Arab women behind the camera

If it appeared shallow at first, naming Instagram as our main tool of research is in fact nothing but the truth.

Amongst a ton of uninteresting and badly-kept accounts, a few hidden gems are thankfully still to be found. A hashtag leading to a picture, leading to a tag that itself leads to another picture…the rotation is infinite. Over the past year taking screen-shots, discovering, exploring, loving, we have come to realize that most of our top picks were always pictures that had been taken by women.

As it is our priority at JDEED, the focus on Middle-Eastern artist is of course a condition sine qua non. Lebanese, Emirati, Qatari, we have gathered our four favorite Middle-Eastern women photographer who beyond Instagram, never missed to have us feel the deepest emotions.

Clara Abi Nader 

Clara Abi Nader is a Lebanese photographer based between Paris and Beirut. Photography isn’t the only string to her bow. Her beautiful essays, which you can read on her online journal (in French) are always so accurate and a whirlwind of different feels.

Her photographs, tinted with nostalgia, both in the way they’re taken and concerning the shot subject, make us travel through time, at least aesthetically,  while still being the representation of today’s reality.

Connect to Clara’s Instagram

Ola Allouz

Morocco 

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Madina, KSA

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Oman

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Connect to Ola’s Instagram

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Natalie Naccache is a Lebanese- British documentary photographer currently based between Dubai and Beirut. As someone who grew-up in London, educated by Lebanese parents, Natalie has made it her work’s focus to challenge the set clichés and preconceived ideas people have on the Middle-East in our today’s society.

Natalie is a UAL alumni who graduated with a BA in photojournalism from the London College of Communication. She also holds a Diploma of Art Foundation from Camberwell College of Art.

Probably the most commercially featured photographer of our selection, Naccache has placed her work in publications such as Marie-Claire, Monocle, The NY Times, Le Monde or Der Spiegel and photographed internationally known artists such as Elie Saab or Damien Hirst.

Connect to Natalie’s Instagram

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Shaima Al Tamimi.

Shaima Al Tamimi is a cultural explorer living between the UAE and Qatar. As a real culinary enthusiast since her early days , Shaima never ceases to explore new eateries, food joints and new flavors. Not only a passion of hers, Shaima believes that food connects us a humans, in the way we interact with each other.

Her photography captures the realest moments, without forced thinking or planned mise-en-scène:  “My aim is to document this diversity and show you the stories, people, food and places that make our cities what they are today.” expresses Tamimi.

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Connect to Shaima’s Instagram