Bryan Adams has spent more than four decades showing that writing a song and making a photograph come from the same creative well.
He is known for music that has travelled across generations: the restless nostalgia of Summer of ’69, the plain-spoken devotion of (Everything I Do) I Do It for You, and the sharp edges of Run to You. Those songs built a career that still fills arenas. His photography, meanwhile, has developed along a different track, shaped by the same preference for clarity and directness.
That work now comes to Dubai’s JD Malat Gallery, where Adams is presenting #SHOTBYADAMS, his first exhibition in the Middle East.
“I'm interested in humans and their plight,” Adams tells The National, explaining his approach. “We see so much around us, some good some bad, and the ups and downs of life hit everyone differently. I’m interested in humans and their plight.”
Running until September 30, the Dubai exhibition features some of his best-known images, including those of model Kate Moss and singer Mick Jagger. These portraits are overlaid with coloured plexiglass – a technique he began experimenting with a few years ago.
“I thought it would be fun to present some of the photos in a more unusual way. It started with one and, once I saw it, it convinced me to do a series of them. Now it’s a thing that we always do.
“I’m not actually shooting through plexiglass, it’s just a layer added on and it’s interesting to choose the colour that best suits the photo.”
These portraits are not a sideline. Adams is an acclaimed photographer, having twice won Germany's Lead Award for portraiture – one of the country’s most prestigious honours for magazine photography – in 2006 and 2012 for his image of actor Mickey Rourke. In 2015 the Royal Photographic Society named him an honorary fellow.
His portraits of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are now part of the National Portrait Gallery in London. A self-taught photographer, he began in the late 1990s by documenting life on the road – candid shots of bandmates, crew and the grind of touring – before moving into editorial work for international publications.
Yet the creative process is the same whether suits in the studio or behind the shutter. “It’s all about creating something from nothing,” he says. “One moment you have a blank piece of paper, the next a song. It’s the same with photos. It’s magic.”
These moments of inspiration and empathy have also been captured in books. Wounded: The Legacy of War (2013) portrayed British servicemen returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with life-changing injuries – men with prosthetics, scars and wheelchairs. Homeless (2019) worked with a London charity to give visibility to those living on the margins.
That same lens shaped one of his most recognised commissions: a 2002 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, taken at Buckingham Palace for the monarch’s Golden Jubilee. The black and white image has gained new resonance since her death in 2022.
“There will never be anyone like her again,” he says. “It’s possible that with her passing we are entering a completely different institution and it remains to be seen how they will move that institution forward.”
Other portraits come from quieter encounters. During a shoot with British actress Helena Bonham Carter, Adams began by making her tea. Before the hair and make-up team arrived, he took a picture of her at ease with the cup in hand.
“I thought she looked great before the hair and make-up team did their bit,” he says. “I took a photo of her and her tea. It’s my favourite photo of her.”
These kind of moments reflect how he prefers to work. “Taking a photo is much like a conversation,” he says. “In fact it involves conversation. You can’t wait for the moment, it’s going to happen like all good chats.”
Adams hopes the Dubai showcase will produce a similar response – quieter than his arena shows, perhaps, but drawn from the same impulse. “I would just like them to enjoy what I saw once upon a time.”
#SHOTBYADAMS by Bryan Adams is showing at JD Malat Gallery, Downtown Dubai until September 30. Doors open 10am to 10pm.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The%20specs
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
Results
Stage three:
1. Stefan Bissegger (SUI) EF Education-EasyPost, in 9-43
2. Filippo Ganna (ITA) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7s
3. Tom Dumoulin (NED) Jumbo-Visma, at 14s
4. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE-Team Emirates, at 18s
5. Joao Almeida (POR) UAE-Team Emirates, at 22s
6. Mikkel Bjerg (DEN) UAE-Team Emirates, at 24s
General Classification:
1. Stefan Bissegger (SUI) EF Education-EasyPost, in 9-13-02
2. Filippo Ganna (ITA) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7s
3. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin Fenix, at 12s
4. Tom Dumoulin (NED) Jumbo-Visma, at 14s
5. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE-Team Emirates, at 18s
6. Joao Almeida (POR) UAE-Team Emirates, at 22s
World Cup warm up matches
May 24 Pakistan v Afghanistan, Bristol; Sri Lanka v South Africa, Cardiff
May 25 England v Australia, Southampton; India v New Zealand, The Oval
May 26 South Africa v West Indies, Bristol; Pakistan v Bangladesh, Cardiff
May 27 Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton; England v Afghanistan, The Oval
May 28 West Indies v New Zealand, Bristol; Bangladesh v India, Cardiff
AWARDS
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Honeymoonish
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Pathaan
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MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3 (Sterling 46', De Bruyne 65', Gundogan 70')
Aston Villa 0
Red card: Fernandinho (Manchester City)
Man of the Match: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
