Skip to content
Anera
  • Who We Are
    • Column1
      • About Us
      • Our Staff
      • Anera FAQ
    • Column2
      • Resources
      • 2024 Annual Report
      • Contact Us
  • Where We Work
    • Column1
      • Palestine
        • Gaza
        • West Bank
      • Lebanon
      • Jordan
  • What We Do
    • Column1
      • Agriculture
      • Health
      • Community
      • Education
    • Column2
      • Water
      • Emergency
      • Stories
      • Videos
  • How to Help
    • Column1
      • Fundraise
      • Become a Social Media Ambassador
      • Attend an Event
      • Donor Portal
    • Column2
      • Give Monthly
      • More Ways to Give
      • Zakat Giving
      • Anera Leadership Circle
  • Blog
  • Donate
    • Monthly Giving
    • Zakat Giving
    • More Ways to Give
Anera
Donor Portal
  • Who We Are
    • Column1
      • About Us
      • Our Staff
      • Anera FAQ
    • Column2
      • Resources
      • 2024 Annual Report
      • Contact Us
  • Where We Work
    • Column1
      • Palestine
        • Gaza
        • West Bank
      • Lebanon
      • Jordan
  • What We Do
    • Column1
      • Agriculture
      • Health
      • Community
      • Education
    • Column2
      • Water
      • Emergency
      • Stories
      • Videos
  • How to Help
    • Column1
      • Fundraise
      • Become a Social Media Ambassador
      • Attend an Event
      • Donor Portal
    • Column2
      • Give Monthly
      • More Ways to Give
      • Zakat Giving
      • Anera Leadership Circle
  • Blog
  • Donate
    • Monthly Giving
    • Zakat Giving
    • More Ways to Give
  • Who We Are
  • What We Do
  • Where We Work
  • How to Help
  • Resources
  • Success Stories
  • Videos
  • Blog
  • 2024 Annual Report
Donate
COMMUNITY

Women Can: Meet Manal, a Nabulsi Event Photographer

Jun, 2020

Taking her profession from analog to digital

Manal is a passionate wedding photographer from the city of Nablus, in Palestine’s West Bank. She thinks of her profession as a way to bring joy to her clients and their families.

“If people are interested, I won’t decline an offer!”

At 50, Manal has been honing her craft for the last 25 years. She first discovered a love for photography through her husband, and swiftly mastered the basics. She soon felt in complete harmony with the camera.

After her husband died, she picked it up as a profession. In addition to weddings, she began filming other ceremonies like graduation parties.

She does the occasional photo shoot for individuals too. “If people are interested, I won’t decline an offer,” she says with a smile. She also enjoys photographing nature and beautiful scenery.

Manal holds a video camera, filming a local wedding.
Manal filming a local wedding.
Manal photographing flowers.
Manal also enjoys photographing the natural world.

“My old camera didn’t keep pace with a fast-moving digital world.”

In the old days, she used a camcorder with cassette tapes. Over the years, her video camera became outdated.

So she started to rent digital cameras from local studios, paying 150NIS ($43) each time.

Through Anera’s Women Can project, funded by Islamic Relief USA, Manal got two new cameras — a Canon 80D and a Panasonic AG-UX90. Owning her new gear has allowed her to net a substantially higher rate — 700NIS ($200) per event.

Manal has already covered 12 events since getting her new equipment in September.

A typical workday begins with charging her camera batteries, including backup batteries. “I get anxious if I run low on charged batteries while filming. I also make sure I have extra memory cards.”

She reviews her footage and photos with her customers and makes edits to the colors and lighting as needed. Manal likes to leave her customers with a present. She lets her clients select one photo from the set that she uses to create a large print that she frames and presents as a gift to each newlywed couple.

“My happiest moments are when I get a message of appreciation or a thank you letter from a just-married couple.”

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, work has declined. Manal is looking forward to the return of some degree of normalcy.

“I hope that life soon returns to a sweeter era, like before the virus. Work is life. My happiest moments are when I get a message of appreciation or a thank you letter from a just-married couple. It makes me feel so proud.”

Manal takes a photo of a young man posing by a car.
Manal does photo shoots for individuals as well.

The views expressed herein are those of Anera and shall not, in any way whatsoever, be construed to reflect the official opinion of IRUSA, its Islamic Relief affiliates, or its donors.

SHARE THIS STORY

Related Stories

A Stitch of Dignity

Read More →

Construction of Hope in Lebanon

Read More →

$219 M

worth of aid to serve millions of Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians and Jordanians, in calendar year 2024

Contact Us

WHO WE ARE

Site Map

  • Who We Are
  • Where We Work
  • What We Do
  • How to Help
  • Donor Portal
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Stories
  • Join Our Team
  • Contact Us

More About Anera

Anera addresses the development and relief needs of refugees and vulnerable communities in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan. 

Anera is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (tax-ID number 52-0882226). Your gift is secure and tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Follow Us on Social Media

© Anera, 2025 | Print This Page | Site Credit
  • FAQ
  • TRUSTED & RESPECTED
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SITE MAP
 Share This
 Facebook
 WhatsApp
 LinkedIn
 Email

Share on Mastodon