Huawei and HIPA photography initiative captures Ras Al Khaimah’s diverse landscapes

The initiative was inspired by the “Proud of UAE” campaign led by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Huawei and HIPA partnered with tourism boards across the country to send photographers on a mission to document the nation beyond its iconic landmarks.

Ras Al Khaimah’s natural diversity

Ras Al Khaimah stands out for its striking geography, where mountains, desert, and coastline converge. The emirate is home to Jebel Jais, the UAE’s highest peak, and the world’s longest zipline. Its shoreline features working fishing harbours, a growing number of beach resorts, and mangrove reserves, while heritage forts and the desert lie just a short drive inland. This variety made the emirate an essential stop on the initiative’s itinerary.

The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority provided access to key locations, and HIPA guided the photographers through nine XMAGE Awards categories, including So Far So Close, Colour and Shade, Good Night, Faces, Action, and A Heartwarming World. The goal was to transform each emirate into a story rather than a mere location.

A day of visual storytelling

The itinerary in Ras Al Khaimah showcased its unique geography. Photographers visited the heritage waterfront at Corniche Al Qawasim, captured the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Masjid in morning light, explored the protected desert reserve at The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah Al Wadi Desert, stopped at Rove Al Marjan Island for interiors, and reached the coast via Anantara Mina Ras Al Khaimah Resort. The lagoons at Mina Al Arab provided late-afternoon reflections, and the day concluded at Banan Beach with a sunset over the Gulf.

Throughout the shoot, the photographers used the Huawei Pura 90s Series. The device’s 200MP Ultra Large Sensor Telephoto Camera captured distant details such as dune ridges and minaret stonework without requiring heavy equipment. AI Glare Reduction helped manage the UAE’s intense glare, while AI Composition 3.0 assisted in framing shots. Smarter scene optimisation automatically adjusted to changing light conditions, and the 2nd Generation True-to-Colour Camera preserved the emirate’s palette—from desert earth tones to lagoon blue-greens and coastal warmth. Photographers also shot in uncompressed RAW format for maximum editing flexibility.

Emotion captured in pixels

The resulting images convey the emotion of Ras Al Khaimah, showing transitions from dunes to lagoons within short distances. The emirate now invites visitors to experience this diversity firsthand.

This content is provided by Reach by Gulf News, the branded content team of GN Media.