Watch: Girl beats polio, becomes award-winning wildlife photographer in UAE
Emirati, 52, won $50,000 for book on UAE birds, nests with foreword by Sheikh Mohammed
Dubai: An abaya made of a ghillie suit (a camouflage outfit), which Salma Al Suwaidi wears while at work, perfectly embodies her identity—a girl who grew up to become an award winning wildlife photographer in the UAE. Her book on birds has a foreword written by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Earlier this month, when the 52-year-old Emirati bagged the ‘Photography Content Creator’ award, a special category of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA), the photos published across the media were those of her feathered friends featured in her book, ‘Common Birds and their Nests in the UAE’.
The reason was obvious: Photographers are rarely seen in photos. As a Bedouin woman, Salma prefers to avoid being photographed.
When Gulf News met her in Al Qudra—one of her favourite spots for wildlife photography in Dubai—she was all geared up in her unique attire and had a similar cover partly camouflaging her car as well. “There is a story behind this special abaya,” she said.
“There aren’t any camouflage outfits available that conform to my ethnic style of dressing. So I bought shirts and trousers, cut them open and converted them into an abaya at home,” she revealed.
Polio survivor
The attire part is just one of the challenges that Salma has overcome. While wildlife photography itself is a physically demanding career, Salma has been pursuing it for over 15 years despite her physical concerns.
Since it often involves carrying heavy camera equipment for long distances, setting up in challenging conditions, and waiting patiently for hours in uncomfortable positions, wildlife photography is generally considered tough for anyone. Some also perceive it as particularly strenuous for women.
However, in Salma’s case, she has an additional difficulty that she has managed to surpass while pursuing this thrilling career. As a polio survivor, Salma requires support for walking. She uses a forearm crutches and balances her camera with its support if she is standing while capturing the beauty of the wild.
“Many told me it (wildlife photography) was not meant for me. They said it will be difficult for me to carry the heavy cameras, walk around and climb trees etc. I proved them all wrong. I love challenges. If someone tells me I cannot do something, I will do it. Like the motto of my leaders, I believe nothing is impossible if you are passionate and work hard,” she said with a sense of pride.
At the same time, she also confirmed that she does take the support of a house help to fix small cameras atop trees using the ladder at times. “I also use some snake cameras with long cables to keep inside the nests and holes in sands. Sometimes I carry three cameras. When I go far away, I take all my equipment and tent.”
Authority on ornithology
Being in the wild was not something strange for her. She was born in a Bedouin family two years after the UAE was born. “We lived close to nature, far from the town areas in those days. Surrounded by birds and animals in the desert, I became passionate about them. Eventually, I developed an interest in wildlife photography, particularly in capturing images of birds and their nests.”
Though she had studied computer science and graphic designing, Salma started chasing her passion as her career in 2008. Her day starts at 3.30am as she needs to reach the wilderness before sunrise. Searching for the birds and observing them to capture the perfect clicks would take up to six hours most of the days.
“I need to be back home by lunchtime, as my mother is particular about it,” said the sixth of 11 siblings, who is grateful for her family’s support in pursuing a male-dominated career.
She has documented over 300 bird species in her eBird checklists, ranking among the top 100 eBirders in the UAE. eBird is an online platform for birdwatchers. Birders enter when, where, and how they went birding, and then fill out a checklist of all the birds seen and heard during the outing.
Over the years, Salma has established herself as an authority on ornithology and also shares wildlife photos and videos through the social media handle uaewildlifelens. She got memberships in prestigious organisations, including the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP) and the Union of Arab Photographers (UAP). In 2011, she won a gold medal in the FIAP Emirates Photography Competition in the ‘Arab Image’ category.
Foreword by Sheikh Mohammed
Speaking about how she began the book on birds’ nests, she said: “I was searching for details about some birds’ nests and found no research details in the UAE. So, I decided to do it. My compilation for the book began shortly after I took up this profession.”
She travelled across all seven emirates, including challenging locations, to photograph and study bird species in their natural habitats.
Meanwhile, she said Sheikh Mohammed happened to see one of her videos taken by her friend while she was shooting in Al Marmoum Desert Conservation Reserve. “He liked it and after some days he asked his people to send me a card to give access to the private areas in the reserve where I can capture more birds and animals. I am so grateful for his support and his kindness in writing a foreword for my book.”
She also thanked Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, for instituting the HIPA Awards that recently honoured her with the prestigious Special Award.
Nevertheless, it has not always been smooth sailing for Salma. Once breaking her already weak leg after a fall while chasing a butterfly and encountering a desert snake on her path on another occasion, remain among her haunting memories. However, none of that has stopped her from continuing her work diligently. “It is also my way of giving back to my country. Through my lens, I want to keep telling the untold stories of the UAE’s birds and animals,” she added.