Rami Dibo, a Dubai-based photographer tracing his heritage to Lebanon and Chile. From his early days, Rami was drawn to both art and tech. Despite studying engineering, his heart found its beat in photography. Since 2015, he’s embarked on global adventures, seizing the beauty of exotic destinations through his lens. His talent for blending artistry with technology has caught the eye of CNN Arabia, Dubai Media office, Al Jadeed, and numerous major social media accounts.
Meanwhile, his captivating work has ignited a fervent following on Instagram @PixtaRami and within the vibrant NFT artist circles. But there’s more to him than meets the eye, he’s earned the moniker “moon man” for his obsession with blending the beauty of the moon with Dubai’s cityscape and other elements, seeking unique moments that mesmerize audiences.
The most powerful elements in my life are my dreams—the places and achievements I aspire to conquer. At first glance, they seem distant from reality and nearly impossible, but inevitably, that one day arrives, and I find myself living those dreams through my lens.
I was born and raised in Lebanon and relocated to the UAE in 2008. For the past 16 years, I have called Dubai home, navigating my engineering career while embracing photography as my primary escape, igniting my passion for travel and discovery. Blessed with an artistic inclination from childhood, I seamlessly merged it with the technical precision of the camera, allowing me to craft and chronicle my narrative.
This story centers around a particular place that captivated my imagination—an island nestled among the farthest inhabited regions of the world, situated diametrically opposite to my residence. After two days and thirty hours of flights, I found myself amidst an 11-hour time zone difference, at the heart of the Pacific Ocean, on an island lying 2000 km from the nearest shores of Chile.
Easter Island, known to the locals as Rapa Nui, boasts an incredible history and rich culture. Inhabitants of Polynesian descent graced its shores around a millennium ago, immortalizing their ancestors in stone statues known as Moai. Carved from the volcanic cliffs of Rano Raraku to the north, each Moai represents a distinct ancestor, varying in features and size, with the largest weighing up to 86 tons and standing nearly 10 meters tall. Transported and erected at various points across the island, most of them adjacent to the tombs of those they represent, the method of their transportation remains shrouded in mystery. Despite a significant loss of history following the island’s civil strife, scant inscriptions and oral tradition endure to narrate their tale.
Dreaming of a place is one thing; experiencing it firsthand and capturing its essence is quite another. Meticulous planning becomes imperative, as every moment presents unique opportunities and memories to immortalize through photography. Ensuring not to miss a single sunrise or sunset during my four-day sojourn, I remained ceaselessly engaged in translating the beauty before me into evocative imagery that would resonate with fellow dreamers.
Most of the island functions as a national park and forms part of UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Major sites operate on designated schedules and necessitate the accompaniment of a guide. Strict regulations prohibit approaching or touching the ancestral Moai, demarcated by clear stone lines delineating their perimeter. While this imposed certain limitations, it did not deter me from seizing the moment and capturing its essence.
As night descended, enveloping the island in velvety darkness, the sky above twinkled with a brilliance I had never witnessed before. Determined to capture the celestial spectacle alongside the Moai, I faced restrictions on accessing most sites after dark. However, an exception existed in “Ähu Tanariki,” where entry was permitted one hour before sunrise. Disappointed by cloud cover on my initial attempt, I persisted, returning for my final sunrise despite an unfavorable weather forecast. My perseverance was rewarded with a fleeting yet enchanting glimpse of a star-studded sky, illuminated by a heavenly pink sunrise.
My adventures shall endure as long as my dreams dare to soar. To me, the true essence of life unveils itself with every stride taken in pursuit of those dreams.
For this trip I used my GFX100S 102 megapixels camera for best dynamic range and resolution combined with 2 lenses: GF20-35mm F4 that allowed me the flexibility of variable zoom while on the move, it was perfect for my landscape shots while providing some impressively sharp images. I used the GF45mm f2.8 for a bit more reach and mainly for low light situations and night shots.
