Being an architectural photographer based in Dubai has always meant that some of my assignments were also in Saudi Arabia since there are not many architectural photographers based there. Ten years ago, getting a permission to photograph a project in Saudi Arabia used to be really difficult, but now it’s almost easier than shooting in Dubai.
In December last year I spent a day photographing the amazing architecture in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) and besides having a couple of security guards chatting with me to ask where I am from, nobody had any issues with me bringing a camera there.
At first sight it’s really difficult to tell that the KAFD Grand Mosque, designed by Omrania, is a mosque. That is until you notice the really tall minaret. It blends wonderfully into the various buildings that surround it and although there’s quite a few different architectural styles around, somehow it all works.