PHOTOS: This is Qatar, by Hammad Iqbal

Through photography and the art of post-processing, Qatar resident Hammad Iqbal has produced some breathtaking images of the nation.

Speaking to Doha News, Iqbal explains his motivations for taking his shots:

“Having lived all my life in Qatar, I owe so much to this country and this is probably just one way of saying thank you. I also firmly believe in giving back something valuable to the community and to this country. That is why I have started to add some extra details about my images for people to learn from and elevate their own photography skills.

I always welcome comments and questions and am looking forward to a creative discussion. In the end, I hope to see people benefit from this knowledge and make their lives more beautiful and colorful the next time they pick up their cameras.”

Here are some of his most powerful images, with some of his explanations:

A dramatic take on Doha city at blue hour. Taken from the rooftop of a 24-storey tower in Westbay area. It was 17 Celsius and windy. With no safety whatsoever on the rooftop and being afraid of heights, it was an uneasy situation.

There are not many places where to get an unobstructed view of the Doha skyline. A very dear friend of mine showed me this spot while we were just driving around town. So for this image, I decided to visit the spot to try my luck.

I had come to Al-Khor town to see the regional drag race event “Qatar Mile” and as usual I had all my gear with me. By the time, the event was over, it was evening and the sky had gradually become a phenomenon that had to be witnessed to be appreciated. The color and formation was just breath-taking and somewhat scary almost as if a meteor is about to hit the Earth.

Taken at blue hour, the sky was simply on fire. I used the canopies (which were basically temporary tents installed for the 2-day drag race event at this location) in the frame to anchor the composition and add contrast with a rather graphic shape of the canopies.