Photographer helps laid-off expats bid goodbye to Dubai

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A freelance photographer in Dubai is providing free photo shoots to laid-off expats forced to leave the skyscraper-studded Persian Gulf city because of the pandemic.

When Paula Hainey’s own income dried up this year, she decided to offer keepsakes to families hurt by the virus’ economic fallout. After posting on Facebook, she was overwhelmed by hundreds of responses, as expats sought to capture their final moments on a beach ringed with landmarks.

Most of her subjects are pilots or others in the devastated aviation industry, a key pillar of Dubai’s economy. She says it’s her way of helping out as the city reels from the pandemic.