Job Discussion Forums

[BajaLaJaula]

What advice can you give on taking pictures in public places. I have heard that it is not a good idea. Something like...It is illegal to take pictures of government buildings.
Besides alerting the locals to the fact that you are a tourist...what other reasons could there be for no picture taking.
Should it be limited to discrete picture taking from a car?
There are so many beautiful old buildings and unique sights to see in Jeddah....why is it that you never see anyone taking a picture? I have never seen a Saudi taking a picture in public in KSA.
Is it part of bedu superstition....like the native americans that thought they would lose their soul if their picture was taken?

[scot47]

My advice is DO NOT TAKE PICTURES.

[mouse5]

It's now allowed. That's official. It was in the Saudi press. I recently photograhed the whole of Al Khobar corniche. The police there didn't bat an eyelid. I had no problems in Riyadh either.

[scot47]

Security objections. Religious objections. And plain old-fashioned xenophobia.

[Cleopatra]

It's true that photography is now legal in the Kingdom, but no doubt there are all sorts of caveats attached. In any case, changing the law does not neccessarily change social attitudes, and like Scot, I would proceed with great caution when attempting to take photos in any public area in KSA.

I would say very few people would object to you snapping a "photogenic" sight like an old building or pretty view. However, as in many countries you should not take a photo of anything which could remotely be considered 'military' or 'religious'. More to the point, do not even think about pointing your camera anywhere near the faces of local people, certainly not women. Doing so could lead to a nasty altercation at best, being led to the police station at worst. For both religious and cultural reasons, Saudi women do not generally allow themselves to be photographed by anyone other than a close relative, so you should not consider yourself exempt from this rule.

[scot47]

Not just women object to this. I have had students who would not permit photographs for 'frivolous' reasons. OK for an ID but not for anything else.

Why not look into the culture of this area a bit. You know, we have these things called 'BOOKS' Very useful, once you get the knack of using them.

[ALPH]

If i want to take pics in a built up area, i usaually seek out a local cop and get the nod before beginning. As Cleo says, so long as you dont point the camera at the locals, you should be allright. They'll develop your film if there is any doubt

[caliph]

When I lived in the magical kingdom, I took thousands of pictures. (After all they do sell cameras there). I never had any problems. Just be a little discrete, (don't point the camera in peoples faces), and maybe invest in a telephoto lens so you are a little removed from the subject. Of course, be careful around military, government installations, and anything else that might be considered a security interest.

Snap away and enjoy!

[007]

Update your information concernig taking photographs in Saudi Arabia, with the following:

A royal decree allowing photography in many public places was issued about a year ago and the interior ministry enacted it later...
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/archive/archive?ArchiveId=24913

"People can now take pictures of tourist sites, architectural landmarks, shopping malls as well as government buildings where there is no sign banning photography," a ministry official told said on Thursday.
However, permission is still needed to photograph private property or individuals. "
"Royal palaces, for instance, are private property so taking a picture of them requires authorisation," he said.
"This decree... will help promote the kingdom's image and its tourist and development venues through photography," the state tourism body said.
The changes have come too fast for religious conservatives, with King Abdullah, under pressure from Islamists, telling local media in May not to publish pictures of Saudi women.
Newspapers, breaking with tradition, have begun printing photographs of Saudi women, usually with hair covered but faces showing, which many strict Islamists consider immoral.

I took photographs of historical buildings, religious buildings and mosques (except Al-Harram in Makkah, where it is well written in big font that is not allowed to take photos), beaches, etc.

Some of my souvenir photos stored in www.woophy.com:

My photo of Al-Faisaliyah building in Riyadh:
http://www.woophy.com/images/org/208268.jpg

King Cobra palace in Riyadh (you do not need permission to take photo of my palace, because I am not a royal member of his majesty KIng Abdullah)
http://www.woophy.com/images/org/208273.jpg

Somewhere in Saudi Arabia (I let you guess this place if you know know really SA), 3000 m above sea level, and the Monkey is enjoying his life in SA: Enjoy:
http://www.woophy.com/images/org/208259.jpg

My little 'puppy' (I know is not a dog!) in the desert of Riyadh (I use it as my rescuer when my car gets stuck in the sand):
http://www.woophy.com/images/org/253613.jpg

Enjoy King Cobra Photos from SA.

[Van Norden]

Great pics 007, especially the Hamadryas baboons in the Asir Mountains. I googled that - I've seen a few different types of baboon but never these. Their social set up sounds oddly familiar:
Arabian hamadryas female baboons pair for life, remaining faithful to a single male. The males on the other hand gather together a group of females and thus form quite large family units comprising the father, several 'wives' and their offspring.

Tell us more about your trip to the Asir Mountains 007. We need some interesting subject matter on this forum. It's become so...I don't know... moribund?

[007]

[veiledsentiments]

007... Nice pictures... much better with links... when the pictures were up they were way too big. My students in Oman told me that your 'puppy' is what is known as a "masri." When I pointed out to them that it was rather rude, they all just giggled. One of the more serious students said, "Miss, I think it is because we originally imported them from Egypt."

I pointed out to them that in Kuwaiti dialect, a dockworker is called an "Omani" (which is true - from the past when Omanis were hired to do this type of job). They didn't think that one was quite as funny...

BTW... both baboons and monkeys can be dangerous. I saw them attack women and kids to try to steal food at tourist sites in India and I hear that it is also a problem in Gibralter.

VS

[Van Norden]

Yes, baboons can be very dangerous. Have you seen the canines on them? I wouldn't want to be near them without some kind of protection. I certainly wouldn't approach the alpha male! In Kruger in South Africa the rangers shoot baboons - on the spot - if they catch a visitor feeding them. It's harsh but necessary because they become real pests once they associate us with food.

[007]

[veiledsentiments]

This would probably take a team effort by all our resident Scotsmen...

VS