In 1975 pioneer Saudi photographer, feminist and psychotherapist Madeha Alajroush began taking photographs of Saudi Arabia and people of Saudi.
At the time photography was considered a sin and against Islamic teachings. While Alajroush was capturing human and nature elements during Saudi Arabia’s transformation, students were taught at schools that photographs should not be taken unless it was a necessity, for example, when needed for passports.
Her two published books are ‘Abha Bilad Asir’ and ‘Shadow’. She is known to be one of the first published photographer in Saudi Arabia.
Madeeha Alajroush had over four decades of work that none of the females of her generation created.
She clearly illustrated the life of bedhuin’s as well as the city life and the contradictions between both sides. Currently, Alajroush is working on petroglyphs titled “women in rock art” where she will travel with in Saudi talking photographs of rock carvings or drawings that display women thousands of years ago.
Written by Lujain Mirza
