A group of women photographers from Saudi Arabia give the world a glimpse of their culture in a book and exhibition of their work. Contributors to Through the Eyes of Saudi Arabian Women point to growing acceptance of their work but say challenges remain.

“In the past, taking photos in public was prohibited," says photographer Aram Khaled Kabbani. "The challenge was not only that I was doing something unusual but that I was a female, which made it a little more complex."

“My photographs often reflect the places I have been and the memories I want to preserve," says photographer Deema Merdad.

“I believe that with our level of talent and ambition, Saudi women are showing the world a very new and distinctive side of our culture," says photographer Ghadeer Faisal Attalah.

“Art has always been a bridge between different cultures," says photographer Hind Mansour Talal. "Regardless of backgrounds or beliefs, people around the world can appreciate the same photo.”

“Saudi females are usually the ones captured in photographs rather than doing the capturing, and they are usually captured in a single, stereotypical fashion," says Madawi Balghunaim. "Being on the other side of the lens, I can help change that."

“With the development of world communications and the invention of new media, Saudi Arabian society has become more open to the outside world and more willing to interact with different Western and Eastern cultures," says photographer Naila Faisal Abid.

“My advice to other upcoming photographers is to follow your feelings, not the rules," says photographer Nouran Mohammed Ismail. "Create your own rules.”

“I have always admired Ansel Adams’s black-and-white landscape photography," says photographer Rania Razek. "I still dream of going to Yosemite National Park to capture my own images of Allah’s extraordinary creation.”

“I advise Saudi females who are interested in photography to go ahead and be creative with the subjects and techniques they like the most, because we have the opportunity to present a rich culture with style," says photographer Ranya Hani Jamjoom.