Comments on: Photography in Saudi Arabia http://nidalm.com/blog/being-a-photographer/photography-in-saudi-arabia/ Photography in Saudi Arabia Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:22:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: (Not) Buying Photo Gear in Saudi | NidalM Photography http://nidalm.com/blog/being-a-photographer/photography-in-saudi-arabia/comment-page-1/#comment-1030 (Not) Buying Photo Gear in Saudi | NidalM Photography Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:35:06 +0000 http://nidalm.com/blog/?p=522#comment-1030 [...] Buying Photo Gear in Saudi Posted by NidalM on Aug 3rd, 2010 | View Comments Taking pictures isn’t easy in Saudi Arabia. It’s not just the mutawwas patrolling the streets, detaining you for taking perfectly legal [...] [...] Buying Photo Gear in Saudi Posted by NidalM on Aug 3rd, 2010 | View Comments Taking pictures isn’t easy in Saudi Arabia. It’s not just the mutawwas patrolling the streets, detaining you for taking perfectly legal [...]

]]> By: NidalM http://nidalm.com/blog/being-a-photographer/photography-in-saudi-arabia/comment-page-1/#comment-1018 NidalM Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:12:04 +0000 http://nidalm.com/blog/?p=522#comment-1018 Hi Sami, and thanks for stopping by!<br><br>I usually order all my stuff online. You lose the warranty (there are ways around this), but you save a SIGNIFICANT amount of money. I easily saved over SR5k by ordering a 5D mk2 from the web.<br><br>I usually use <a href="http://adorama.com" rel="nofollow">adorama.com</a>, they do ship internationally, but then again an $80 charge for a lens cap seems over the top. For small purchases, I use something called Shop&Ship, a service by Aramex that ships your shopping for SR65 (per 0.5kg). Theres a SR100 charge to set up your account, though!<br><br>You can always use a friend's Account too! Hi Sami, and thanks for stopping by!

I usually order all my stuff online. You lose the warranty (there are ways around this), but you save a SIGNIFICANT amount of money. I easily saved over SR5k by ordering a 5D mk2 from the web.

I usually use adorama.com, they do ship internationally, but then again an $80 charge for a lens cap seems over the top. For small purchases, I use something called Shop&Ship, a service by Aramex that ships your shopping for SR65 (per 0.5kg). Theres a SR100 charge to set up your account, though!

You can always use a friend's Account too!

]]> By: Sami Qahar http://nidalm.com/blog/being-a-photographer/photography-in-saudi-arabia/comment-page-1/#comment-1017 Sami Qahar Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:04:14 +0000 http://nidalm.com/blog/?p=522#comment-1017 dude, lenses here are expensive. and i havent been able to find a decent fish eye here for a reasonable price. have you ever ordered lesnes online?<br>imagine i havent been able to find a les cover for nikon either. lost mine and i have checked at extra, carrefour, kingdom mall riyadh but no luck. you think you can help? dude, lenses here are expensive. and i havent been able to find a decent fish eye here for a reasonable price. have you ever ordered lesnes online?
imagine i havent been able to find a les cover for nikon either. lost mine and i have checked at extra, carrefour, kingdom mall riyadh but no luck. you think you can help?

]]> By: Ellie Smith http://nidalm.com/blog/being-a-photographer/photography-in-saudi-arabia/comment-page-1/#comment-921 Ellie Smith Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:18:27 +0000 http://nidalm.com/blog/?p=522#comment-921 I have missed out on several good photos opps because I always ask before I shoot in Saudi Arabia. At Janadriyah Cultural Festival most people were great about it, some were not. It made me laugh that the "locals" just got out their camera-phones and took flash photos and no one said a word, but I got out my camera and asked politely (in Arabic) if they minded a photo and was told no.... oh, well. Next time? I have missed out on several good photos opps because I always ask before I shoot in Saudi Arabia. At Janadriyah Cultural Festival most people were great about it, some were not. It made me laugh that the “locals” just got out their camera-phones and took flash photos and no one said a word, but I got out my camera and asked politely (in Arabic) if they minded a photo and was told no…. oh, well. Next time?

]]> By: Arianna A. http://nidalm.com/blog/being-a-photographer/photography-in-saudi-arabia/comment-page-1/#comment-889 Arianna A. Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:39:50 +0000 http://nidalm.com/blog/?p=522#comment-889 It's so important to pay attention to your surroundings when taking a photograph in the KSA. I almost made the same mistake on a high security American compound, but just as I was considering taking my camera out of its case, I noticed a sign warning that no photos are to be taken under any circumstance. It's so important to pay attention to your surroundings when taking a photograph in the KSA. I almost made the same mistake on a high security American compound, but just as I was considering taking my camera out of its case, I noticed a sign warning that no photos are to be taken under any circumstance.

]]> By: NidalM http://nidalm.com/blog/being-a-photographer/photography-in-saudi-arabia/comment-page-1/#comment-863 NidalM Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:47:35 +0000 http://nidalm.com/blog/?p=522#comment-863 For some reason, the police seem to be unaware of the laws of their own country. This happens to be true in the US as well. A friend was detained by the police in Atlanta a couple of years ago for taking shots of a factory from the highway. Something, as far as I'm aware, is perfectly legal.<br><br>I guess the establishment simply mistrusts photographers :s For some reason, the police seem to be unaware of the laws of their own country. This happens to be true in the US as well. A friend was detained by the police in Atlanta a couple of years ago for taking shots of a factory from the highway. Something, as far as I'm aware, is perfectly legal.

I guess the establishment simply mistrusts photographers :s

]]> By: Ren_crow http://nidalm.com/blog/being-a-photographer/photography-in-saudi-arabia/comment-page-1/#comment-862 Ren_crow Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:28:12 +0000 http://nidalm.com/blog/?p=522#comment-862 "Understand you have a right to be taking pictures in public. The ministry of tourism has allowed it and even published a document to that effect. Here’s the pdf transcript. Download it, print it, and keep it in your camera bag in case someone causes trouble."<br><br>Aha aha aha. That didn't seem to work when I was detained by the police for taking site photos for my senior arch. project in dammam. I was lucky to get just a ride around the block in the back of a police car only because of my nationality. “Understand you have a right to be taking pictures in public. The ministry of tourism has allowed it and even published a document to that effect. Here’s the pdf transcript. Download it, print it, and keep it in your camera bag in case someone causes trouble.”

Aha aha aha. That didn't seem to work when I was detained by the police for taking site photos for my senior arch. project in dammam. I was lucky to get just a ride around the block in the back of a police car only because of my nationality.

]]> By: A Photo with a Story: KFUPM Campus | NidalM Photography http://nidalm.com/blog/being-a-photographer/photography-in-saudi-arabia/comment-page-1/#comment-731 A Photo with a Story: KFUPM Campus | NidalM Photography Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:03:08 +0000 http://nidalm.com/blog/?p=522#comment-731 [...] government assurances of our right of expression (even Saudi Arabia allows public photography), all it takes for that right to be revoked is a well-meaning, but overly-scared citizen. Sadly, [...] [...] government assurances of our right of expression (even Saudi Arabia allows public photography), all it takes for that right to be revoked is a well-meaning, but overly-scared citizen. Sadly, [...]

]]> By: Single4now http://nidalm.com/blog/being-a-photographer/photography-in-saudi-arabia/comment-page-1/#comment-690 Single4now Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:13:10 +0000 http://nidalm.com/blog/?p=522#comment-690 lol @ nobody looking? Good take your picture. <br><br>Seriously. It's not worth the hassle. I remember a friend telling me about how she was trying to take a few pictures of leaves (since the Middle East has no natural beauty to photograph) and it just happened to be that the plant was on some Prince's road and a police stopped to question what she was doing. She didn't get into trouble but she was certainly worried.<br><br>I remember asking parents if I could take a picture of their newborn in the pediatrics ward. The kid was a total cutie. The parents obliged. It always helps to complement the child but again I doubt this would work for a guy. :P I also asked a small girl if I could take a picture of her henna-ed hands. The parents certainly didn't stop me. :) I guess it is definitely easier being a girl in that sense. Alhumdulillah. :D lol @ nobody looking? Good take your picture.

Seriously. It's not worth the hassle. I remember a friend telling me about how she was trying to take a few pictures of leaves (since the Middle East has no natural beauty to photograph) and it just happened to be that the plant was on some Prince's road and a police stopped to question what she was doing. She didn't get into trouble but she was certainly worried.

I remember asking parents if I could take a picture of their newborn in the pediatrics ward. The kid was a total cutie. The parents obliged. It always helps to complement the child but again I doubt this would work for a guy. :P I also asked a small girl if I could take a picture of her henna-ed hands. The parents certainly didn't stop me. :) I guess it is definitely easier being a girl in that sense. Alhumdulillah. :D

]]> By: samaher http://nidalm.com/blog/being-a-photographer/photography-in-saudi-arabia/comment-page-1/#comment-667 samaher Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:47:11 +0000 http://nidalm.com/blog/?p=522#comment-667 awwwwwwwwww thank you <3 awwwwwwwwww thank you <3

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