During my Dubai trip earlier this year, I had a plan to just walk around and shoot some street photos. Simple stuff.

That plan quickly evolved when I got in touch with Kathak artiste, Janhavi Thorat with whom I had worked before in Mumbai. We decided to do a dance mixed with some casual shoot using the streets of Al Seef as our backdrop.

Being used to indoor studio setups with flashes and controlled lighting, shooting outdoors like this was definitely a shift for me. Although the weather was overcast, the beige tones of the streets in Al Seef reflected enough light from the buildings to balance out the darkness. It didn’t feel harsh or too dim.

The narrow lanes, traditional textures, and calm vibe added to the charm of the place.

This image was photographed on a Canon EOS R8 paired with an EF 50mm f/1.4 lens, no studio lights, just raw movement and expression.