The culture of photography is experiencing a renaissance among Jeddah’s amateur shutterbugs who have found various means of recreation and self-realization in this hobby.

Due to the lack of professional photography courses in the Kingdom, young Jeddawis have managed to bond in a shared hobby, creating unofficial groups.

Jeddah Urban Artists, Jeddah Shooters, Artistic Eyes and Fusion are some of the prominent unofficial photography clubs that have been formed online to connect amateur and professional photographers and help them exchange experience and even organize events.

Because of the strictures of forming official arts societies in the Kingdom (which would require recognition from the Ministry of Culture and Information) these informal groups are using Web-based social networking to meet, discuss photography and arrange field trips, exhibitions and contents.

One group — whose members are young Saudi men and women photography buffs — recently joined up for a walking and photographic tour of Jeddah’s historic center.

While photography is often still treated as an enigma here (especially if the photography involves snapping pictures of people), this group of Saudis found refuge in numbers and managed to take dozens of pictures of downtown Jeddah life.

Ahmad Halawani, a 29-year-old Saudi Airlines maintenance employee, is an active photography hobbyist. He has equipment worth tens of thousands of riyals to indulge his hobby. “I was guided to photography by a lensman friend in September 2007 because I didn’t have any activities to enjoy during my routine life,” Halawani said. Halawani started with a basic point-and-shoot digital camera. This turned out to prove that he had a good eye for photography.

“Since there are no professional institutes, I started learning from books, the Internet and friends,” he said. “I was a quick learner and I found joy in this hobby, but I’ve never thought of going commercial.” Halawani said that photography is becoming popular among young Saudis as digital cameras become more affordable.

“Unfortunately not everyone who buys a camera can become a photographer. Many people discover their lack of ability after they buy cameras so they simply quit,” he said.

People still don’t appreciate photography as an art or even as a profession, Halawani said adding that this pushes amateur photographers toward solidarity and unity among their groups.

“We display our work and criticize it together, which helps us improve our skills in addition to giving us appreciation,” he noted.

He said a number of his fellow photographers attempted to organize a major project to photograph life in various places around the Kingdom. The aim of the project was to celebrate the diversity of the country. Unfortunately, he said, they couldn’t find a sponsor.

“We would love to do this project, but unfortunately we can’t do it on our own because most of us are students and employees,” he said.

Abdullah Kurashi, a 22-year-old marketing student at Jeddah’s College of Business and Administration, is another amateur photographer who has found refuge and knowledge among friends he made through photography online groups. Kurashi happened upon the photography website www.deviantart.com where artists display their work and contact info. The website also features photography lessons, which helped Kurashi learn many a photography trick. “I contacted some of the (deviantart.com) member photographers in Jeddah and within a month we all managed to find a sponsor and host a big art exhibition, which featured works of more than 40 photographers and artists,” he said.

Kurashi said the people he met through the website have become close friends whom he meets frequently. “We go together on photography trips and learn from one another, it is such a great feeling to find people whom you can relate to,” he said. Kurashi who enjoys photojournalism says photography is an excellent way of revealing real life.

“When we go on a photography trip, I like to take pictures of my friends when they are taking photos,” he said. “I like to shoot moments of action because sometimes they show people a certain truth they didn’t know existed.

Photography buffs support each other by sharing experiences and knowledge. Kurashi says they even buy one another camera equipment for birthdays and other special occasions.

Abdullah Al-Najjar, a 28-year-old Saudi Airlines aircraft technician, said that idea of photography came to his mind when he wanted to document his stay in the US for studies in 2000. “I had done some minor photography courses with a point-and-shoot camera and I got carried away with this hobby,” he said. After coming back to Saudi Arabia, Al-Najjar took a course in professional photography, but he said it didn’t help him much. “I decided to learn through experienced friends who consequently introduced me to the underground photography groups where experience is shared with no limits,” he said.

Al-Najjar said his real experience and knowledge of photography started when he became a member with the underground scene. “The field trips and practical learning sessions have helped me more than any course I’ve taken here,” he said.

He said that his dream is to start a professional photography institute in Saudi Arabia.

“There is no place to teach professional photography except in Dar Al-Hekma College, which is for girls only,” he said.