Khalifa is a Qatari photographer who studied marine biology at the University of Qatar and earned an MBA at HEC Paris. Underwater photography was one of his earliest formative experiences with the medium.

Khalifa has concentrated on Qatari tradition and culture through the themes of desert and sea, seeking to convey through his photography the importance of the traditional wooden boats, called Dhows, as reflections of Qatari history and bearers of the spirits of Qatari culture and the soul of the pearl divers.

In addition to his own practice, Khalifa has worked at a number of science and art museums, including the Aquarium at the Qatar National Museum. He has been involved in a project to construct a museum of photography and build a collection of works, and served as an assistant director at the Islamic Art Museum project through the Qatari National Council for Culture, Art and Heritage.

He is currently creating a new department under Qatar Museums to celebrate young artists in the region and support their voices and thoughts in the photography and art field in the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region.