With Dubai as their muse

David Nightingale

Author of one of the top photoblogs, chromasia.com, Nightingale uses varied styles in his photography, covering a wide range of subjects. This Blackpool resident's path to career success illustrates the lateral thinking that informs his work. Although interested in photography for more than 20 years, it only became a full-time business following the success of his blog.

As seen here, his cityscapes are fascinating; results that are often achieved by using his post-processing skills to turn a good picture into a memorable one. Among his pictures of Dubai are architectural shots of a city in progress, as well as strong portraits of its people. We asked him to explain.

Why does Dubai inspire you? What exactly is it about the city that hooks you? The thing about Dubai that most inspires me is the scope and speed of the changes. I've visited each year since 2007, and each time there are huge areas of the city that have changed beyond recognition. Being witness to a city emerging from the desert is quite an experience.

What unique elements does the city offer photo artists? If I had to single out one thing that makes Dubai unique it would be the architecture – the world's most luxurious hotels and tallest building, and some of the most spectacular new buildings on the planet – but I also find the older parts of the city fascinating too, particularly the areas around Al Seef.

What problems do you face taking pictures in the emirate?The only real problem is that the construction work generates a lot of dust. This can often partially obscure the horizon and distant buildings, making architectural shots a bit more difficult.

If Dubai were a person, how would you put him/her into a portrait? As an alchemist, working in a dimly lit workshop surrounded by ancient Arabian artefacts, transforming sand and water into a city of the future.

Have you taken your defining shot of the emirate? No, not yet, and I'm not sure that I ever will. For me, one of the defining characteristics of Dubai is the scale and pace of the change, both within and around the city. As such, capturing a defining shot of an ever-changing 'work in progress' is a challenge that I've not yet met.

Chase Jarvis

This Seattle- and Paris-based commercial photographer’s work is both visionary and whimsical.

A professional photographer since 1996, Jarvis, 36, is completely self-taught and says he is most inspired by painters. Perhaps as a result, his images are fresh and vibrant, if sometimes visceral.

The kind of Dubai his work reflects is a dynamic city full of possibilities: Everything is achievable, nothing unattainable. You know the locations, you’ve driven past them, but you’ve never seen them like this.

Why does Dubai inspire you? What exactly is it about the city that hooks you? Dubai is inspiring because it highlights “possibility”. From kilometre-high buildings to man-made islands in the sea, it seems that here, on a rather grand scale, anything is possible.

What unique elements does the city offer to photo artists?Dubai offers some truly exotic locations all in a close proximity to one another. At one end of the spectrum is the desert. Bronzed rolling hills of sand, windswept and shapely. At the other end is some of the world’s most bold and aspirational architecture. Toss in the sea, beaches, pristinely paved roads, and well-kept parks, and it’s somewhat overwhelming.

What problems do you face taking pictures in the emirate? As one might imagine, the construction can get in the way – hard to get a single shot without a crane in the background (glad we have photoshop!) Additionally, getting permissions and access to the locations we want to shoot can be somewhat challenging.

If Dubai were a person, how would you put him/her into a portrait?As a regal and respectable king with fancy sunglasses, an unbuttoned white linen Armani suit, sitting on the hood of a Mercedes. A mass of people gathered behind him, curiously looking at their watches, at the sun and the sky.

What places do you want to revisit? I’m looking forward to getting back out in the desert.

Have you taken your defining shot of the emirate? I will never be finished here.