A photograph of a multigenerational family gathering rooted in Emirati tradition has won first place in a nationwide photography competition launched during the UAE Year of Family.
Dheyab Al Nuaimi took the top prize in the Family in Frame Award. The winning work was selected from 45 shortlisted photographs after nearly 1,300 entries were submitted from across the UAE.
The award was organised by Majalis Abu Dhabi at the Citizens and Community Affairs Office of the Presidential Court, in collaboration with Creative Lab, part of Abu Dhabi’s Creative Media Authority.
Second place went to Hamada Abdullah for a black-and-white portrait of a man and a young boy sharing the traditional Arabic nose greeting. Ana Backhaus received third place for a photograph showing older hands guiding a child through the preparation of dough.
The winners were recognised at an awards presentation at Al Shamkha Majlis in Abu Dhabi. The winner received Dh25,000, second place won Dh15,000 and third place won Dh10,000.
Launched in March, the award was open to UAE nationals and residents of all ages. Participants were invited to submit one photograph on the theme of family. Entries were judged on creativity, relevance and quality. Limited artistic editing was allowed, but excessive manipulation and AI-generated images were not.
The judging panel included British photographer Ranald Mackechnie as the final judge, alongside Emirati photographer and strategic adviser Khalid Alhashimi, Emirati sports photographer Hind Al Raeesi, portrait and landscape photographer Abdullah Al Braiki and portrait photographer Mohamed Somji.
The award is part of the wider Family in Frame initiative, which focuses on the role of family in shaping confidence, creativity and aspiration.
Selected works will be shown during Eid Al Etihad as part of a curated exhibition. A video spotlighting the winners and the awards presentation will also be released across CMA and Majalis Abu Dhabi channels.
