Renowned fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon's images of AlUla have been issued in an oversized 215-page book titled A Dream of AlUla. The publication, which celebrates the history of AlUla, gives readers a glimpse into the little-known geological wonder through photography.
A Dream of AlUla shows the magnificence of AlUla's landscape from lush green oases, vast expanses and drifting sand to basalt uplands and millennia-old inscriptions. Some photos are captured in black-and-white while others are in colour. There are images of striking landscapes while others feature the people of AlUla.
Scroll through the gallery above to see some of Gilles Bensimon's images of AlUla.
AlUla is home to the Unesco World Heritage Site, Hegra, where exceptionally preserved tombs of the Nabataean age show elaborate facades cut out of sandstone outcrops. Located on the ancient Incense Route, AlUla has been described as a living museum with a history that features Lihyanite, Dadanite, Nabataean, and pre-Islamic times.
“I will not begin to describe, or even attempt to tell the story of my journey in AlUla,” Bensimon said. “I can only hope that my photographs might open the door to a new dream in your mind: the dream of meeting AlUla.”
Bensimon is the former international creative director of Elle magazine and has worked with models and celebrities including Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Madonna and Elle Macpherson.
Published by Rizzoli New York and featuring a foreword by French art historian Diana Picasso, A Dream of AlUla is now available for purchase. More information is here.
