National Museum of Qatar & National Flag

This image of the Qatar flag was taken in an outside area of the National Museum of Qatar. The museum is on Museum Park Street across from the Corniche in Doha and is located just a few minute's walk away from a subway station (via the Metro Gold Line). There's also an ample amount of parking available to guests, or you can get there by taxi or a Karwa, Uber or Careem. To get this perspective, walk into the entrance of the museum and then head straight toward the exterior courtyard. Reference the GPS coordinates and you'll see exactly where I stood for this shot.

You're more likely to get a clear shot without any tourists in the off-season (December and January), but you can realistically get a similar photo during any month of the year.

Morning, midday and late afternoon will give you the right amount of light for this scene. However, for less crowds, try to arrive early in the morning.

Qatar Museums allows visitors to photograph and film yourself, friends and family on hand-held cameras and mobile telephones during your visit. Similarly, in most parts of the museum they allow you to use that same technology to create photographs, films and scans of the objects on display.

Photographs and/or video footage made in the Museum may not be used for commercial purposes except after explicit written consent from the Museum, in which case the appropriate tariff will apply.

Visitors may not take any photographs or record any video footage if this involves the use of lamps, flash equipment and/or tripod without prior written consent from the Museum.

For photoshoots, send an email to inqmarketing@qm.org.qa with a copy of your ID, list of equipment and justification of the shoot.

Since the wind is a key component of the composition, be patient and wait until there's enough wind to capture the flag in motion.

I recommend using the Rule of Thirds here so your photo is well-balanced. In my image, the bottom third focuses on the architecture, the middle third on the pole, and the top third on the flag itself.

Position yourself so you're at a slight angle, emphasizing the height of the flag pole and exaggerating its size.

The National Museum of Qatar spans a whopping 430,500 square feet. Home to archaeological and heritage objects, manuscripts, photographs, jewelry and costumes. Visitors learn about Qatar’s ancestors and the country’s rich history.

Pro tip: Before visiting, sign up online to be a Culture Pass member to get benefits. The Basic Membership is free and offers discounts at both the gift store and restaurants.