Photographic portraiture is an important genre through which Qatar photographers are able to investigate issues of regional identity, cultural norms and social class. Ethnic diversity, rapid social development and strong cultural expectations combine to create a rich field for artistic exploration, in which contrasting private and public, local, global and gender-specific influences come into play. The eleven photographers in this section probe these issues, in work ranging from studio to street portraiture.
The first group of works portrays subjects in traditional roles and dress. Studio portraits of Qatari citizens by Sara Al Obaidly and formal studies of falconers by Aref Al-Ammari, for example, while adopting a contemporary photographic style, convey a strong sense of cultural belonging. Saeed Almarri's studies, meanwhile, appeal to similar sentiments through a more romanticised visual mood and notion of traditional life.