Photos capture a time of simple beauty to give a glimpse of the past

Dubai: A herd of camels stand grazing, laden with goods and preparing to set out on a journey.

It's not the desert, as you might think, but actually Deira & in 1959.

The deep, azure waters of Dubai creek reflect off a crisp white sail of a traditional dhow as it passes a smaller abra is another image from the same year at a recent photography exhibition showcasing a collection of photos taken from 1950-1970.

'Trucial States, 1950-1960-1970' was held at Heritage House, part of the Al Serkal Cultural Foundation in the Bastikiya district. The images portray life during these eras when the UAE was part of the Trucial States - before the formation of the federation in 1971.

Tony Campbell, the photographer, worked for oil company Shell in Sudan and the Middle East from 1956-1961 and in 1958 he came to Dubai. Unfortunately the elderly Campbell was unable to travel to Dubai to attend his first exhibition.

Raoul Restucci, Executive Vice President, Middle East and South Asia, Shell Exploration and Production, said at the inauguration: "Campbell was a Shell employee that worked in the Middle East, but he spent quite some time here in Sharjah, Al Ain, and Abu Dhabi in the exploration and production days, and photography was his hobby. He just captured a very large collection of great photos.

"As an explorer you're always looking for rocks or beautiful buildings, so it was just his passion," he said.

Restucci continued that the company has been in Dubai for 50 years and Abu Dhabi for 70, "so we've been part of the matrix, part of the fabric. It's a small step in historical terms, but nevertheless we've been an active participant in what's been happening here."

Due to constrictions with show space, the exhibition only ran for three days. However, the collection will now be cared for by the Dubai Arts and Culture Authority.

An aerial shot of Abu Dhabi in 1973 shows just how much progressive development has been undertaken in modern times, while a 1974 shot of a wooden hand water pump in Al Ain takes the viewer back in time to another era altogether.

A glimpse of the whitewashed Deira rooftops taken 30 years ago doesn't look too dissimilar from the rooftops today, while an image of Dubai Museum in 1973 (the building is Al Fahidi Fort - converted for use as a museum in 1971) gives a sense of isolation - with no real roads visible around the building.

"The photos show what he loved about the UAE. And it's the peace of the country, shot through the eyes of an oil worker," Restucci said."You gain a sense of warmness (from the photos)," he concluded.

The Trucial States exhibition ran from May 17-20.