macro by maryam عربي
Plain tiger butterfly (Danaus chrysippus) resting on a leafy stem, macro photograph by Emirati photographer Maryam Aalali in the UAE

Loupe ×2.5 · move across the wing

Emirati macro photographer · UAE biodiversitySee what
I see.

I photograph the insects, spiders and small lives of the UAE, close enough to see what the eye usually misses.

View the gallery → Book a trip

Maryam Aalali · مريم آل علي

Every small creature has a role in our ecosystem, and a story worth preserving.

I'm an Emirati photographer documenting the biodiversity of the UAE. Through macro photography I explore tiny worlds and hidden details that often go unnoticed, and share them through exhibitions, exploration trips and educational workshops.

Read my story →

Macro documentation of UAE biodiversity

Selected works

Full gallery · 20 photographs →
No. 01Jumping spiderSalticidae
No. 02Cuckoo waspChrysididae
No. 05Conehead mantisEmpusidae
No. 04Green lacewingChrysopidae
No. 06ChrysalisLepidoptera

In the field

Projects

Local documentation, exploration trips, children's trips, educational photography workshops and outdoor exhibitions.

Macro documentation of UAE biodiversity

A growing visual record of local species.

Pierid butterfly with pale green eyes on a grass seed head, macro photograph from the UAE by Maryam Aalali

Documenting the beauty of bees

Honeybees and solitary bees, up close.

Honeybee feeding with its tongue extended, close-up macro of bees in the UAE by Maryam Aalali

Exploration trips

Guided day and night walks for small groups.

Small group on a guided exploration trip through a UAE woodland at dusk

Children's trips & workshops

Magnifiers, prints and first discoveries.

Children using magnifying glasses to explore a desert plant on a children's nature trip in the UAE

Unseen beauty exhibitions

Prints shown outdoors, where the subjects live.

Macro prints of a jumping spider displayed on wooden easels at an outdoor exhibition in the UAE
Night exploration trip in the UAE: Maryam Aalali photographs insects in the grass while participants hold torches

The work happens close to the ground, from first light until long after dark.

Questions

Planning a trip or a workshop?

All questions →
Do you organise trips for children?→Do you offer educational photography workshops?→What happens on an exploration trip?→

Work with Maryam

Prints, exhibitions, field trips and workshops.

For schools, museums, nature organisations and brands looking for a closer view of UAE nature.

maryamaalali@live.com

Start an inquiry →