey has been defined by a strong connection to storytelling, influenced early on by her father’s work in the media.Now based in Dubai, where she founded Team Hyku D and Soultrap Studio, her work centres on people and the exchange that happens in front of the lens. “Photography is not separate from connection; it is connection,” she adds.
For Tina Patni, photography goes beyond taking pictures – it’s about capturing a point of view that feels real. Her work for Vogue Arabia spans beauty and still life, from bold, detail-driven make-up shoots to carefully composed images of handbags and perfumes.
The Indian creative, who grew up in Dubai, was exposed to the medium early on through her father, an established photographer. “I was surrounded by cameras, shoots and creative conversations all the time,” she says. Developing her own voice meant moving from observation to creating work that felt personal and recognisable, a process that required time and hands-on experience. “Today, I approach my work with a strong point of view, patience and a focus on quality and detail,” she shares.
Photography: Lesha Lich
Styling: Mohammad Hazem Rezq
Makeup: Jean Keyrouz
Hair: Karla at The Hair & Make up Factory
Production: Nura Abdela
Styling assistant: Aarya Chandramohan
Makeup assistant: Tasnim Nahar
Hair assistant: Cheyanne at The Hair & Make up Factory
Shot on location: PATNI STUDIO
Special thanks to Fujifilm
