About
Shoayb Khattab
Shoayb Khattab is an award-winning architectural photographer and film director based in Dubai, UAE and Riyadh, KSA, with more than 60 international awards. Trained as an architect, he works at the intersection of design, photography, and film, operating internationally with leading architecture firms, developers, cultural institutions, and governmental bodies.
Over more than a decade, he has built a practice defined by technical precision and a deep reading of the built environment. His background in architecture informs every frame. He reads a building before he photographs it.
60+ international awards. Architizer+ Architectural Photographer of the Year. Architecture Masterprize Architectural Photographer of the Year. Grands Prix du Design Grand Prize. IPA Architecture 1st Place 2025.
Beyond the work itself, Shoayb sits inside the industry: Jury Member for the Architecture Hunter Awards, Committee Member of the Créateurs Design Awards, and a member of Young Arab Leaders under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
60+
International Awards
200+
Clients
10+
Years of Practice
01
Architecture-Trained Eye
An architect by training and instinct. Every frame is shaped by proportion, material, interaction of light, human presence, and the intent behind the design. The difference lies in understanding the architecture, not simply pointing a camera at it.
02
Proven at the Highest Level
More than sixty international awards from leading architecture and design platforms, alongside commissions with Foster + Partners, Bjarke Ingels Group, and other globally established firms. The work has been tested at the highest level and recognized accordingly.
03
Equipment Most Photographers Will Never Own
Medium format cameras capable of producing 100+ megapixel files, built for billboard scale reproduction and exhibition-worthy fine art print. The difference is visible in the depth of detail, tonal range, and the clarity retained at scale.
04
Fine Art Realism, Not a Render
Post-processing grounded in an artistic vision that elevates without distorting. A real image in a true fine art realistic style — not an AI-polished render, not an over-processed composite. The architecture is the subject. The edit serves it.
05
Fully Committed to the Outcome
Completion is not the measure of success. Satisfaction is. If the result does not meet the standard, the work continues. A client's project is treated as a shared investment — their success is the measure of the work.
06
Photography, Film, and the Full Picture
Director and studio founder with experience across both photography and film. Every commission is approached thinking about how the images will be used, where they will appear, and what value they need to deliver — not just what they look like on the day.
07
Positioned Inside the Industry
A jury member and committee member for international design awards, with fifteen years of relationships built across architecture and the press. The work moves with editorial access and a real understanding of how a project gets published, submitted, and seen — something most photographers simply do not have.
08
Work That Reaches Award Stages
The goal is not images in a folder. Award-winning work is work that gets submitted, recognized, and seen on the stages of the world's most distinguished architecture and design awards. That visibility benefits the architect, the developer, and the project long after delivery.
09
A Partner, Not a Vendor
Not a service provider completing a brief. A partner invested in the outcome. Every project is approached as a problem to solve — what does this building need to look like in the world, and what does it take to get it there.
10
The Strongest Return, Not the Lowest Rate
Not the cheapest option. The option with the most to show for it — fifteen-plus years of specialized experience, world-class equipment, and a track record alongside the industry's leading names. The value is in never having to look further.
Architecture Photography
Exterior and interior documentation of built work. From residential to masterplan scale. Planned around light, designed around the architect's intent. Delivered for print, publication, and awards submission.
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Interior Photography
Residential, hospitality, and commercial interiors. Natural and mixed-light setups.
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Hospitality & Hotel Photography
Hotels, resorts, and restaurants across the UAE and KSA. Rooms, suites, F&B, spa, and amenities shot to brand standard.
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Real Estate & Property Photography
Premium real estate and property photography for developers and luxury listings. Architectural-grade imagery for towers, villas, and developments.
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Aerial Photography
Drone documentation of buildings, master plans, and sites. Operated under full permits in UAE and KSA.
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Post-Production
High-end retouching and colour work for architecture and interiors. The architecture is the hero. Everything in the edit is in service of that.
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Fine Art Prints
Limited edition exhibition prints from selected series. Archival materials, signed. Suitable for private collection and corporate acquisition.
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Enquiries
For a full rate card or to discuss a specific brief, use the contact form or email directly at contact@shoayb.net.
Every project follows a deliberate sequence. The brief is the beginning, not the boundary.
01
Brief and Scope
We discuss the project, the intended use of the images, publication or award targets, and the budget. This determines the shoot structure, the team, and the days required.
02
Recce and Planning
I visit the site before the shoot. I study the building, read its orientation, map the light at different times of day, and identify the frames before the shoot day arrives. Nothing is left to chance.
03
Shoot
Executed to plan. Medium format capture, 100+ megapixels. Natural light prioritised. Artificial supplemented only where it serves the space.
04
Edit and Retouching
The target is a fine art realistic image — accurate to the building at its best moment. Tonal balance, perspective correction, careful retouching. No renders, no composites.
05
Delivery
Full-resolution TIFF and print-ready JPEG. Organised and clearly labelled. Delivered via private online gallery. Typically 7 to 14 business days from shoot completion.
06
After Delivery
I can advise on publication submissions, awards entries, and press placement. If the work is ready to be seen, I know where it belongs and how to get it there.
Where I Work
Available for architecture, interior, and aerial commissions across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider GCC, and worldwide. City guides:
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