Suhaib Salem

Suhaib Salem

Based
Gaza, Palestinian Territories
Born
Gaza, Palestinian Territories
Status
Photographer
“I respect good photographers and I try to learn from the very best.”

Beat

I cover breaking news, wars, general and political stories, and sport.

One Shot

. KHAN YOUNIS, Israel. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem
Palestinian protesters run after an Israeli tank fired a stun grenade during clashes near the demolished Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim in the southern Gaza Strip.
“This photo is one of my favourite pictures because I was among dozens of photographers, it happened very fast and I was the only one to catch the image in just one frame.”

Profile

My earliest memory of photography? In 1997 I took pictures of the clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis.

I got my first assignment when one of our sources told us that some fighting was taking place, and we drove our car to the scene. I was a bit tense because it was my first job out of the office and the situation was dangerous. It was not easy to take photos because so much action was going on, but at the end of the day I got out of there with two good pictures.

The assignment that left the biggest mark on me was covering the so-called “Arab Spring”. The events happened so quickly, and it was the biggest story in decades.

Big stories, whether they are political events or world sport stories, excite me, especially when they are of great importance to Reuters and to the world.

Patience is one of the most important lessons that you can learn. Covering part of the war in Iran, I learnt how to depend on myself, how to work under pressure and how to be creative in what I do.

I respect good photographers and I try to learn from the very best.

To me, taking pictures has become a lifestyle, not just a job.

Behind the Scenes

. Libya
Suhaib Salem files photographs from east Libya during the revolution.