Kuwait's first professional female photojournalist shares journey of documenting country's transformation

Kuwait Times

15-06-2025

In 1979, a young American woman arrived in Kuwait — camera in hand and eyes wide open. Claudia Al-Rashoud, Kuwait's first professional female photojournalist, found a country at a crossroads: Rich in heritage, yet pulsing with change. Her mission was clear — to document Kuwait's transformation, one frame at a time.
'It was a fascinating period. Kuwait was evolving so rapidly, and I felt compelled to document it - not just through photographs, but in words too,' she recalled. Despite being a young woman in a male-dominated field, Al-Rashoud told Kuwait Times she found support rather than skepticism. 'Kuwait wasn't like the West. People were kind, respectful and curious. I felt incredibly safe, even walking alone late at night - which I never did back in Southern California.'
Early in her career, she partnered with Palestinian journalist Sabah Hassounah. 'Sabah took me under her wing, and her family embraced me,' Al-Rashoud said. 'She introduced me to the media world in Kuwait.'
But the road wasn't always smooth. One of the biggest shocks came when she stepped into the newspaper's darkroom. Used to a temperature-controlled lab in California, she was stunned to find trays of chemicals left open in the heat, coated with sand. 'They even tested developer temperature with their fingers. I had to adapt quickly,' she laughed.
One of her most vivid early memories isn't of a photo she took - but of a photographer spitting on his hand to clean a negative. 'To my shock, it worked. I learned to do the same,' she said.
Over the decades, Al-Rashoud captured many of Kuwait's most defining moments. After the 1991 liberation, she photographed the burning oil wells - towering infernos that roared like jet engines. She was there when Sheikh Jaber Al-Sabah turned the wheel to extinguish the last one. But not all moments were dramatic. She remembers a man quietly visiting his childhood home before its demolition, pausing for one final photo.
Her storytelling eventually expanded beyond journalism. In 1988, she co-authored 'Kuwait: A Personal View' with Keith Wells. After he left, she continued the work on her own. She also wrote 'Kuwait's Age of Sail', a tribute to the country's maritime legacy, and 'Kuwait Before and After the Storm', contrasting the country's pre- and post-invasion landscapes.
Through it all, she remained deeply connected to Kuwaiti culture. Her book 'Kuwait Kaleidoscope' aimed to show residents that the country offered more than met the eye - from camel races to archaeological treasures. Another work, 'Dame Violet Dickson: Umm Saud's Fascinating Life in Kuwait', was born out of post-war rumors and evolved into a well-researched biography, supported by the Dickson family and Shaikha Hussa Al-Sabah.
In recent years, her lens has focused on animal welfare. Working with local shelters, she documented the plight of stray animals and advocated for compassion and education. Her presentations, often given to schoolchildren, use powerful yet thoughtful visuals - like an x-ray of a dog riddled with pellets - to raise awareness without causing trauma. 'Photography is a tool for empathy,' she said. 'Pictures can speak louder than words.'
Today, the photography landscape has changed dramatically. 'Smartphones and social media have democratized photography,' she noted. 'In the early days, hardly anyone took pictures. Now everyone's a photographer.' Yet for her, the essence of photography remains unchanged: Authenticity, honesty and heart. 'Be true to yourself,' she said. 'And use your camera as a voice — for yourself, and for those who can't speak.'
Claudia Al-Rashoud
Traditional door of a house scheduled for demolition.
Claudia Al-Rashoud's books