Sharjah: Over 1,112 images from 357 photographers will be on show across 38 exhibitions at the fourth edition of the Xposure International Photography Festival at Sharjah Expo Centre from September 19-22, it was announced in a press conference at Al Majaz Amphitheatre on Monday.

The festival will host 46 indoor and five outdoor exhibitions across Sharjah and Dubai. There will also be 33 public seminars totalling 22 hours over four days in addition to 17 unique workshops with a capacity of 400 students spread across 30 sessions. The Xposure International Photography Competition has attracted 4,669 entrants from 111 countries, who have submitted 14,757 entries.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council, said: “As many as 357 photographers are here to share their experiences, their stories with us… The photo is their voice, and Sharjah is a cultural conduit that brings their voices into the UAE and the region. Soon, we will open the doors of Xposure to you all. Come and live brand new experiences through photography over four days, use the festival’s unique space to see thousands of images and meet the talents who created them. Sharjah is always keen to promote cultural dialogue. We, at Xposure, believe that photography is a universal language; one of the most effective tools to shed light on the truth.

“We hope that the fourth edition of Xposure will open our eyes to new stories, help us see the world around us closely and realise our duties towards it, and inspire us to contribute towards changing our realities,” he added.

Tariq Saeed Allay, Director of Sharjah Government Media Bureau, said: “Every year, Xposure further entrenches the importance of photography, the role of the image in revealing the different aspects of life through the festival’s exhibitions, panel discussions, film screenings and workshops by world-renowned photographers and industry experts. A photographer’s life is one of the most fascinating pursuits of creativity, one of the many reasons why photojournalists continue to go to conflict zones, despite the dangers that surround them.”