The Kuwait-based Jordanian photographer discusses her image paying tribute to her mother, currently showcased at Dubai’s Gulf Photo Plus until September 21 DUBAI: Photography is something that I picked up seriously three years ago, but it’s really during the COVID-19 pandemic that I’ve been able to progress. I’ve had the opportunity to attend workshops online, which I wouldn’t have done otherwise. I’ve tried different art forms — I’ve tried painting and writing, but I found myself in photography. I was able to connect with people through it and lots of doors opened for me. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle This picture shows things that the photographer has acquired from her. (Supplied) “Heirlooms” is part of a series I started about my mother earlier this year. I think we’ve all had our worries during COVID, and for me it was about losing my mother, as she’s high risk. I wanted to document her. She usually doesn’t like being photographed, but for this, she let me do it. It’s sort of about getting to know her and connect to her, but beyond the borders of motherhood. My mother is quite something; she has eight children, and she has raised us by herself for the last 20 years. This picture shows things that I have acquired from her. There’s a picture of her when she was younger. There’s a pearl bracelet that her own father gave her, which she gave to me on my 22nd birthday; it means a lot to me. There’s also a handkerchief that has a lock of hair inside it and I don’t know who it belongs to. We had long hair as kids, and when it got cut she would keep the hair and wouldn’t throw it away. She was sort of superstitious about throwing hair away. The stories that my mother passed on to me within the context of this work have become heirlooms themselves. The simple arrangement is consistent with the rest of the images from the series. With black-and-white photography, there’s a high contrast and the items stand out. I’ve tried color, but I’m not (very good) at it. I’ve gotten used to black-and-white, which I like aesthetically. I used a medium-format camera, which uses a film that’s longer than the usual 35mm that you would use. I also developed my own film, which is a huge part of what I love about photography. There’s this delayed gratification and excitement in seeing the picture for the first time.