Local lenses bring Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve’s conservation story into focus
RIYADH — Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve is putting cameras in the hands of the people who live and work across its landscapes, empowering rangers, ecologists and community specialists to tell the story of conservation through their own eyes. Marking World Photography Day on Wednesday, the Reserve announced the completion of an intensive six-monthphotography development program designed…
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve is leveraging the power of photography to showcase its conservation efforts and empower local communities, marking World Photography Day with the completion of a six-month program aimed at building storytelling skills among rangers, ecologists, and community specialists.
Andrew Zaloumis, CEO of the Reserve, emphasized that this initiative transcends mere aesthetic appeal, serving as a catalyst for both social and environmental sustainability by bringing communities together to experiment and shape the Reserve's perception.
The program began with a two-day course in smartphone photography, followed by an advanced DSLR course for 13 participants, selected for their talent and passion. Under the mentorship of Angela Buckland, an international art photographer, these individuals documented various aspects of the Reserve, from daily life and cultural heritage to major conservation milestones, such as the reintroduction of the Red-necked ostrich, Arabian hare, and Asian houbara.
Stories from participants like ranger Abdullah Al-Huwaiti reveal the profound impact of the program. Al-Huwaiti, who captures the Reserve's landscapes and wildlife as well as the work of his colleagues, aims to illustrate the relationship between people and nature, highlighting the efforts to conserve the land. Marine ranger Salma Aziz Alqasir, who discovered her passion for photography at a young age, uses her camera to document marine species and the coastal environment, emphasizing the importance of her role in protecting turtles.
Scientific observations also benefit from these efforts. Ali Al Faqih, the Reserve's Biodiversity and Research Manager, has used photography to monitor ecosystems, recently recording the first sighting of a White-tailed eagle in Saudi Arabia in over 20 years. The Reserve's photographs have been exhibited in Duba and Al-Wajh towns, alongside winning entries from a school art competition that garnered over 1,000 submissions, and are now featured on the Reserve’s digital platforms.
Plans are underway to expand the program with videography training, aiming for a national photography exhibition in 2027.
Written by urgent.news from Saudi Gazette's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
