theonlyD800inthehameau
Photography by theonlydeadheadinthehameau
Lens-Artists Challenge: Quiet Moment
Posted on September 8, 2025
I took this photo in Dubai, many years ago now. An immigrant worker seizes a – no doubt rare – opportunity to rest and relax, sitting on a bench and removing his sandals, enjoying a quiet moment.
Lens-Artists Challenge: People
Posted on March 25, 2024
This week’s Lens-Artists Challenge has the theme of ‘People: Here, There And Everywhere’.
That’s certainly a challenge for me, because as a general rule I tend to avoid photographing people, apart from snaps for the family album. I just don’t feel comfortable about the implicit invasion of privacy, quite apart from the risk of being pursued by an irate ‘subject wielding a baseball bat.
Sometimes, though, my interest will be piqued by somebody rather than something. I captured this image in one of Dubai’s smaller shopping malls while passing a barber’s shop. It was one of those times where I could imagine something a little less mundane than simply a random bloke getting his hair cut. What was the hairdresser thinking at that precise moment?
Lens-Artists Challenge: Dramatic
Posted on January 15, 2024
The stark Hajar Mountains form a dramatic backdrop to the mountain town of Hatta, in the emirate of Dubai but well away from the city.
Polygonal
Posted on September 22, 2021
There are more polygons than you could count in this image of the roof of one of the galleries of Dubai Mall.
Boy Blue
Posted on August 4, 2021
On a hot day in Dubai (in November!) the only thing to do is to jump in the swimming pool and cool off.
Down By The Creek
Posted on July 7, 2021
Shrouded in an orange tarpaulin, this cargo waits to be loaded onto a dhow in Dubai Creek.
Illuminated
Posted on September 23, 2020
The iconic – and eye-wateringly expensive – Burj al-Arab hotel in Dubai is lit up at night.
Taking a rest
Posted on August 28, 2020
A weary worker takes the opportunity to take the weight of his feet on a bench in Dubai.
Residency in Dubai
Posted on August 26, 2020
Last week, Cee wanted images of old buildings; this time it’s modern homes. I stayed (relatively) local for the old buildings – being pretty much surrounded by them in this part of France, quite apart from actually living in one myself.
Of course there are modern homes here too, but most of them are just not very interesting to look at. Whereas in Dubai pretty much everything is modern and a lot of it is architecturally noteworthy. This is the Pearl Resdence, one of the almost literally countless residential apartment blocks in the city. That’s another one reflected in its plate glass frontage.
The Wind Tower
Posted on December 7, 2018
Cee’s theme for this week’s Black & White Photo Challenge is ‘Hot and/or Cold’. Here is an image that encapsulates both. This is a wind tower in al-Bastakiya – what’s left of the old part of Dubai. It works on the principle of drawing in the desert breezes at the top and funneling them down to provide a cooler draught at ground level. Air-conditioning, in other words.
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