To mark the reopening of Saudi Arabia’s magical heritage sites in AlUla, aspiring photographers from the region are invited to #CaptureAlUla through their own lens
Set in the spectacular sandstone canyons of Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a collisional of art, culture and heritage with its remarkable landscapes, archeological sites and out-of-this-world festivals. Often used as a backdrop for films, fashion campaigns and breathtaking installations, the stunning setting is a muse for creatives across the world, but none can capture its beauty quite like those who live there.
To shine a spotlight on the creative talent residing within AlUla, and to celebrate the reopening of the site in October, the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has launched a photography competition to capture AlUla’s marvel-at attractions and incredible vistas. Entitled #CaptureAlUla, and held in collaboration with Sony, the competition will run for four weeks (until September 23) and will be spilt into five different pillars: Nature, Monumental, People, Design and Adventure.
Local residents are encouraged to submit their snaps for each category, whether it’s something for nature (a rock formation at sunrise or wild flora in the desert); an old picture from one of the heritage sites (Hegra, Dadan, Jabal Ikmah or the Old Town); a portrait image or a group shot of the community (the shop keeper, a farmer or the Rawi); the art and architectural wonders in the region (like the Maraya mirrored concert hall); or an adventure in the sand (think buggy rides and hot air ballooning).
The competition is designed to exclusively capture AlUla through the eyes of its residents and will be judged on technique, creativity and storytelling. One photographer per category will be chosen as the winner and awarded a SR 10,000 ($2,666) commission from the RCU to provide 50 images to be used for as part of the reopening of AlUla, along with a Sony Alpha 6600M camera.
To submit their work, participants need to upload their photographs to Instagram, tagging the @experiencealula account and using the hashtags #capturealula and #experiencealula to be considered. Find out more at Experiencealula.com
Main Image: Jourdan Dunn for Mônot’s AW20 campaign, photographed in AlUla by Luigi and Iango
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