Short Guide to Photography in Saudi Arabia

Common sense applies when taking pictures in most countries. For example, you would not snap military installations, airport customs halls and you might consider it rude to take close-up pictures of people you don't know without asking their permission. However, in Saudi Arabia you have to be much more careful.

Saudis are very privacy conscious. This is very obvious when you have spent some time here. They build big walls around their houses, black out the rear windows of their cars, have separate family and bachelor sections in restaurants, to name a few examples. They can object strongly if a foreigner tries to take a picture in a public place where people, particularly women, are present.

It cannot be overstated how important the Islamic religion is in Saudi Arabia. It is all-pervasive in virtually every aspect of daily life. Non-Muslim foreigners are required to respect the traditions of Islam at all times when in public. Indiscriminate public photography can get you into trouble in this respect too.

The authorities are very concerned about internal and external security and therefore you cannot photograph any building 'loosely' considered official.

Aramco issues the following specific instructions to new expatriate employees.

Discretion should be used at all times when taking photographs in Saudi Arabia.

Scenic photography is generally accepted. However, taking pictures of individuals, especially Saudi Arab women, without requesting their permission can lead to problems. Taking pictures of government installations, mosques, company installations, less modern structures and airport facilities is prohibited.

My personal experience is that the above guidance certainly does apply. In Saudi Arabia you can attract unwanted attention merely carrying a camera in a public place. It's enough to put you off photography completely! My view is that I certainly don't want to offend any Saudis or break the law in a country where I am only a guest worker. However, I do wish to record my experiences here to some extent. After all, once you finish work in Saudi Arabia, the chances are that you will never come back, as tourist visas are not generally available.

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