FUJAIRAH IN FOCUS: Fujairah Photographic Competition Won by Mustapha Azab

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Fujairah Photographic Competition Won by Mustapha Azab

Winning Photographer

Congratulations to Mustapha Azab for winning the 2011 Photographic Competition sponsored by the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority.

Dhs 20,000 is a nice amount to put in your pocket but the award, presented by His Highness, Sheikh Rashid bin Hamad Al Sharqi (pictured) and the honor of doing well among an increasing number of photographers who love to shoot in Fujairah, is perhaps even more satisfying.

Mustapha has lived in Fujairah for several years and he is originally from Syria. Such is his skill, he is often called upon to act as photographer for major events and functions in Fujairah and the UAE’s East Coast.

Winning Photo

Mustapha’s prize-winning photograph has the distinct Fujairah subject of two bulls going head to head.

Looking at a larger photo and closer up, one gets a better idea of why this photo won the competition. The detail. The colours. The dust. The action. The drama.

Getting Down and Dirty

One of the clues to getting a photo of such intense action is to get close up and low down.

When I asked whether he was using a telephoto lens and how he got so close to the butting bulls, Mustapha said, “I will send you a photo.”

Here is the photo of a camera trolley that a friend made for Mustapha. Every bovine photographer needs one of these so you can take photos without getting trampled and butted. The trolley gets your camera down low and it also gives greater proximity to the bulls. Being on wheels you can run it along the ground as the bulls move. Add an extension to your shutter button.