The Xposure International Photography Festival returned to Sharjah on Thursday, at a new location.
The festival, which runs until February 26, is taking place in Aljada, an expanded contemporary space that will host more than 300 events for photographers and photography enthusiasts.
“As we unveil the ninth and largest edition of Xposure, we celebrate its strategic position as one of the world’s premier festivals for visual storytellers,” said Tariq Saeed Allay, director general of the festival's organiser, Sharjah Government Media Bureau.
“This not only reinforces Sharjah’s reputation as a hub for visual narratives, but also highlights the emirate’s cultural and civilisational vision.”
Xposure 2025 is set to bring together more than 400 globally acclaimed photographers, filmmakers, visual and lens-based artists and storytellers from 49 nations.
There will be more than 90 solo and group exhibitions from galleries, including interactive installations that delve into themes such as conservation, environment, culture and humanity. This is also the third year the photography festival will host the Conservation Summit, an expanded film programme that includes more than 50 screenings, guided tours, book signings and live demonstrations by photographers.
Work by acclaimed photojournalists will be displayed in solo exhibitions. They include James Nachtwey, Don McCullin, Cinzia Canneri and Veronique de Viguerie.
“The festival’s message remains steadfast: to invest in the transformative power of visual storytelling, shaping perceptions and supporting sustainable and inclusive development,” Allay added. “It provides a global platform that unites art enthusiasts, fosters an educational and knowledge-rich environment, and opens doors for innovation and collaboration within the visual creative industries.”
The festival will also include a number of awards. The Xposure International Awards recognise emerging and established photographers, across categories including architectural, wildlife, portraiture, macro, mobile, night photography and “SeeSharjah”. An overall winner will be announced, and a $60,000 prize pool will be shared by winners.
The Independent Freelance Photojournalist Award offers a $15,000 prize to photographers who capture unfiltered moments that define the world, while the Xposure International Film Awards honour cinematic storytelling in categories such as short film, documentary and animation.
For the second year, the Global Focus Project Nomination Programme will recognise and honour one male and one female photographer from each continent for their work in capturing cultural narratives.
A movie programme called A Cinematic Journey will enable attendees to engage directly with filmmakers. Famous photographers will also take to the festival's stage to discuss their work and delve into their processes.
Filmmakers attending include Pippa Ehrlich and Roger Horrocks, the duo behind the Oscar-winning documentary My Octopus Teacher; Martin Desmond Roe, Oscar winning co-director of Two Distant Strangers; and Franklin Leonard, the creator of popular unsold script resource The Black List.
The festival will host a celebration of 10th-century Iraqi philosopher Hassan Ibn Al Haytham, often called “the father of modern optics”. Activities will include experiencing a giant camera obscura, interacting with light-based experiments, and discovering the wonders of optical illusions.
The festival will also host workshops, covering subjects from traditional photography techniques to cutting-edge, AI-enhanced imagery, led by renowned experts. Highlights include the Shutter Speed Mastery workshop by Roland Pokrywka, focusing on techniques to freeze action, create motion blur and capture night shots.
Another session, Receiving Exposure in the Art World, will be led by award-winning photographer and interdisciplinary expert Wiktoria Michalkiewicz. There will also be workshops on visual storytelling and creative AI using Adobe Photoshop.
Those hoping for a souvenir of their visit can have a complimentary family portrait taken by a professional photographer.
The Xposure International Photography Festival will run to February 26 at Aljada in Sharjah
