Themed 'There's nothing bigger than a picture', the ninth edition of the Xposure International Photography Festival opened today in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates.
Celebrating the art of visual storytelling, Xposure is the largest dedicated photography trade and imaging show in the Middle East, and hosts a huge choice of exhibitions, workshops and talks.
And some leading manufacturers are represented, too – Nikon and Fujifilm have large stands showcasing their kit, plus galleries of images by brand ambassadors.
Xposure runs for one week and this year 420 visual artists and storytellers will congregate in the event’s new venue.
More than 100 exhibitions will showcase more than 2,500 images, along with 50 specialised workshops covering a wide range of topics.
And the Xposure Awards 2025, due to be announced in the coming days, will recognize talent across 17 categories, plus special honors bestowed on photojournalists and filmmakers.
Talking of moving images, Xposure’s film programme will include over 58 screenings, augmented by a summit about conservation and a technology showcase from brands which operate in the space.
Xposure is organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), which aims to promote the emirate’s status as a leading destination in the arts fields.
Digital Camera World attended Xposure’s launch event today (February 20), in the company of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
Keynote speeches were delivered by film producer Glenn Gainor, head of physical production for Amazon Original movies, and photographer and polar explorer Sebastian Copeland.
For 2025, Xposure has moved to a new purpose-built space, a 527,400 sq ft (49,000 m sq) venue in Aljada, Sharjah. Spread out among nine pavilions, it takes a good couple of hours to walk around and see what’s on offer – and plenty more time is needed to take it all in properly.
As well as galleries, there are interactive installations, theaters for speakers and spacious areas set aside for workshops and portfolio reviews – so if you’re a photography or videography fan based in the Middle East, there’s surely no better place to indulge your love of the two mediums.
An impressive roster of leading international photographers are displaying their work at Xposure – and many have flown in to the UAE to deliver talks over the coming days.
Documentary photography legend Don McCullin has curated a special exhibition that features some unseen images from his long career, and fellow documentary specialist Gerd Ludwig has a gallery showing photos from his 'The Long Shadow of Chernobyl' project.
Renowned photojournalist James Nachtwey is exhibiting a series of his work captured in Afghanistan’s Helmand province; Greg Gorman, photographer of celebrities and more besides, also features; as do the celebrated wildlife photographers Angela Scott and Jonathan Scott.
But this is just a fleeting flavor of the line-up, which was curated by the festival’s creative director, Simon Newton.
Digital Camera World will be attending this weekend’s Xposure Awards ceremony, so check back as we reveal the winners…
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