Unforgettable Encounters in Abu Dhabi

“The UAE’s largest mosque and one of the world’s grandest. It was wonderful to wander through this spectacular architectural wonder in the brief hours before morning prayers, with no distractions but the birds. It’s hard to find a bad angle. The mosque’s elegant minarets and white marbled domes dominate the city skyline, and I loved shooting here at dawn when the cool light of the evening sky mixes with the warm light of the sun.”—Michael Yamashita

“Imagine encountering a fortress at night on a dark, unmarked side road, standing alone in the desert. This is Liwa Fort (also commonly known as Mezaira’a Fort), built in the 19th century in western Abu Dhabi, on the northern edge of the Rub’ al Khali. Standing there made me feel like the great British explorer Wilfred Thesiger, who traversed this region on camel and foot in the 1950s, witnessing it for the first time. Our car headlights illuminated the castle, capturing the scene beneath a star-studded desert sky.”—Michael Yamashita

“I was blown away by the Louvre for so many reasons, but what stayed with me the most was the design of the building itself. Its mimicry of nature is so successful; the way the light dapples through the ceiling is reminiscent of a tree canopy, and the ocean literally enters the building, with waves lapping near you as you explore the contemporary space.”—Matthieu Paley

“I have always been inspired by people cultivating in harsh environments, especially when they’re able to make it abundant. Al Ain completely embodies this for me, especially since I’ve started to grow my own food at home. Places like this have become even more inspiring to me, as I’m fascinated by how people manage water resources and work with local plant life like these beautiful date trees. It’s a truly majestic place.”—Matthieu Paley

“One of the things I find interesting about Abu Dhabi is the relationship between its history and its rapid transformation. Being out on a traditional sailing boat, surrounded by the sounds and movement of the water while the modern city rises up around you, makes that contrast tangible. I wanted to photograph it from within the experience, rather than from the shore. Being on the boat lets you feel the craftsmanship, the movement, and the people working together, while the skyline quietly tells you how much the city has changed. I also grew up sailing, so being out on the water brought back memories, and I had a personal connection that gave me a lot of joy.”—Renan Ozturk

“What I liked about photographing out in the Liwa dunes was the opportunity to strip everything back. You’re working with the sand, the light, and the people who have a connection to this environment. I wanted this photograph to feel quiet and timeless, while still having a strong sense of character. There’s something special about seeing a landscape that feels so immense and elemental, then finding a very human story within it. Although the dunes are so expansive, getting in close for portraits like this, that show people and animals that have a relationship to the place, are super important. Not a conventional photo of someone riding a camel, but something that tells that story of connection.”—Renan Ozturk

“Driving south from the city, the land flattens, and then, almost without warning, the dunes of the Rub’ al Khali begin: The edge of the largest stretch of continuous sand on Earth. I climbed to a high ridge to wait for the last light, because that’s the moment the desert stops being one color and becomes dozens—rose, copper, violet in the hollows. The wind had carved the sand into ripples and crests, every line of it made and remade by the same forces that will erase it overnight. Standing there, it felt like the oldest place I had ever been.”—Nichole Sobecki

“I’d spent the morning exploring the mangroves by kayak and I wanted to see the forest from above before the day ended. The boardwalk at Jubail Island does something unusual: It puts you at eye level with the canopy and lets you walk out over a forest standing in the sea. What struck me was how quiet it was, 15 minutes from the skyline. Just birds, and the water moving through the roots. It’s a picture about access really, a structure built so people can experience and fall in love with a place without disturbing it.”—Nichole Sobecki

For those inspired by Matthieu Paley’s reflections of the Louvre, the coming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is soon to join it. Opening December 2026, it will be the largest of all the Guggenheims globally, featuring 30 galleries and almost 250,000 square feet (23,000 square meters) of outdoor exhibition space. The design of the building is again inspired by its surroundings, with shade-focused structures evoking the region’s landscape and coastal location.

Featuring five steel wings shaped to resemble a falcon in flight, the architecture of the Zayed National Museum also takes inspiration from the natural world. Located in the Saadiyat Cultural District, the UAE’s national museum chronicles 300,000 years of history, curated across environmentally controlled galleries that protect more than 3,000 delicate artifacts.

Inwards from Nichole Sobecki’s favorite mangrove forests on the coastline, Abu Dhabi’s landscapes are fascinating for history and nature lovers alike. Part of the region’s very first UNESCO world heritage site, Jebel Hafit Desert Park sits at the base of Abu Dhabi’s highest peak, where you can explore 5,000-year-old tombs, artifacts and tools linked to early trade routes, and marine fossils dating back millions of years.

A former retreat for the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Sir Bani Yas Island is now a diverse ecosystem of over 17,000 animals. The Arabian Wildlife Reserve is a sanctuary where native species like the Arabian oryx roams alongside non-native species such as giraffes, gazelles, and even cheetahs. Visitors can spot these animals in their natural habitats during a safari drive, as well as embark on more tranquil excursions like kayaking through mangrove channels to spot wetland birds like flamingos and herons.