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.
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
The specs: 2018 Genesis G70
Price, base / as tested: Dh155,000 / Dh205,000
Engine: 3.3-litre, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 370hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 510Nm @ 1,300rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.6L / 100km
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THE TWIN BIO
Their favourite city: Dubai
Their favourite food: Khaleeji
Their favourite past-time : walking on the beach
Their favorite quote: ‘we rise by lifting others’ by Robert Ingersoll
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
BRIEF SCORES
England 228-7, 50 overs
N Sciver 51; J Goswami 3-23
India 219, 48.4 overs
P Raut 86, H Kaur 51; A Shrubsole 6-46
England won by nine runs
Other key dates
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Finals draw: December 2
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Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
RESULT
Los Angeles Galaxy 2 Manchester United 5
Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')
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
Oppenheimer
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Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
