Landscape photographers capture fragility of planet

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Landscape photography is an intimate dialogue between the photographer and nature, a process of emotional expression, and a journey into the raw beauty of the Earth’s elements.

At the ongoing 9th International Photography Festival (Xposure), two celebrated landscape photographers – Isabella Tabacchi and Filip Hrebenda – took the stage to share their profound artistic perspectives.

Tabacchi took the audience on an emotional voyage across some of Earth’s most majestic and fragile locations. “Landscapes are not just rocks or trees,” she noted.

“A place can feel more alive than anything else, carrying our memories, our joy, our grief, or even our silence.”

A session rich in personal stories, Tabacchi shared how her passion for volcanoes and remote landscapes shaped her work.

Her fascination with the contrasts between calm and chaos was brought to life through stunning examples of her photography.

One image, taken in Japan during the cherry blossom season, exuded serenity. “It was a sunrise that made me feel completely at peace,” Tabacchi shared.

“I felt the gentle connection between the fleeting beauty of the blossoms and the eternal presence of Mount Fuji.”

Tabacchi also shared her love for aerial perspectives, particularly her award-winning shot titled Tree of Life, taken in Iceland.

“Sometimes nature creates art so profound it doesn’t need words. My job is to immortalise it and remind the world how breathtakingly fragile our planet is,” she said.

Hrebenda’s presentation was a philosophical ode to the elemental forces that shape our planet.

Growing up amidst Slovakia’s High Tatra mountains sparked the adventurer photographer’s love for untamed landscapes. “Standing on the peaks or in the heart of the wilderness, I feel small, like an ant in front of nature’s grandeur,” he said.

With his work deconstructed according to the natural elements, the visual montage of erupting volcanoes, icy glaciers, and windswept desert scenes transported the session’s attendees into the raw beauty of the Earth.

“The elements – fire, water, air, earth, and space – are so much larger than us. They remind us of our insignificance in the universe, yet our deep connection to it,” Hrebenda said.

His high-profile Born of Fire images, showing Icelandic volcanoes in full eruption, were a highlight. Equally moving was his exploration of water as an element.

One of the most evocative elements was his depiction of space. Standing under the Northern Lights or the Milky Way in Iceland became moments of clarity for Hrebenda.

“It’s not just the size of the universe that overwhelms you. When you look up, you realise how much is outside of ourselves. And it changes the way you see everything on Earth,” he added, visibly moved.

Both photographers spoke to the collective responsibility of protecting these natural wonders. “Photography,” Tabacchi noted, “is not just art. It’s a place where emotion meets action: a way to capture the soul of a landscape and motivate change.” Hrebenda echoed, “People protect what they love, and they can only love what they understand. That’s our job as photographers, to help them see what’s worth saving.”

Organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), Xposure 2025 runs until Feb.26.

Earlier, Xposure unveiled the winners of its most prestigious initiatives, celebrating the pinnacle of photojournalism and global visual storytelling.

Palestinian photographer Saher Alghorra was announced as the overall winner of the Independent Freelance Photojournalist Award (IFPA), while the Global Focus Project (GFP) honoured 12 exceptional photographers highlighting their diverse works and contributions.

The IFPA designed to recognise outstanding photojournalism, announced its winners from a shortlist of seven entries. In a ceremony attended by industry peers and photography enthusiasts, Tariq Saeed Allay, Director-General of Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), handed over the awards.