Emirati lensman calls to preserve everyday stories at Xposure

Sharjah 24: At the 9th International Photography Festival (Xposure), Emirati photographer Khalifa Sultan took the stage to make a compelling case for slowness, contemplation, and the power of untold stories. In his talk, Echoes of the Untold – The Stories We Leave Behind, Sultan invited the audience to reconsider what is worthy of remembrance, urging them to look beyond the grand narratives usually favoured in the world of photography and see the beauty in the overlooked and forgotten, especially in our daily lives.

Sultan’s photography focuses on people and places often ignored, from a boatman plying his abra on the creek for years, to the owner of a small grocery store in the UAE who dedicated two decades of his life to serving his community. “To many, he was invisible. He told me, ‘You’re the only one interested in taking a photo of me. No one knows about me,’” Sultan shared. “These are the stories we leave behind, the ones that deserve to be remembered.”

With a deep reverence for the past, Sultan reflected on how photography acts as a bridge between wh

at once was and what remains. “Life moves so fast that we no longer live it: we merely chase after it,” he said. “But photography forces us to pause, to hold onto something real, even for just a moment.”

The Emirati photographer’s approach to photography is rooted in emotion rather than aesthetics. The photos he displayed were a heartfelt exploration of the overlooked individuals who form the fabric of our communities. The quiet dignity of an expat shopkeeper in the country who has seen generations of customers come and go, a bookstore employee dedicated to his job, the quiet strength of a Civil Defence worker who has given 15 years of his life to public service, symbolising countless unsung heroes in the UAE. “I support the fact that all stories should be told,” he said. “We focus so much on capturing landscapes and remote places, but what about the people who have shaped our everyday lives?”

A candid observer, he believes these moments are the foundation of human storytelling. “If we do not pay attention to the simple moments in photography, we’re bound to miss the big ones too,” he noted.

The camera as a box of life

Sultan likens his camera to a box - not just a device, but a vessel that holds fragments of life. To him, photography is not about likes, algorithms, or social media validation. He has deliberately stepped away from Instagram since 2016, rejecting the need for online approval. “For me, the story matters, not who owns it or claims its copyrights. If my photos help someone else tell a story or spark an emotion, then I’ve succeeded in my purpose,” he said.

“The camera is the only device that allows us to suspend time and freeze a moment,” he noted. “AI can never replace the act of capturing something real, something human.”