The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is one of the landmarks in Muscat, Oman. It was inaugurated in 2001 and is the largest in the country. It features many interesting aspects and details, such as the vast hand-woven Iranian–style carpet or the central crystal chandelier.
Surrounding the main building, there are several gardens and fountains, as well as long corridors featuring styles in many different styles, from ancient Persia to more recent Moroccan designs. Non-Muslims can visit the mosque during assigned hours, but they can also walk around the exterior perimeter at any time.
I did this after sunset when the mosque's lights illuminated it. Walking around the exterior garden, I selected a good point to frame the entire mosque against the dark blue sky and the mountains in the distance.
A wide-angle lens is necessary to include the whole mosque, so I used my 16mm lens on my Fujifilm APSC camera. Given the low light levels, I also used a tripod for a 5-second exposure time. Sunset and the minutes after it, when the light transitions from golden to blue, are probably the best times to photograph the mosque from the outside.
The contrast between the artificial and dimming natural light, as the day transitions into night, imparts the scenery with something truly special. I managed to take a few photos before the sky turned darker, but working fast is required, as this type of light does not last long at these lower latitudes.
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