For someone used to flashes and controlled lighting indoors, the shift of shooting outdoors felt refreshing. It came with a dilemma of an overcast sky, usually a challenge outdoors, but the beige walls and textured facades of Al Seef, Dubai bounced the light back in the softest way.

There were no harsh shadows, no extreme contrasts, just an even, gentle glow that filled the narrow lanes and created a natural studio of its own.

Everything was captured on a Canon EOS R8 with an EF 50mm f/1.4 lens, no external studio light.