Bashar Tabbah
Historical Photographer and Author
+(962) 77-553-2310

My passion for photography, exploration, and history has dominated my life over the past 15 years.

Growing up in Jordan surrounded by historical treasures highly influenced my interests and outlook. Additionally, having both British and Jordanian roots has given me a unique perspective and a desire for exploration, locally and internationally.

Since 2004, I have travelled extensively, documenting over 380 locations internationally as well as an additional 300 sites in Jordan where I am recognised as an expert on the region.

I primarily focus on sites of historical and cultural significance where I walk a fine line between documentary and artistry, bridging the gap between the scholarly community and the general public.

I have also build an extensive network of contact amongst the archaeological community in Jordan and to some extent the Levant, this includes both the education and government sectors.

Notable Projects and Publications

2018-2024
Developed and independently published
‘Aloft : Textured landscapes of Jordan’
A Limited 500 copy run of books that was launched in tandem with an exhibition at the Amman image festival 2024.

2020-2023
Developed and independently published
The Noble Sanctuary, A photographic and historical exploration of Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque
With book launches in Amman and Jerusalem (1600 Copies sold)

2021-2022
Commissioned by ICOMOS (The International Council on Monuments and Sites) to photograph and produce
Unique and Outstanding : Jordan’s World Heritage Sites
Book was published in October 2022. (2200 distributed copies)

2018 – 2024
Joined the Aerial Photographic Archive for Archaeology in the Middle East (APAAME).

2018-2019
Commissioned to photograph 45 religious sites around the kingdom for the Royal Hashemite Court, book/guide featuring the photographs is slated to be published in 2019.

2015-2018
Development and subsequent publication of
A Map and a Lens: Jordan
(2600 copies sold)

Photo Exhibitions

2025
February (Amman, Jordan) ‘Madakhil al-Majhul/مداخل المجهول’ A six week exhibition held at Jasmine House gallery which features and eclectic selection of doorways and entrances taken over the course of 15 years of travels.

2024
September (Tokyo, Japan) ’Jordan’s Timeless Treasures’ a month long exhibition held at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Tokyo. The exhibition focuses on Jordan’s UNESCO world heritage sites.

July (Manama, Bahrain) ‘Unique and Outstanding’ exhibition in collaboration with the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage, Featuring 36 images covering 6 of Jordan’s UNESCO world heritage sites, this exhibition is slated to run for 6 months.

May (Amman, Jordan) ‘Aloft’ Participating in the 12th edition of the Amman Image Festival in Jordan, featuring 28 Images from my archive of images taken with the aerial archaeology project in Jordan.

2023
May (Jerusalem, Palestine) ‘The Noble Sanctuary’ Book launch and three week long exhibition located at the W.F Albright Institute in Jerusalem.

March (Amman, Jordan) ‘The Noble Sanctuary’ Book launch and Month long exhibition located in Amman Jordan.
The exhibition featured 130 images and panoramas as well as 15 58” LCD screens.

2022
October (Amman, Jordan) ’Unique and Outstanding’ book launch and exhibition at The Cultural Hub Bayt Yaish in Amman Jordan.
The exhibition featured 35 images and panoramas focusing on Jordan’s UNESCO Heritage sites.

2021
May (Amman,Jordan) ‘The Farthest Mosque’, Solo Exhibition Participating in the 10th edition of the Amman Image Festival in Jordan, Nabad Gallery.

2019
July (Irbid, Jordan) ‘Stars and Stone’ two month long Exhibition at Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.

April (Amman, Jordan) ‘Stars and Stone’ Exhibition at Nabad Art Gallery, Amman Jordan. (Part of the Amman Image Festival 2019)

Talks/Lectures

2024
‘A Photographic Exploration of Jordan’s Heritage’ at The Big Expo, Tokyo Japan.

‘Photographic Explorations of the Badia’ lecture at the CBRL-Amman (Centre for British Research in the Levant).

’In conversation with BAshar Tabbah’ online lecture with the Anglo-Jordanian society in London.

2023
‘The Noble Sanctuary’ Book launch and exhibition located at the W.F Albright Institute in Jerusalem.

2022
‘Sacred Architecture: An exploration of Al-Aqsa Mosque's complex’ Lecture at the Palestine Exploration Fund in London, UK

’Exploring Jordan’ Talk at the University of Leicester Archeology Department, Leicester, UK

2021
Hosted a reception at Jordanian embassy in Washington DC, USA

2019
Amman National School and Qasid Arabic Institute

Wikipedia Hackathon, American center for oriental research

2018
A Map and a Lens: Jordan book launch, Jordan Museum, Amman

Lectured at Amideast, an US educational Centre in Amman

2016
Lectured at the American Centre for Oriental Research (ACOR)

2015
Lectured at the Columbia Global Centre

2015
Lectured at the German-Jordan University

Global Photographic Explorations

2024
Turkey (Eastern Thrace), Bahrain, Japan

2023
Turkey (Anatolia and Konya), Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Himeji)

2022
Greece (Athens), Lebanon.

2021
Croatia, al-Ula region of Saudi Arabia.

2021
Completed an expansive study of the UNESCO world heritage site Petra

2020
Conducted an extensive study of al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem

2018
Tunisia, Cyprus, south of France, and India.

2017
Palestine (Mediterranean coast), Uzbekistan, UK (Northern England), and France (Paris).

2017
Initiated Jordan Under the Stars, I photographed historical sites around Jordan at night.

2016
Australia (Sydney) and UK.

2015
Palestine and Germany.

2014
Initiated Mosques of the World Project and explored Istanbul, Mecca, Jeddah, and Switzerland.

2013-2017
A Map and a Lens: Jordan exploration and photography of Jordan’s archaeological heritage.

2012
Spain and Italy.

2004-2011
Egypt, Lebanon, Thailand, Morocco, and Poland.