The dramatic Al Bara folkloric dance performed by inhabitants of the northern regions of Yemen goes back thousands of years. The janabiya (Yemeni dagger), used during the performance is considered a sign of honour and pride and is an inherent part of the traditional costumes.
Mohammed, from Yemen, initially studied music and worked for a long time in the film industry. He shifted his focus to photography when he realised that a single image conveyed his message more strongly than filmmaking did.
Among Arab societies, Lebanese women are believed to have a wider margin of freedom compared to women elsewhere in the region. But more and more of these women are now actively trying to break predefined gender roles and challenge societal norms.
Nabiha, from Lebanon, started her career in photography six years ago. Her main area of interest is portraiture but she also works extensively in commercial product photography.
The bath of “King Daher” is adjacent to the Umayyad Mosque and is one of the oldest public baths in the city of Damascus, dating back to the second half of the 10th century.
Despite the difficult conditions in Syria in recent years, the bath has remained an oasis for many people in the capital, Damascus.
Hassan, from Syria, has worked as a freelance photographer since 2011. He is mainly interested in documentary photography, covering the effects of wars and conflict on society and people.
It's not just pressing a button for a single image but thinking about the story we are trying to tell.
An exhibition in Beirut, Lebanon, concludes the photojournalism and documentary photography training programme run by Thomson Foundation.
The project, in partnership with photography centre, Dar Al Mussawir, and with support from the British Council took place from April to July, 2018.
Fifteen emerging photographers from Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Yemen, learned to develop their professional confidence, technical skills and creative practice through the intensive programme.
The images exhibited respond to the theme of heritage and shed light on the diversity of identity in conflict and post-conflict contexts. The exhibition runs until 17th August, 2018.
The Palestinian dabke dance is one of the popular arts and cultural legacies that the Palestinian generations have being passing among their communities despite the occupation, diaspora and daily pain of conflict.
Ibrahim spent time perfecting the basic techniques of photography before he opened Studio Zakira, in the port city of Saida in Lebanon, with a group of other young photographers, all wishing to enhance the photography skills of their surrounding community.
Traditional instruments such as rigg, oud and santur are still widespread among musicians specialising in Arabic music and oriental arrangements. The handmade instruments are now gradually starting to be replaced by factory-manufactured items.
Reine is a Lebanese photographer based in Beirut. She started out as a producer in the field of advertising, but later moved to documentary filmmaking and photography, focusing her lens on humanitarian issues.
The old city of Sana'a is famous for its "Bab Al Hara" traditional oil press. The method is more than 200 years old and the camel leads this primitive method due to its strength and tolerance. During the process of the pressing, the camel's eyes are covered so it feels like it is on a journey while it rotates.
Dia is a Yemeni filmmaker and photographer who has been realising his potential and his passion for photography since 2013.
In a conservative society like Yemen, where there is no luxury of parks and safe spaces amidst the sufferings of war and siege, women have created a world of their own, where they forget the worries and problems of life and conflict.
Eman is a photographer and artist from Yemen, who works on a freelance basis for international organisations to document and cover the humanitarian situation and public life in Yemen. She has participated in four art exhibitions and has spoken on post-war photography and women.
Exhibition images by Glenn Edwards and Dar Al Mussawir
