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.

Sheikh Zayed performs Umrah at the holy city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia together with Sheikh Rashid and Ali Al Shorafa.
The photographs of Sheikh Rashid and Sheikh Zayed laughing together or another of them performing Umrah at the holy city of Makkah are classic examples. It is in these singular moments that the leaders' humanity, warmth and compassion shine through. Just as it is the rarity of such pictures that elevates Noor Ali's work above that of others working at the same time, so it is his relationship and close access to his subjects that made such pictures possible.

A little luck, some daring, and huge quantities of genuine affection, respect and mutual trust were integral to building that relationship, Noor Ali says.

When Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum died shortly after Noor Ali arrived, he did not hesitate to take his camera and head for the ruler's court, where the British agent had arrived from Bahrain to declare Sheikh Rashid, son of Sheikh Saeed, the new ruler of Dubai.

"When the ceremony was over and the officials started to leave, I asked for a group picture, which was not an acceptable action at the time," says Noor Ali. "But no one objected, and after I got the pictures developed I presented them to Sheikh Rashid and other dignitaries."

Personal invitation

Over the years, the rulers themselves would invite Noor to the palaces even on visits abroad. "Sheikh Zayed used to tell visitors, 'There is no film in his camera'," he laughs. "So whenever those people saw me again, they would laugh remembering his words so it would work to my advantage."

Sheikh Rashid and Sheikh Saqr after a meeting of the Trucial States Development Council, of which Sheikh Saqr was the first chairman.
They would even tease him. When the Dubai Municipality building was inaugurated, for example, Sheikh Rashid suggested that Noor Ali take a step back to get more people into his frame. And then another step back, and another until Noor Ali fell backwards into the shallow pool around the building. Both the sheikh and a soaked Noor Ali laughed for a long time at the practical joke, which the man dubbed 'photographer of the millennium' recalls fondly even today.

"Sheikh Rashid dedicated all his time to building Dubai, even at the expense of his own health," he says. "He used to sleep late at night after meeting with nationals in his majlis, resolving conflicts, giving advice and opportunities, and then wake up early in the morning for Fajr prayers, take the place beside his driver and drive around town to oversee all the projects."

Not only was the father of Dubai a true visionary, he was also a humble and generous man, says Noor Ali. "It is rare to find such courtesy, humility and kindness as I found in the royal families of Dubai and Abu Dhabi," he says.

"Today, even the nobodies turn up their noses, but that has never been the case with Sheikh Rashid and Sheikh Zayed. At their feet, you learn everything you need to know about leadership, business, and treating people right."

Part of the country

For the recent Accession Day, a local publication issued a magazine on the life and achievements of Sheikh Zayed, complete with several of Noor Ali's pictures.

He received no request for permission, no credit and no payment, and although he could sue for breach of copyright, he shrugs it off.

"My pictures belong to the nation," he says simply. "I am a UAE national. I came here as a businessman, but the love and respect from this country and its people changed my direction and made me who I am today."

His success, he believes, is in large part due to the rulers' generosity and in small measure to his own hard work.

"Success never comes on a silver plate, it is only when you have courage and accept challenges and work honestly, have no discrimination, a love for humanity and equal respect for all people that you will shine,