From former Chief White House and Obama administration photographer, Pete Souza, to distinguished winners of the ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year’; a New York Times bestselling author, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer; and the creative mind behind the iconic 1971 Time Magazine cover featuring Beverly Sills ،،،; these legends have chronicled global conflicts and humanitarian crises, captured exclusive images of the world’s most notable leaders, and created photographs that have profoundly impacted the global narrative.

This is just a glimpse of the incredible talent that will be featured at the 8th edition of Xposure International Photography Festival, organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), and taking place from February 28 to March 5, 2024, at Expo Centre Sharjah.

Through a comprehensive agenda, held over 7 days, the festival will feature 200 events presented by 150 of the world's most skilled visual storytellers, including more than 45 inspiring talks and panel discussions, 90 solo and group exhibitions that will display 2,500 unique stories through the lenses of 400 of the world's most renowned photographers.

The festival, set to extend its acclaim of being the largest celebration of photography and visual arts in the world, will showcase 16 genres and niches in professional photography, including people and portraiture; documentary and photojournalism; nature and wildlife; travel and adventure; fine art and creative expression; urban and street life; sports and action; as well as technical and experimental photography.

People & Portraiture

In existence for close to two centuries, these two photography genres have only become more popular and talent-intensive in the past few decades. The fresh perspectives and unique approaches developing globally in the fields of people and portraiture photography are being highlighted on the Xposure 2024 platform with 5 exhibitions by leading industry names, including Mark Edwards’ ‘Faces of Mallorca’; Ayed Tadros’s ‘Simplicity in Joy’; ‘Solar Portraits’ by Rubén Salgado Escudero; Adel Al Quraishi’s ‘The Two Holy Mosques’; and ‘Where Do I Go? Fifty Years Later’ by Rania Matar.

Opportunities for further exploration and learning will be provided on vibrant discussion platforms. To name a few, Joel Grimes will lead ‘Navajo: Portrait of a Nation’; while Mark Julian Edwards will explore the role of conditioning in human perception during a talk titled ‘The Lenses of Perception: Seeing the Potential in Others’. The talented portrait photographer, Rania Matar, will offer an intimate account of her personal journey and vast expertise at ‘From Personal to Universal: the Photography of Rania Matar’.

Documentary & Photojournalism

As one of the most arguably important fields within professional photography, whose relevance continues to grow with the rising uncertainties of our time, Xposure 2024 will place a strong emphasis on photojournalism and documentaries through the coverage of pressing global narratives, critical moments, and untold stories by industry greats who have a gift of capturing the essence of the human spirit through their visual storytelling.

Attendees will be enriched by Rick Smolan, who will lead a discussion titled "Against All Odds," and Nicole Tung with her talk "What is Left," both highlighting their profound contributions to photojournalism. Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, David Hume Kennerly, will enlighten audiences at “Behind the Scenes of History", while Pete Souza, renowned for his tenure as the Chief Official White House Photographer during the Obama administration, will lead the talk “Documenting for History”. Zed Nelson's "Guns, Beauty and the Anthropocene: A journey to the dark side of modern culture" will explore the complexities of contemporary society.

Around 25 exhibitions will cover photojournalism including the likes of Dalia Khamissy who confronts the past with ‘Missing of Lebanon’; Afshin Ismaeli who presents ‘Shadows & Resilience: Life Under the Taliban in Afghanistan’; Sharwar Hussain who addresses climate change with ‘Tears of Global Warming’; Hans Strand who navigates human impact on landscapes in ‘Man Made Lands’; and Daniella Zalcman who explores identity in ‘Signs of Your Identity’, to name a few.

Nature & Wildlife

One of Xposure’s biggest focuses has been to boost public awareness around the majesty and vulnerability of the natural world by bringing leading advocates who have dedicated their lives to protecting and preserving the natural environment and its inhabitants. Angela and Jonathan Scott, both overall winners of London Natural History Museum’s ‘Wildlife Photographers of the Year’, will be giving the talk The Sacred Nature Initiative (SNI): Reconnecting People to Our Planet. Julieanne Kost's "The Art of Compositing in Photoshop" will offer insights into the creative process.

This year, the festival will curate close to 15 exhibitions, including 'In the Heart of the Wild - A Photographic Journey into the Last Untouched Realms' by Sandesh Vishwanath Kadur; Joachim Schmeisser will unveil the "Hall of Giants," emphasising the profound connection between humans and animals. 'Visions of the Arctic' by Florian Schulz; 'Wildlife or Commodity? Icons of a Ruthless Trade' by Britta Jaschinski; and 'Savannah Silhouettes' by Dhir Jakharia, to name a few.

Travel & Adventure; Urban & Street Life

Xposure 2024 will present a visual journey through the enchanting corners of the earth with captivating exhibitions by leading travel & adventure photographers. Alex Wides’ ‘Extreme Panoramic Landscapes: The Beauty of Nature’; Richard Wilding’s ‘Heart of Arabia’; Marco Grassi’s ‘Nature’s Enchantment’; and Esteban Toro in ‘Spirits of the Earth: An Artistic Voyage Through Hidden Realms’, are part of a curation dedicated to celebrate this fascinating genre.

The weeklong festival will also bring the exciting pulse of bustling cities of the world and the dynamism of ever-changing cityscapes with urban & street photography exhibitions by leading international talents, namely John McDermott’s ‘Le Strade di Napoli-The Streets of Naples’; Hassan Ragab’s ‘The City Will Haunt You’; and Selaru Ovidiu’s ‘Time Travellers’.