Sharjah's Xposure International Photography Festival is marking its 10th year. Bringing together acclaimed photographers from around the world, the annual event features group and solo exhibitions, workshop spaces, several stages, a dedicated cinema, as well as a trade area, where top-level photography brands are offering their products at discounted prices.
This year's event, under the theme A Decade of Visual Storytelling, will run from January 29 to February 4 at Aljada in Sharjah.
Among the many featured artists, three Emirati photographers will be highlighted through special exhibitions. Spanning astronomy, micro-science and conceptual art, their works "reflects a nation where creativity is informed by science, shaped by curiosity and guided by a deep sense of place," a statement from the festival explains.
The Sky – Within and Beyond by Yousuf Al Qasimi
A night-sky photographer and member of the Emirates Astronomical Society, Al Qasimi has dedicated years to documenting the cosmos, capturing nebulae, star clusters, galaxies and meteor showers. His images revive a timeless sense of wonder, reminding viewers of humanity’s enduring relationship with the stars.
Beyond astrophotography, Al Qasimi is also a storm chaser, driven by a scientific interest in extreme weather phenomena. He travels hundreds of kilometres in pursuit of supercells and lightning storms, carefully positioning himself to frame moments where atmosphere and energy collide. His exhibition, The Sky – Within and Beyond, will be presented in the Nature zone at Xposure 2026, offering a glimpse into both the serenity and power of the skies.
Dancing Crystals by Rashed Alsumaiti
Using advanced micro-photography techniques, Alsumaiti's work reveals hidden structures in natural materials that are invisible to the naked eye. At extreme close range, everyday substances such as salt and vitamin C crystals transform into dramatic landscapes, abstract forms and imagined creatures.
Starting in 2009 with landscape photography before evolving into macro and micro exploration, Alsumaiti travels constantly to remote locations, documenting nature and wildlife while constantly experimenting with scale and perception.
His exhibition, Dancing Crystals, at the Fine Art and Creative Expression zone, will blur the line between science and art.
Silence by Ghada Ahmed Al Qasimi
For Ghada Ahmed Al Qasimi, photography is a space for emotional inquiry. Her work focuses on memory, silence and the feelings that resist clear definition. Rather than presenting direct narratives, her images invite viewers to pause and reflect.
Her series, Silence, to be exhibited at the Fine Art and Creative Expression zone, will explore the tension between presence and absence. Featuring desolate landscapes and solitary compositions, her photographs show nature as a force that exists beyond human control. Emphasising scale, stillness and emotional tension she showcases the vastness of the natural world pitted against human fragility.
Xposure International Photography Festival is free to attend, but registration is mandatory
