Photo Tour to Dubai and Abu Dhabi
November 14 - 22, 2026
Nowhere in the world is modern architecture as beautiful, visually arresting, and photogenic as in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, two Emirates in the United Arab Emirates. Join Jim for a fabulous photographic experience in bold graphic design, powerful compositions, and dramatic vantage points. You will shoot from rooftops, from the tallest building the world, and from across bodies of water to get unforgettable reflections.
In addition, we do a desert fashion shoot that's like nothing else. Amidst a sand dune landscape, we photograph a model in a 'flying dress' in low angled sunlight. It's stunning.
The United Arab Emirates is safe, immaculately clean, and everyone you meet is kind, helpful and a pleasure to know. The weather at this time of year is ideal, and this is also the peak time for early morning fog when the skyscrapers pierce the fog and turn a magical urban scape into a fantasy.
What you will learn on this photo tour:
How to correct parallax with architecture
Why HDR at twilight is the correct choice
Depth of field issues with telephoto lenses
Principles for shooting symmetrical buildings
How to make abstracts out of architecture images
How to replace the sky if needed
Using wide angle lenses to exaggerate perspetive
Strategies for shooting through glass
ITINERARY
Day 1, Nov. 14, Saturday
Leave your home and arrive in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (airport code DXB), on November 14, 2026. If you want to arrive a day early to get over jet lag and to rest from the long flight, let Jim know and he can book an extra night for you (at your additional expense). Take a taxi to the hotel, and we meet in the lobby of the hotel at 5pm to discuss the upcoming tour. We then photograph sunset and twilight from the pool deck of our hotel for one of the most stunning shots in Dubai. This is then followed by our welcome dinner. Overnight Dubai.
Day 2, Nov. 15, Sunday
After breakfast we visit one of the most unique buildings in the world, the Museum of the Future. This oblong donut-shaped chromed structure is covered in Arabic script that represents a poem about the future from the present ruler of the U.A.E. The reflective surface adds to the beauty and compelling design, and inside there are some great images to be taken as well plus outstanding exhibits. We then photograph two amazing buildings -- the Cheddar Cheese 014 and the Maze Tower -- followed by a great shot in the Dubai Mall of a 14-foot chrome heart aligned with the Burj Kalifa, the tallest building in the world. We then take a short taxi ride to the Burj and take the fastest elevator in the world to the 148th floor for outstanding aerial pictures of Dubai. Overnight Dubai.
Day 3, Nov. 16, Monday
There are many beautiful high-rises within 2 or 3 blocks from our hotel, so we begin the day early photographing patterns, reflections, and textures mostly with a telephoto lens. Compressing groups of buildings with a long lens brings out intriguing graphic designs. You'll be photographing the most compelling modern architecture in the world, and you'll be totally engaged in capturing its beauty. This kind of dramatic and imaginative architectural design invites creative photography techniques, and Jim will show you how to do effective zoom blurs, vertical pan blurs, and rotational blurs as well . . . just for fun.
After breakfast, we drive to the Miracle Garden where we'll spend the morning. Fanciful shapes, fantasy animals, and all kinds of amazing subjects all made out of and covered with artfully designed and stunningly displayed flowers. And all this dazzling color and greenery thrives in the middle of the desert! In the afternoon, we head out to the desert to photograph the 'flying dress' -- a model Jim hires to pose for us in a silk dress with a long train that flies in the wind. We end the day with dinner at a spectacular rooftop restaurant with awesome views of Burj Khalifa and the city. Overnight Dubai.
Day 4, Nov. 17, Tuesday
This morning we explore the Dubai Marina with its dozens of stunning high-rises reflecting in water. We'll walk along the promenade for changing compositions and perspectives and marvel at the incredible skyline. We then drive to the Dubai Creek Harbor where we can capture the city's most impressive high-rises with a unique frame. In the late afternoon, we'll photograph the Sharjah Mosque, a classically beautiful work in elegant symmetry, reflecting in a perfectly situated pond. After twilight is finished, we'll go to the amazing Dubai Glow Garden where all kinds of fanciful figures are illuminated. The colors are simply dazzling against the black background of the night sky. Overnight Dubai.
Day 5, Nov. 18, Wednesday
We photograph Dubai from more drama viewpoints in the morning, and then in the afternoon we drive into the desert and visit an abandoned village known as the Al Madam Ghost Town. It was originally built for nomadic Bedouin people. It was abandoned 30 years ago due to the harsh living conditions. The structures are partially buried in sand; wide angle lenses are perfect here. As the sun gets lower in the sky, the lighting enhances this unique site with long shadows and golden colors. Overnight Dubai.
Day 6, Nov. 19, Thursday
Before breakfast we drive a short distance to the Palace Hotel for one of the classic shots in Dubai of two rows of palm trees leading to the beautiful facade of the hotel with the Burg Khalifa in the background. In the late morning, we check out of our hotel and drive by taxi one and a half hours to Abu Dhabi. After checking into our hotel, we visit the Grand Mosque, another incredible study in architectural perfection and symmetrical artistry. The repetition of shapes, the reflections in blue pools of water, and the elegant Arabian arches all go into making great photographs. Sunset is early in November, and we wait until twilight to
take one of the most exciting images of the tour -- the Grand Mosque reflecting in a pool of water at twilight. The purple lights on the mosque in contrast with the sunset glow over the desert is something you'll never forget. Overnight Abu Dhabi.
Day 7,Nov. 20, Friday
This morning following breakfast we visit the Presidential Palace, Al Watan, a huge government office complex with graphic patterns defining the grounds at the front of the building. These designs make stunning foregrounds especially with a wide angle lens. This is another mind-blowing structure both in opulence and size. Inside the unbelievable palace, you'll want to try panorama images both horizontal and vertical; Jim will show you how to do that. Everywhere you look there is a picture. The huge ceiling, the patterns on the floor, the domes, arches, and panels of mirror all go into making a breathtaking photographic experience.
Next, we visit the Emirates Palace. This is a hotel that cost $3 billion dollars, one of the most expensive in the world. You don't have to be a guest here to wander around and take pictures. You simply won't believe how amazing it is! We then go to a location and get a striking view of the incredible skyline. Overnight Abu Dhabi.
Day 8,Nov. 21, Saturday
This morning we first visit the Louvre of Abu Dhabi showing off extremely unique architecture. The ceiling, especially, is second to none in artistry, imagination, and supreme craftsmanship. A wide angle lens is what you need to capture its essence. Next we go to the Eminence Ahmed El-Tayeb Mosque at the Abrahamic Family House. The architecture here is very different from what we've seen in the previous week, but it's equally striking. At sunset, we return to the Grand Mosque for a twilight and night photography session. It is completely different then in the day and the colors, the shadows, and graphic shapes are stunning. Overnight Abu Dhabi.
Day 9, Nov. 22, Sunday
This morning we drive one and a half hours from Abu Dhabi to the international airport in Dubai for our return flight home, knowing we've taken some of the most compelling architecture pictures ever.
Tour cost: $6750. Includes all lodging based on double occupancy, all breakfasts, welcome and farewell dinners, all ground transportation, all entrance fees including the observation deck in the Burj Khalifa, cost of professional model and the 'flying dress' photo session, excursion to the abandoned village, photo instruction, and post-tour online photo sharing/critique session.
Single supplement: $1195
Not included: International airfare to and from Dubai, all lunches, dinners not included in description above, trip cancellation and medical evacuation insurance, alcoholic beverages, items of a personal nature.