Photography in the Middle East, North Africa and West Asia dates back to the Daguerre era of photography when photographers from Europe came to the area to photograph oriental life, monuments, discoveries, and people. These photographers were either transients in the area or settled and had their studio to work. They had titles like Photographer of the Khedive, Photographer of the Sultan, Photographer of the Court, Photographer of the King. They either photographed real scenes or created scenes led by their imagination of the orient (e.g. Lehnert, Landrock, Zangaki).

The material we are working upon consists of 780 000 photographs - negatives and prints. The negatives are glass negatives and celluloid negatives. The prints are albumin, salt paper, silver nitrate and coloured prints. The material covers the period from 1850 to 1980 of hundreds of different photographers who were studio photographers, non-settled photographers, travelers, explorers, professionals and amateurs. Their photographs show people from all walks of life - from very poor up to khedives, sultans, and kings. They caught the atmosphere of their time. These photographers’ work represents the social, architectural, political and ethnic history and documents the changes during this period of time.