The tag of being the first Arab and first Emirati Woman Wildlife Photographer hasn’t come easy for Engineer and Architect Suad Al Suwaidi. It is a story of letting go of what she truly loved and making the hard choice of shooting wildlife in arduous terrains – be it the majestic lions of Africa or the snow leopards of Himachal Pradesh, India.
You would naturally presume that a woman wildlife photographer would descend from a family of animal lovers or wildlife photographers. Or was inspired by a close relative or friend who spent his/her time in the midst of wild animals and in deep forests. None is true in the case of Suaad al Suwaidi, the first Arab and first Emirati Woman Wildlife Photographer. Be it the majestic lion and zebras of Africa or the rare snow leopards from the high altitudes of Himachal Pradesh in India, Suaad has shot them all – up, close and personal.
Suaad was born in Dubai and raised in Louisiana, USA, from the age of 2, where her father was a student. She recollects a fun and boisterous childhood in the States. “I giggled, ran, played, swam and spent time with children from different backgrounds. I enjoyed my childhood to the fullest,” she says. The reason she is at home with mixed cultures around her. “When I travel from one country to another, I feel that I am not just crossing geographical boundaries, I am travelling into the world.”
So, how does the love for wildlife nurture in a child with a sheltered childhood. “You can say that I was petrified of any animal that had more legs than mine,” she laughs.
She then went on to pursue Engineering, at the University of Drexel University, PA, a subject she wasn’t particularly fond of. “My mother was keen that I become an engineer and I went on to fulfill her dream not mine,” she says. In that spell, she felt she needed a companion and spotted her first camera.
In her spare time, she would wander around the Schuylkill river in Philadelphia and click photos of a few birds. What she didn’t realize then, that the same photos would prove that she was the first Emirati woman wildlife photographer. “I had a Kodak disposable camera and a Sony too. The photos innocently taken back then, became registered proof of being the first wildlife pictures clicked by an Emirati woman and are now part of the UAE Encyclopedia.”
For her post graduation, Suaad chose a field that she loved immensely. She pursued Architecture at Suffolk University, MA. “It became my passion and I won a lot of awards and accolades. I returned to Abu Dhabi and worked on a lot of projects in the UAE while earning more certificates.”
But her vast recognitions made her over-qualified for all the job opportunities she applied for, and she was left pondering what to do next. “I am very attached to my mother, who, by then, had gone through her divorce. She motivated me to look for other opportunities.”
It was 2019 Suaad, decided to give up architecture and take up photography full time. “I gave God my architectural career to protect and moved on as a photographer. Coincidentally, in the same year, I was declared as the first Emirati Woman Wildlife Photographer.” Her family reacted with shock and surprise.“I couldn’t believe it too,” she laughs.
But how did it all happen? “In 2019, I was in the middle of the forest in Africa clicking pictures of wildlife. Someone noticed that there was an Emirati lady in the middle of nowhere, and the news spread”.
Then the press, the TedX talks and the awards happened again.
Owing to her work in the field, Suaad is hesitant to see animals in captivity. “The animal kingdom, similar to our kingdom, has families, emotions like jealousy, rage, love and affection. Through my work I try to bring out these emotions in them.”
She feels that she is ordained by the Almighty to capture the most dangerous of them all – the mighty lion.“I cannot imagine life without the elephant of the lion. We have read about dinosaurs and we know pandas are very rare. But we need to be able to see them. It is about awareness. Our wildlife is important because our planet is important.”
What has the wild world taught her? “Every living creature goes through hardships, not just human beings. So be empathetic.”
She quotes from the Surah al Anam : 38
“And there is no creature on (or within) the earth or bird that flies with its wings except (that they are) communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register (a thing). Then unto their Lord they will be gathered.”
