Sharjah24: Xposure International Photography Festival promises to be truly awe-inspiring this year as 74 of the world’s best photographers and visual artists gather to exhibit their work, deliver life-changing discussions and empowering workshops, fuelling visitors’ creativity to a new level and opening up a world of endless possibilities.

Artistic photography has always been a major attraction for all those attending Xposure as visual masters of their craft create a state of wonder and astonishment through their jaw-dropping works. Although these masterpieces will inspire all those experiencing them, the art on display this year will be especially inspiring to industry specialists such as creative directors, art collectors, DOPs, including editors and designers, as well as photographers and artists looking for new techniques to express their creativity.  

Exhibitions: Truly No Limit to the Imagination

Visitors to Xposure can expect to be wowed at every turn through the incredible exhibitions on display this year, and take the time to fill their imaginations to the brim during the week-long festival. Here are some unforgettable exhibitions not to be missed and what creative professionals and visitors could possibly learn from their experiencing these works of art.

● Understanding different perspectives: The exhibitions, ‘The Light Within’ by Michael Aboya, ‘Iconic’ by Steve McCurry, and ‘Seeing Through Closed Eyes’ by Jose Tomas Lopez offer unique perspectives on African culture, human identity, and creativity.

● Inspiration and new perspectives: Filipp Kabanyayev's exhibition called ‘Fallen Leaves’ and ‘The Contrast: Namibia’ by Dany Eid about the Namibian coast aim to inspire new perspectives on the beauty and complexity of the natural world.

● Education and appreciation: Abdulla Jaafari's ‘Automotive photography with Abdulla Jaafari’, and Novandro Manik's exhibition ‘Siamese Fighting Fish: The Other Side’, offer an opportunity to learn about the unique challenges and beauty of capturing these subjects through the lens.
● Artistic exploration: Daniel Cheong's exhibition ‘Imaginary Cityscapes’, and Ian Ruhter's exhibition ‘Painting with Silver & Light’ on the 19th-century wet plate collodion process, showcase the artists' exploration of new techniques and themes.

● Appreciation of technical expertise: The exhibitions, ‘Transformation of Narcissus 2023’ by Swee Choo Oh, ‘The Mystery of Life’ by Pedro Jarque Krebs, and ‘An Intimate Vision’ by Jodi Cobb, showcase the artists' technical expertise in photography and offer an opportunity for visitors and professionals to appreciate the mastery of these techniques.

Seminars: Learn how the most creative minds work

The Xposure International Photography Festival offers a wide range of seminars for visitors and creative professionals to learn about different aspects of photography and how to use the medium to create unique collectible or commercial works of art. Here are a selection of seminars attendees can experience in regards to artistic photography and gain a completely new perspective on how to create art with the camera. 

Douglas Dubler’s ‘A Fifty Year Photographic Odyssey’ will present on his fifty-year journey as a professional photographer, covering his experience in the industry from fine art to commercial fashion and beauty photography. Gabriel Wickbold’s seminar ‘I am Online’ will be discussing the use of photography to explore modern issues and highlight the complexities of contemporary life, including the impact of social media. Filipp Kabanyayev’s ‘How Knowledge Expands Imagination & Boosts Creativity’ will focus on the importance of how knowledge shapes our perception of the world and enhances our creativity. 

Joel Grimes will present a session titled ‘The Artist In You’ on the joys of self-expression and the limitless potential of art. Bára Prášilová’s seminar ‘Circles’, will offer an in-depth look at her surreal and striking photography, discussing the themes and inspiration behind her images. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the experiences of these photographers during Q&A sessions. Overall, the festival provides an opportunity for visitors and professionals to gain new insights and techniques to improve their craft and explore the role of photography in the world.

It’s clear to see that this seven-day festival will provide a plethora of opportunities for visitors to expand their horizons and delve deeper into their creative potential, as they experience the very best the world has to offer all under one roof at the Expo Centre Sharjah from 9-15 February. If being inspired was a sport, Xposure would be the olympics. For more information and for signing up for the many workshops, guided tours and other activities on offer for this visual extravaganza, visit https://xposure.ae/