Rania Deabes: Egyptian street and documentary photographer finding human stories in colour, light, and unexpected moments

Rania Deabes is an Egyptian photographer who began her journey into photography in 2019. Her work is inspired by the streets and nature, with all the human details and visual stories they hold.

Through her lens, she seeks to document fleeting moments and transform them into scenes that come alive. Deabes is particularly interested in colour as an emotional language, an essential element in constructing an image and conveying its feeling.

Her work has been recognised at the Best Press Photo Competition, where she placed first in 2023 and fourth in 2024, and at the Tasweer Qatar Photography Competition, where she won the Individual Image category in 2026.

In 2025, she was selected for both the Folk Atlas programme and the VII Academy Fellowship, and her work has been shown at exhibitions including "Sard" at Alexandria Photo Week, the Best Press Photo exhibition at the American University, and the MedFest Festival.

How did you get started in photography?

I used to photograph my friends and the things around me. Because of my passion for photography, a friend suggested I join a training programme at Al-Wafd, an Egyptian newspaper.

During the training, I was exposed to many documentary photographs and street photography, and I felt that this type of photography was the closest to me, because of the stories and human details it carries.

I trained there for more than a month before the COVID-19 pandemic began, after which I started working as a freelance photographer.

How would you describe yourself?

I see myself as a bird flying through the fog and a horse walking on the ground. The bird represents my love for freedom, movement, and discovering new paths, while the horse represents strength, perseverance, and a connection to the ground.

As for the fog, I see it as a space where the scene gradually reveals itself. I get closer, observe, and focus on the details until the picture becomes clear.

Between movement and stillness, I continue to discover the world around me, trying each time to see it from a different perspective.

What are the main themes that inspire your photography?

The stories of women and children who were forced to work at an early age inspire me, as well as themes related to loss, anger, and absence.

What moment in your career are you most proud of?

Every moment of success that comes after a lot of hard work, teaching a child something about photography, or helping someone else through a photograph is, for me, the true source of pride.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a photographer?

Lack of support from those around me for pursuing photography was what I faced when I first entered the world. I always strive to keep going and overcome whatever stands in my way. Photography, for me, is air.

What type of photography do you specialise in?

Everyday life, street, and documentary photography are my main specialities. I am drawn to unexpected moments because they happen only once and cannot be repeated. For me, this is a continuous challenge to myself, and to my ability to observe and capture the moment.

Working on photographic projects has also taught me to slow down and become closer to myself and to the people I photograph. It allows me to enter people's homes, build genuine relationships with them, and learn more closely about their stories and different cultures. This has helped me become more comfortable communicating and interacting with others.

I continue to develop myself by participating in grants, workshops, and training programmes, as they allow me to learn from different experiences and help me develop my visual approach and way of working.

What is your unique technical or visual approach?

I focus on several things in my photography, including fog, birds, colour, and natural light, especially at the beginning and end of the day.

I pay attention to composition, layers, light, and shadow, and I look for moments where the elements naturally come together within the frame.

Technically, I tend to work with natural light and rely on manual shooting, controlling the camera settings according to each scene. In post-processing, I use Lightroom to adjust the light, colours, and contrast, while preserving the natural quality of the scene and the feeling present in it.

Which global brands, photographers, or industries do you feel your work aligns with most?

Ernst Haas is the photographer whose work is closest to my style, particularly in his use of colour, light, and nature as essential elements of the image.

How is the photography and art space in Egypt?

Photography in Egypt has developed, especially through the growing number of exhibitions and competitions organised by both public institutions and private organisations. Some initiatives offer photography trips as recognition and rewards for photographers.

What is one professional standard you never compromise on?

Respecting the privacy of every person I photograph, and never portraying them in a way they do not want to be portrayed.

What do you think of the 54Ruum platform?

54Ruum is a great platform for supporting photographers and providing visual inspiration through photographers from different countries.