Belinda focuses on Bahrain

CELEBRATED fashion and    commercial photographer     Belinda Barrocks is returning to Bahrain for a short visit next  month forever grateful to the country that helped a frightened little African war child grow up in peace, love and harmony.

She believes the magic of the kingdom inspired her to launch her successful career behind the lens in Canada which culminated in her recently being nominated for a national award for entrepreneurialism.

Belinda, now a 28-year-old mother-of-two, said: “One thing I never ever forget to mention to people I meet is that my inspiration began on the island of Bahrain.

“When you’re exposed to the beauty of such a land and its people nothing else but beauty can come out of whatever you do.

“I came to Bahrain in 1987 with my father to reunite with my mother who was already working there.

“We had not seen her in three years and had come out of the Ugandan Civil War. It was the most beautiful reunion I can ever imagine, so we built our lives in Bahrain and lived so freely. Bahrain has always been home to me and I’ve missed it dearly.”

Belinda left the island in 1993 at the age of 13 with her family when they moved to Canada.

“Going to another part of the world is always exciting and you never know what you will find out,” she explained, “but as quickly as I settled in Canada I began to miss Bahrain – the smell of Bahrain, the sounds on the streets, the Souq, the heat and the people.

“It’s when I realised that there was really no place like Bahrain and, of course, a lot of people here were uneducated about the beautiful ‘Pearl of the Gulf’ and I quickly had to inform them!

“I particularly missed the school I went to – Sacred Heart School, I missed Manama – I missed visiting the parks there and the beach at Zallaq.

“Well, this excitement bubbled in me and encouraged me to explore the people of all countries and to capture their expressions.

“I decided to devote my attention to photography combining my passion for art and need to create. I entered the world of fashion photography with the intention not to change people with my photography but, instead, to enhance who they are and expose how much more potential there is inside of them.

“My aim has been to capture the expression of life.”

Her Kamshuka studio is renowned for its glamour, fashion and wedding photography and its portraits of children. Last year Belinda was nominated to be Canada’s ‘Top Mom Entrepreneur’. She is married to Sheldon, a broker for one of the largest logistics companies in Canada, and has two children, Matthias, five, and Hope, three.

Belina will be coming to Bahrain on February 10 until the end of March and hopes to meet up with old friends. You can see more of her work by visiting https://web.mac.com/tristanbarrocks/Site/ Welcome.html and on the Facebook group Kamshuka.