Susan Baaghil
In the beginning of spring 2024, in Sharjah, UAE Xposure International Photography Festival took place. It attracts both world-renowned professional photographers and amateur enthusiasts. FotoSlovo visited the Festival and had a chance to meet Susan Baaghil, the first female photographer in Saudi Arabi.
The list of her achievements is too long to wrap up in few words. She has received more than 35 local and international awards including the international Digital Photographic Competition in Italy in 2005 where she won the first place among 15 countries. For 25 years, more than 150 Exhibitions have displayed Susan’s photographic art. She has been honored numerous times during these worldwide showings.
The list of her achievements is too long to wrap up in few words. She has received more than 35 local and international awards including the international Digital Photographic Competition in Italy in 2005 where she won the first place among 15 countries. For 25 years, more than 150 Exhibitions have displayed Susan’s photographic art. She has been honored numerous times during these worldwide showings.
Susan Baaghil
"She doesn’t just take photos — she tells the stories others are afraid to show."
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"One must be strong and have determination to reach such success, especially when you are a woman and more than that, a woman from Saudi Arabia."
She has expertise in multiple genres from portraits and landscapes to fashion and wedding photography, to name a few. But one of her main achievements is her popularisation of Islamic art that she displays through her photos. Her Islamic exhibitions help to destroy stereotypes about Muslims.
And this is what we were impressed by when we saw her photographs at the Festival. One must be strong and have determination to reach such success, especially when you are a woman and more than that, a woman from Saudi Arabi. Susan Baaghil was invited by the Governor of Farasan Region to take picture in the island of Farasan in fishing competition and she was the only lady in the island to cover the event. She also was the first Saudi woman to photograph 19th Arab Summit in Riyadh March 2007. Susan Baaghil was also invited in the Royal Dinner for the honorification of all Arab Leaders that was held at the Center of King Abdulaziz International for the summit. She is the only woman who makes photographs of the king.
And this is what we were impressed by when we saw her photographs at the Festival. One must be strong and have determination to reach such success, especially when you are a woman and more than that, a woman from Saudi Arabi. Susan Baaghil was invited by the Governor of Farasan Region to take picture in the island of Farasan in fishing competition and she was the only lady in the island to cover the event. She also was the first Saudi woman to photograph 19th Arab Summit in Riyadh March 2007. Susan Baaghil was also invited in the Royal Dinner for the honorification of all Arab Leaders that was held at the Center of King Abdulaziz International for the summit. She is the only woman who makes photographs of the king.
She was also awarded for taking the Hajj photos. Every photographer knows that covering the Hajj is an extremely difficult task. But Susan, the first female Saudi photographer, did it brilliantly. She photographed the Hajj from a helicopter, it’s a dangerous thing to do. However, Hajj is risky bot only for photographers. Many pilgrims die during the Hajj every year and the authorities are not willing to give any concrete figures. Susan Baaghil witnessed the events when hundreds of pilgrims lost heir lives in 1997. She still has a vivid recollection of the catastrophe she documented aboard a helicopter with its doors open. She is not satisfied with snapping only usual pictures. She wants to cover the places and events that the Saudi authorities are not willing for the world to see like tragedies during Hajj. She wants to tell the story, to send the message. We believe that this alone means that Susan is not just a photographer, it is not just her profession but it is her true calling. And the photographs of the holy city of Makkah are, probably, one of her most prized possessions.
"She doesn’t just take photos — she tells the stories others are afraid to show."
Her experience in the field is more than 25 years and she is still active covering events for Reuters in Saudi Arabia, organizing local and international photo galleries, making wedding photos. And she is also the author of the book featuring photographs of Saudi handicrafts.