Ana Backhaus

Ana Backhaus Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Ana Backhaus, Photographer, Dubai.

- From Portugal to Dubai to the World...
- Documentary | Visual Art Storyteller
- Obsessed about traveling...
- Seeker of real life moments and emotions
- Wife and mother of one little boy...

We are safe and at the moment in Lisbon. To everyone who reached out — thank you. From the bottom of my heart, the sense...
09/03/2026

We are safe and at the moment in Lisbon.

To everyone who reached out — thank you. From the bottom of my heart, the sense of community meant truly more than words can say.

Our jobs and the school spring break gave us the flexibility to take a pause and breathe, we left Dubai trusting my instincts as a mother. The UAE and its leadership have shown once again remarkable strength, calm and reassurance throughout all of this.

One of the most beautiful things about being an expat is that I am lucky enough to call more than one place HOME. UAE and Dubai has given me almost 14 years of opportunities, personal growth, mind openness and home. I carry it with me always.

In moments of war there is no right or wrong decision — only the best each of us can do for our families.

Every situation is different. Every choice is valid and my son like every children around the world deserves to be just this — a curious boy talking to camels in the desert.

We remain deeply humble knowing that so many others don’t have the same options we do. Our hearts are with everyone affected by this universal crisis.

For now, we observe closely, we rest, we pause and we hope for a very soon return. 🤍🇦🇪🇵🇹

The most important thing I will ever do in this life is be his Mother first.On a day that celebrates women — I celebrate...
08/03/2026

The most important thing I will ever do in this life is be his Mother first.

On a day that celebrates women — I celebrate every woman who trusts her instincts, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.

This is also how my mother was to me. The circle continues. 🤍

Happy International Women’s Day.

Photo from the project: Legacy: The Circle of Love and Life Xposure International Photography Festival

“How suddenly life changes.”In a matter of hours, the familiar rhythms of our days shifted completely. Bags packed by th...
04/03/2026

“How suddenly life changes.”

In a matter of hours, the familiar rhythms of our days shifted completely. Bags packed by the door. Mattresses moved to interior corridors. Eyes glued to news feeds, searching for certainty that never quite comes.

And yet — life insists on continuing. Homeschooling starts. Masks get painted. Small activities find their way to distract.

A crisis has a way of making brutally clear what truly matters, and what we would leave behind without hesitation. We have built lives here — work, routines, community, home — and from one moment to the next, war reminds us how fragile the structures we take for granted really are.

But we are humbled too. What we are experiencing is only a tiny small fraction of what so many endure in this world, for so much longer, with so much less. We are together. We are safe. We have resources, community, and trust in those working to protect us.

The sense of belonging here has never felt stronger. We are not alone.

My heart is with every family navigating these uncertain days — and especially with my former colleagues and friends now flying through skies that feel anything but ordinary. You are seen. You are brave.

We adjust. We hope. We hold each other close.
🤍

02/03/2026

In uncertain times, staying calm feels like both a challenge and a necessity. Grateful for the support, the UAE defense, the embassy’s responsiveness, and the little moments of normalcy amidst it all. Thank you everyone for your care and kindness—it means more than words. Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve been living through these past few days. Sending strength and calm to all caught in these uncertainty. 💙

Breakfast at the usual café. Strawberries picked directly from the soil. A boy who doesn’t yet know that these are the d...
25/02/2026

Breakfast at the usual café. Strawberries picked directly from the soil. A boy who doesn’t yet know that these are the days he’ll remember.

Those moments that repeat themselves, but never had a chance to be documented — to become tangible proof of the life lived.

I spent the day following their rhythm. No agenda, no direction. Just life, unfolding.

This story was recognised as a Family Story Award at and I am really grateful.

I believe that the most powerful visual storytelling happens when you stop directing and start observing. Whether that’s a family, a brand, or a community — the truth is always more compelling than the performance.

📍 Portugal
📷 Canon R6 MII + RF 28-70 f2 Canon Middle East

If you want your story to be told the same way - unhurried, honest, real, March is still open — if you’ve been thinking about it, now is a good time. DMs are open.

23/02/2026

Some moments deserve to be documented too. Being part of Xposure International Photography Festival was one of them — sharing my approach to storytelling at the Canon Middle East workshop, the exhibition work, the interview with Frank Meo “How Stories Can Save Us”, the warmth received — all reminded me why I do what I do. Grateful doesn’t even cover it. And a special thank you to for capturing these moments with so much essence. There’s just so much to share…

After some intense few weeks - Xposure exhibition, attending Doc Day conference in Dublin and some combined time with wo...
20/02/2026

After some intense few weeks - Xposure exhibition, attending Doc Day conference in Dublin and some combined time with work and family in Portugal - I’m back in Dubai.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Grateful for recognition like these two single and a story award at that reminds me why I do the work I do: the quiet family stories, how we relate to each other, how we grieve, how we show up in the ordinary extraordinariness of daily life.
The contemplative, the intimate, the depth in the everyday - that’s the work I’m here to do.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
More soon on what’s next. For now: happy to be home, present with my family, and clear on my path.

I’m still processing everything that happened this week - what an intense journey, physically and emotionally, but in th...
05/02/2026

I’m still processing everything that happened this week - what an intense journey, physically and emotionally, but in the best way possible.

I couldn’t feel more proud and honored by the feedback I’ve received. My mom’s story is now touching hearts she’ll never meet, traveling to places she’ll never go. And that feels like the biggest act to honor her and her story.

Yesterday’s talk was deeply personal and emotional. Thank you for holding space with me through it all, thank you for this extraordinary opportunity, and thank you for this feature. It means the world to see her story reach even further.

There’s still so much to do, but her story has been told - and it lives in the hearts of those who were touched by it.

That’s everything.

Photo Credits:

04/02/2026

The final day of Xposure has arrived, and I’m feeling all the emotions… Today at 5pm, join me on Stage X for a live interview: “How Stories Can Save Us: A Journey through Love, Loss and Legacy…See you there…

I am very excited to gather tomorrow with a small group to share a little more about my project at .These intimate conve...
01/02/2026

I am very excited to gather tomorrow with a small group to share a little more about my project at .
These intimate conversations help shape how we present work that carries both personal weight and universal truth. If you haven’t enrolled yet, please do so on the website.
Focus Group: “How Photography Can Heal”
Focus Group Area - 15:15-15:55pm
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Then on February 4th at 17:10-17:40pm, I’ll join Frank Meo on Stage X at Xposure International Photography Festival for “How Stories Can Save Us: A Journey through Love, Loss and Legacy.” We’ll explore how photography became my bridge through grief, and how documenting the hardest moments of our lives can transform pain into something that connects us all.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If you’re at Xposure, I’d love to see you there. If you’re navigating your own story of loss or searching for ways to honor the people who shaped you, know that you’re not alone in this… See you there…

Address

Dubai

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ana Backhaus posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share

Category