JEDDAH, 19 July — More than 50 photographs exhibited by students of the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT) at the Oasis Mall here depict the city’s finest locations, scenic beauty, monuments, historic buildings and modern skyscrapers.
Muhammad A. Al-Sharif, assistant secretary-general for commercial and industrial affairs at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who opened the 10-day show on Tuesday night, said: “The exhibits are impressive. The themes and compositions chosen, as well as the superb camera, development and printing work done by the students are exemplary.”
Saeed Abdulrahman Al-Gahamdi, assistant technical supervisor of GOTEVOT, said the exhibition was part of the ongoing Jeddah 22 festival organized by the Jeddah Tourism Committee. “The show depicts the art and skills of the students of GOTEVOT’s photo and TV section,” he said.
Prominent among the exhibits are historic structures, buildings with decorated wooden windows and ornamental doors as well as the multistoried buildings of downtown Balad reflected in the Arbaeen lagoon. A booklet brought out to mark the event carries messages from GOTEVOT Governor Muhammad ibn Sulaiman Al-Dhalan and Muhammad ibn Abdullah Al-Qadi, secretary of the local vocational training center.
Muhammad ibn Aidah Bakheet Al-Malki, president of GOTEVOT’s photo & TV section, said photography had become an obsession with students both as a hobby and a prospective profession.
Many graduates from the section had taken it up as a profession as it offered immense opportunities in many related fields such as journalism and promotional activities. Many enterprising graduates have either set up their own studios and labs or work in them. “Because of the tremendous interest photography generates, the Kingdom is keen on setting up a separate department for training students in photography and camera technology at the vocational training centers Kingdomwide,” said Al-Malki.
