Moments in time frozen in frames

Apart from the 120 photographs on exhibit at the Hyatt Regency as part of DSS Heritage Surprises week, part of Noor Ali Rashid's collection is on permanent display on the hotel's ground floor


He was the historian of the UAE at a time when it had no historians. For those who were not here in the early days, it is through his lens that we have seen the great changes wrought in this young nation. For those who were, his pictures of the 1950s, 60s and 70s-era Dubai and Abu Dhabi are a trip down memory lane. And for nationals and expatriates alike, his informal and intimate pictures of the nation's rulers give us a greater understanding and appreciation of them and their legacy.

Noor Ali Rashid, royal photographer and twinkle-eyed raconteur, has been recording the country's history since the day he arrived in Dubai in 1958. And even now, at 74, he shows no signs of putting down his camera or forgetting the thousands of anecdotes from a life richly lived.

He recently finished work on a pictorial book about His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, due out later this year, and is already working on others about His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, about the unsung nationals and families who contributed to the development of the country, and a fourth book devoted exclusively to the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the father of Dubai. His last publication, Sheikh Zayed: Life and Times, continues to sell astronomically well – it is currently in its third print run.

"Everybody knows what Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid have done," says Noor Ali, explaining why his books continue to be mega-sellers. "You only have to look around you to see it. My pictures are only a small tribute."

Candid portraits

For many people, however, Noor Ali Rashid's pictures are more than just that. They are an irreplaceable link between past and present, and between the people and the rulers they love. Their value lies not so much in their aesthetics and technical skill but in their candid, honest and intimate nature.