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Photojournalism event by Sharjah Media Centre to feature exhibitions by Top Photographers, competitions, training workshops by International Experts and Trade Show
Sharjah, UAE, June 1, 2016: Sharjah Media Centre, the media and communication arm of the Sharjah government, has announced the first International Photography Festival, XPOSURE 2016, to be held from 12-15 October, 2016 at Expo Centre Sharjah. Bringing together a wide range of events and activities -- exhibitions, workshops, screenings, photography competitions and a trade show by international companies -- on a single platform, XPOSURE 2016 is a groundbreaking initiative to celebrate and enrich the field of photojournalism in the UAE and the region.
Announcing the first edition of XPOSURE at a Press conference at Al Majaz Amphitheatre on Wednesday, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Centre (SMC), said that the first International Photography Festival is “based on the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to promote an environment of creativity, and comes out of our awareness of the importance of pictures in complementing the cultural scene in the Emirate of Sharjah.”
He said that XPOSURE would form an integrated global platform where top photographers and photojournalists from around the world would meet to share their experiences with photography enthusiasts, from amateurs to professionals.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi said: “During the course of our daily lives, our eyes pick up a lot of images that portray various scenes, including creative works, international events and news in different languages, which makes those images eliminate the need for reading a lot of pages or speaking a lot of languages.”
Underscoring the role of images and visuals in the media, cultural and social situations, he said: “A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words, and it sometimes outweighs all words combined.”
With the technological revolution that we are living through, the art of photography is no longer limited to professional photographers. Each of us carries a camera phone with which we can take any picture we like and share it with the world in an instant. This underscored the need to groom and showcase the photographic talents of our youth in today's media culture and this is why we have made this aspect an integral part of the Festival, said the SMC Chairman.
The first Photography Festival will help visitors understand the characteristics of a good picture and how it is taken through a variety of activities that range from exhibitions of works of top photographers to training workshops by experts to seminars and a trade show.
Making a presentation on the occasion, Tariq Saeed Allay, Director of SMC, said that XPOSURE 2016 is an ideal opportunity for all photography enthusiasts to connect with and learn from top local and international photographers and accomplished professionals of the industry through a series of talks, screenings and workshops.
“This is an excellent and exciting opportunity for professional photographers, amateurs and all those who love to capture life in images and appreciate a good photograph to enhance their skills and engage with internationally acclaimed professionals and experts in the UAE and from around the world,” said the SMC Director.
Pointing out that thanks to the smartphone revolution, there is an unprecedented interest in the art of photography these days, he said today just about everyone is an amateur photographer.
Allay hoped that XPOSURE 2016 and the various professional workshops, screenings and photography competitions that it offers to both professionals and amateurs would encourage more people to choose photojournalism and photography as a career and help the UAE media discover new talent.
Talking about world-class training workshops by top international experts and professionals, such as Muhammed Muheisen, Toufic Araman, Alan Ranger, Timothy Alan, Erik Almas and Beno Saradzic, the SMC Director said that SMC would be subsidising and contributing towards the cost of training for local UAE participants in workshops.
XPOSURE offers an integrated experience of celebrating the art of photography and covers all aspects of learning, from soft knowledge to advanced technical skills, combined with a selection of top photography equipment companies being showcased in the Trade Show, which also provides the experts consultancy, said Allay.
The SMC Director said that the Festival would feature screenings from leading photojournalists and artists, beginner and advanced level workshops with leading experts sharing their insights, international seminars, online and onsite competitions and a trade show by leading companies, all under one roof. Everyone can take part in these competitions and submit their works to qualify for and win the XPOSURE 2016 Photography Awards.
Allay said that as part of XPOSURE 2016, there will be two kinds of -- Outdoor and Indoor – photo exhibitions. The Outdoor exhibitions will be held from 7-14 October, 2016, seven days prior to the main event, at prominent locations such as Al Majaz Waterfront, Al Qasba, Heart of Sharjah Waterfront, Central Souk Lagoon Side and University City in Sharjah.
The Indoor exhibitions will be held from 12-15 October, 2016 in an integrated space, offering artworks in three different categories. All details about XPOSURE 2016 and ways of connecting with it and its various photography competitions, workshops and seminars are available on the website xposure.ae.
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