Look: UAE expat gets rare access to Barakah plant to complete iconic photo collection

Dubai resident Shihab Abdulla was so close to completing a two-year passion project in 2023. He was able to photograph every single landmark on UAE’s currency notes, except one — the Barakah nuclear plant.

After Khaleej Times published a report about his endeavour, he got a personal invitation from the representatives at the power plant. They wanted to help him finish his project.

Shihab had the chance to click those final elusive photos last week. “It was a proud moment for me,” he told Khaleej Times. "To be invited there and be allowed to take a photograph to complete my collection was an achievement to me.”

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The iconic Barakah power plant is located in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region — and entry is limited only to those authorised. So, a request for Shihab's visit went through months of back and forth. He had to secure permissions not only to enter the site but also to photograph the heavily guarded area.

Visit to Barakah

When the request was finally granted, Shihab drove a total of 845km to and from the region’s first nuclear power station in a whole-day affair.

“I started at 6:30am in the morning,” he said about his trip to the plant. “Once we reached there, we had to go through security to get our passes and visit the site. After taking the photographs and getting a tour of the facility, I returned home only by 8pm.”

Shihab was excited to visit the plant that appeared on the new Dh1,000 banknote.

“The domed structure is where the nuclear reaction takes place,” he said. “The walls are all a certain thickness. The entire site is well guarded and well maintained. It is hard to believe that a country as young as the UAE has put in place such an impressive facility to produce nuclear power.”

He shared some snaps he took at the site:

With the prized picture of the power plant, Shihab now has all the 23 landmarks displayed on UAE currency notes.

“Since last year, I have taken three more of other landmarks that have appeared on the new Dh500 notes,” he said.

“I have the full collection that I have photographed over the last three years. It was one of the most amazing projects I have done and I am really proud of it.”

Weekend adventures

Working as a mechanical engineer in Dubai, Shihab is a wanderlust who loves to travel and explore the country.

Despite having just a one-day weekend, he makes the most of his time off. “I picked up a camera and began traveling all around the UAE,” he said. “That is how I reached the Sharjah Gold Souq, which I realised was on the Dh5 note. So I took a note out of my wallet and took a photo. Then I became curious about the other places on other notes.”

Father of a two-year-old, Shihab said he has already started teaching his daughter about the wonders of travelling.

“She lives in India with her mother,” he said. “But she is happiest when we travel together. She is just like me and is very happy to be on the road. Whenever I visit India, my wife and I we travel a lot with her. She and I are going to have the best travels together when she is older.”

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