A photograph combining freestyle football, a flowering flame tree and Dubai’s summer landscape has won the top prize in the emirate’s 2026 Flame Tree Season Photography Competition.
The winning image was created by Dubai-based photographer Jaseel Peralasseri and features freestyle footballer Hadiya Hakeem suspended in mid-air beneath a blooming flame tree. Peralasseri received the competition’s first prize of AED15,000.
Dubai Culture announced the results, naming Peralasseri the winner, followed by Louna Tanik Al Janabi in second place and Anish Ashok in third. The competition was organised by Dubai Culture in collaboration with the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA).
A football moment beneath Dubai’s flame trees
The winning photograph was taken at Al Jaddaf Walk on July 5, when Peralasseri and Hakeem set out to create an image that went beyond a conventional photograph of Dubai’s seasonal flowers.
Hakeem performs a freestyle football move beneath the tree, wearing a flowing red abaya and hijab. The colour of her outfit was chosen to echo the red-orange blossoms above her, while a football appears at her feet.
The shoot took about 45 minutes, with Hakeem repeatedly jumping and performing with the ball until Peralasseri captured the frame he wanted.
Peralasseri, who is 28 and originally from Kerala, told Gulf News that he deliberately wanted to build the photograph around an idea rather than simply document a flame tree.
His concept used the tree as a symbol of growth and opportunity, connecting its seasonal bloom with the idea of people being given space to develop their talents.
Hadiya Hakeem brings another layer to the photograph
Hakeem’s involvement gave the image a connection to her own career as a freestyle football performer.
The Kerala-born athlete grew up in Qatar and began learning freestyle football after returning to India, where she found limited opportunities to play organised women’s football. She later developed her skills independently and built an online following through videos showcasing football tricks.
Her profile grew significantly after she was invited to football-related events connected to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. She now lives in the UAE and continues to train and create football content.
The winning photograph also reflects a theme that Hakeem has incorporated into her public work: demonstrating that wearing an abaya does not prevent women from participating in sport or expressing athletic ability.
A Dubai contest built around the city’s summer bloom
The photography competition formed part of Dubai’s wider Flame Tree Season celebration.
Dubai Culture and HIPA invited participants to photograph the seasonal flame trees and share their work publicly on Instagram. The competition’s total prize pool was AED30,000, divided between three winners: AED15,000 for first place, AED10,000 for second and AED5,000 for third.
The competition closed on July 31, 2026, after inviting residents and visitors to interpret the flame tree season through photography. Participants were required to use the hashtag #FlameTreeSeason and tag the participating organisations in their Instagram submissions.
The initiative has helped turn the annual flowering of Dubai’s flame trees into a subject for public photography and creative storytelling.
From a first competition to a major prize
For Peralasseri, the award also marked a personal milestone. According to Gulf News, the 28-year-old said it was his first photography competition.
He moved to the UAE about a year before the win and developed his photography and content-creation skills largely through self-learning and online resources.
The winning collaboration with Hakeem was possible partly because the two already had connections through their hometown of Kozhikode. Hakeem had also established a growing presence in Dubai through her freestyle football performances and social-media content.
The result gives the photograph significance beyond the competition itself: it captures a distinctly Dubai setting while bringing together sport, visual storytelling and the city’s seasonal landscape in a single frame.
Who won Dubai’s Flame Tree Season Photography Competition?
Photographer Jaseel Peralasseri won the first prize in the 2026 competition with a photograph featuring freestyle footballer Hadiya Hakeem beneath a blooming flame tree.
How much did the Flame Tree photography winner receive?
Peralasseri received AED15,000 for winning first place. The total competition prize pool was AED30,000.
Who is Hadiya Hakeem?
Hadiya Hakeem is a professional freestyle footballer and content creator based in the UAE. She became known for her football freestyle videos and has performed at major football-related events.
Where was the winning photograph taken?
The winning photograph was shot at Al Jaddaf Walk in Dubai on July 5, 2026.
Who organised the Flame Tree Season Photography Competition?
The competition was organised by Dubai Culture in collaboration with the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA).
Who came second and third?
Louna Tanik Al Janabi finished second, while Anish Ashok took third place.
How much was the total prize money?
The competition offered AED30,000 in total: AED15,000 for first place, AED10,000 for second and AED5,000 for third.
