Emirati photographer urges capturing everyday moments at Xposure 2025

Photo: Sharjah Government Media Bureau

At the 9th International Photography Festival (Xposure), Emirati photographer Khalifa Sultan shared a powerful message about the importance of slowing down in photography. In his talk, Echoes of the Untold – The Stories We Leave Behind, he encouraged photographers to shift their focus from grand, dramatic images to the quiet, everyday moments that truly define life.

Sultan believes that photography is not just about aesthetics but about preserving emotions and untold stories. He spoke about the unnoticed people who shape our daily lives—like a boatman who has spent years ferrying passengers across the creek or a small grocery store owner who has dedicated two decades to serving his community. “To many, he was invisible,” Sultan recalled. “He once told me, ‘You’re the only one interested in taking a photo of me. No one knows about me.’”

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel  

For Sultan, these are the stories that matter—the ones often left behind, yet deserving of remembrance. He reminded the audience that life moves so fast that people rarely stop to live it. “We’re always rushing, always chasing after something. But photography allows us to pause, to hold onto something real, even for just a moment,” he said.

Photography Beyond Social Media

Unlike many photographers today, Sultan does not seek social media approval for his work. He stepped away from Instagram in 2016, rejecting the idea that photography should be about likes and shares. Instead, he sees his camera as a box that holds moments of life—fragments of time that can never be replaced. “I don’t care about algorithms or online validation. If my photos help tell a story or spark an emotion in someone, then I’ve achieved my goal,” he explained.

His approach is deeply emotional. Instead of chasing visually stunning landscapes, he focuses on the faces and hands that have worked tirelessly in the background of society. He displayed images of a bookstore employee who has spent years arranging shelves, a Civil Defence worker who has devoted 15 years to public service, and an expat shopkeeper who has watched generations of customers grow up.

“I believe every story should be told,” he said. “We often focus on capturing the extraordinary, but what about the people who make our daily lives possible?”

The Power of a Photograph

Sultan strongly believes that photography is a tool for freezing time—something even artificial intelligence can never replicate. “A camera is the only device that lets us pause life and keep a moment forever,” he said.

To him, photography is more than an art form—it’s a bridge between what once was and what remains. If people don’t pay attention to the simple, everyday moments, they will miss the bigger ones too. “The small stories are the foundation of human storytelling,” he said.

Through his work, Khalifa Sultan hopes to inspire others to look beyond the obvious, slow down, and truly see the world around them. Because in the end, it’s the ordinary stories that often hold the most meaning.

#trending #latest #PhotographyAsTimeCapsule #KhalifaSultan #Xposure2025 #VisualStorytelling #EverydayStories #CaptureTheOrdinary #UnsungHeroes #TimelessMoments #SlowPhotography #BeyondSocialMedia #PhotographyForLife #FreezeTheMoment #HiddenNarratives #PowerOfPhotography #HumanStories #headlines #topstories #globalUpdate #dxbnewsnetwork #dxbnews #dxbdnn #dxbnewsnetworkdnn #bestnewschanneldubai #bestnewschannelUAE #bestnewschannelabudhabi #bestnewschannelajman #bestnewschannelofdubai #popularnewschanneldubai

Lisa’s flirty charm in The White Lotus S3 has fans raving about her effortless acting...Read More.

Khalifa Sultan highlights slowness in photography to capture life's untold stories...Read More.