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There is much more to the United Arab Emirates than the glitzy malls and skyscrapers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Australian photographer Irenaeus Herok has spent some time out in the desert with a drone and has captured truly amazing photos there. With a background in design and fine arts, Irenaeus specializes in Portrait and Nature Photography, drawing his inspiration from old master paintings and cinema. His work contains both traditional and contemporary aspects, balancing technical precision with his own unique photography style.
The battle between nature and humans is rarely starker than here in the UAE. The barren yet beautiful landscape has been built over with eye-watering speed, as Dubai for example has grown from an unremarkable port town to a bustling metropolis in the space of a few short decades. Nature has a knack for striking back, however, and Irenaeus documents this with his surreal, apocalyptic aerial photos that show the desert slowly eating away at highways and settlements in the Emirates.
Scroll down below to check out the remarkable aerial photography shots for yourself, and vote for the most stunning pictures!
More info: Irenaeus Herok | Instagram | Behance
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Another Tree Saved (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
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#2
As Far As It Gets (United Arab Emirates)
#3
No One Said It Will Be An Easy Ride (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
jeremy park 6 years ago
surreal and a little unreal.... do we really think sand would form such strong delineation on the road?
#4
A Nice 4x4 Roundabout In Dubai. Shot On My Last Trip To UAE (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
TheRubyFalcon 6 years ago
I love how most people still tried to make an effort to keep the circle and traffic laws and all
#5
Resting After Training (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#6
Humans Vs Nature (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#7
Quadra Oasis (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#8
Purple Roundabout (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#9
The Most Popular Game In The World Is Played Everywhere (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#10
Sandy (Emirate Of Abu Dhabi)
Mangoes'nRum 6 years ago
Roads here are only guidelines. In the desert any direction goes anywhere you want. As long as you have google maps.
#11
Desert City Sunset (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Kevin Donegan 6 years ago
Why do humans always want to change the landscape from the natural environment to a false, unsustainable environment? Pools, gardens, trees, smack in the middle of a desert?
#13
Clean Crossing Setup (United Arab Emirates)
#14
Tarmac Island (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#15
Let’s Make It Easy (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Charlotte Brine 6 years ago
Seriously who would be using those pedestrian crossings and where would they be going?!
#16
Wandering (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#17
Nature Wins. Again (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#18
Wandering Around (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#19
Desert Highway (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#20
That’s Where I Want To Be Today (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#21
Roundabout (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#22
City In Haze (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#23
The White Camel (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#24
Incoming Sandstorm (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#25
If You Don't Know Where You Are Going, Any Road Will Get You There, L. Carroll (United Arab Emirates)
#27
Fork (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#28
Sandy (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#29
Desert Roundabout (United Arab Emirates)
#30
It's Like Real Life. Some Roads Just End In Nowhere (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#31
No Landing Here (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Carole Olson 6 years ago
I see somebody from L.A. has been there...They left their graffiti etched on the desert to the right of the landing strip! Proves you will never get away from the Los Angeles graffiti wannabe's...….What a shame!
#33
Got Lost Again (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
#34
Unnecessary Complicated (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
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What do you think ?
Lidee Moril 6 years ago
About damn time. I really hope nature takes its way again in that useless piece of earth, mainly created and decorated at the expense of millions of poor abused workers from south and southeast Asia. People who suffer from the moment they arrive in those places, and who are denied any kind of right to a good life and any sense of decency. Yep you’ve guessed it. You will never see me in those desert microstates. It’s the capital of 21st century slavery.
Chris Miilu 6 years ago
The rich sheiks and their families bring in poor workers from places like the Philippines, house them crowded low budget rooms, work them to death, provide no medical care if they are injured, and so on. They also exploit female servants. They are a 7thC remnant of a time when the Brits gave them a "kingdom" in order to get oil rights. They are among those Trump admires; he is anxious to build a big Tower in SA. Birds of a feather. He probably doesn't remember that a rich sheik, bin Laden, financed the training, pilots and flights from Afghanistan to Newark, NJ and then to the attack on the Towers. Trump also tried to cash in on 9/11 by claiming damage to property he didn't own. He failed in that scam.
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Aunt Messy 6 years ago
All I see here is an obscene waste of scarce resources and a cubic waste of energy. People don't belong there. When I read that the UAE uses most of its water to irrigate alfalfa it made me furious. These are countries where no citizen has a job, where owning slaves is normal and ordinary, and where women are killed on a routine basis for....no reason at all. ..... I know a lot of people here will rabbit on about the pretty pictures, so knock yourselves out - I know you'll down vote me and I don't give a damn. This is NOT something to aspire to. It's a demonstration of hubris.
Virgil Blue 6 years ago
I'm reminded of the statue from Ozymandias: " Look on these works, ye mighty, and despair!" That will be the faith of this place to pretty soon.
Load More Replies... Lidee Moril 6 years ago
About damn time. I really hope nature takes its way again in that useless piece of earth, mainly created and decorated at the expense of millions of poor abused workers from south and southeast Asia. People who suffer from the moment they arrive in those places, and who are denied any kind of right to a good life and any sense of decency. Yep you’ve guessed it. You will never see me in those desert microstates. It’s the capital of 21st century slavery.
Chris Miilu 6 years ago
The rich sheiks and their families bring in poor workers from places like the Philippines, house them crowded low budget rooms, work them to death, provide no medical care if they are injured, and so on. They also exploit female servants. They are a 7thC remnant of a time when the Brits gave them a "kingdom" in order to get oil rights. They are among those Trump admires; he is anxious to build a big Tower in SA. Birds of a feather. He probably doesn't remember that a rich sheik, bin Laden, financed the training, pilots and flights from Afghanistan to Newark, NJ and then to the attack on the Towers. Trump also tried to cash in on 9/11 by claiming damage to property he didn't own. He failed in that scam.
Load More Replies... Aunt Messy 6 years ago
All I see here is an obscene waste of scarce resources and a cubic waste of energy. People don't belong there. When I read that the UAE uses most of its water to irrigate alfalfa it made me furious. These are countries where no citizen has a job, where owning slaves is normal and ordinary, and where women are killed on a routine basis for....no reason at all. ..... I know a lot of people here will rabbit on about the pretty pictures, so knock yourselves out - I know you'll down vote me and I don't give a damn. This is NOT something to aspire to. It's a demonstration of hubris.
Virgil Blue 6 years ago
I'm reminded of the statue from Ozymandias: " Look on these works, ye mighty, and despair!" That will be the faith of this place to pretty soon.
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