So Nour ,when did u decide I am ready to do this in a professional way, and how did you make your move into the professional life? Assisted someone? Knew a photographer or just read some business books and stepped into it?
After I graduated from the Architectural department in Cairo University, I was fascinated by patterns and the beauty of the geometries in the Arabian Woodworks, so I decided to work on a book about it, I worked for sometime with a workshop, photography was my tool for showing what I understood from the craftsmen, then the owners of the workshop asked me to give a photography course in their cultural center, it was a surprise at the beginning, although I knew much about technicalities, but I had to read more about history and more info about other formats and systems, Also about different themes (Travel, Portrait, Fashion, etc)
Also I was working on a research project as an architect, Also photography was used as a research method about different cultures, when they saw my photography they asked me to be the main photographer for this major project that worked on different countries.
I never worked as an assistant, so it was pretty tough to take responsibility at the beginning, but I always work as a freelance, so I still can choose what to do and what to reject. (When I reject work, I always recommend someone to do it; I have a lot of friends in Photography)
So as you see, it was always a shift from Architecture to Photography, not Amateur to Pro.
After I graduated from the Architectural department in Cairo University, I was fascinated by patterns and the beauty of the geometries in the Arabian Woodworks, so I decided to work on a book about it, I worked for sometime with a workshop, photography was my tool for showing what I understood from the craftsmen, then the owners of the workshop asked me to give a photography course in their cultural center, it was a surprise at the beginning, although I knew much about technicalities, but I had to read more about history and more info about other formats and systems, Also about different themes (Travel, Portrait, Fashion, etc)
Also I was working on a research project as an architect, Also photography was used as a research method about different cultures, when they saw my photography they asked me to be the main photographer for this major project that worked on different countries.
I never worked as an assistant, so it was pretty tough to take responsibility at the beginning, but I always work as a freelance, so I still can choose what to do and what to reject. (When I reject work, I always recommend someone to do it; I have a lot of friends in Photography)
So as you see, it was always a shift from Architecture to Photography, not Amateur to Pro.
How has it been different ever since, I mean how different is it shooting as a pro, rather than just for fun, two things I could think of just now are working within a time range, and always having to deliver good results, also what do u do when u run out of creativity?, do u just do it by the book and take a "safe" image?, or how do u summon creativity back?
I still shoot for fun, and I will always do.
The difference is big, when you shoot for fun, you are the one who chooses the subject, the place, and the timing, you have no constrains, it is easy to be creative when there are no constrains, the only difficulty is to find your way, your identity, your finger-print that makes you stand out from the crowd.
But working as a pro (with agency or magazine) usually you don’t choose the subject, place determined not by you, and you can hardly negotiate the timing.
That’s why constrains are running after you, and that’s why creativity is critical, but here I mean to be creative “technically” to solve some lighting problems, background problems, weather problems….etc
Delivering “good results”?!! when you shoot for fun, you know what good results mean, but when you work as a pro, you should first understand from the client what he wants, I am not suggesting that you “shift delete” your personality, but a better understanding for the clients needs might save you some crises.
I will give you an example, I worked on an assignment before while I was shooting a unique Arabian young horse, the horse was still so young to reach his best form, but he was really promising, anyway, I asked the client (horse owner) how would he like to show his horse, he began to give me some valuable info that I never knew before, beside the ears and tail, he wanted to show some muscles and some steps, timing was crucial, it was like I learned a new language, a new definition for beautiful Arabian horses, of course his info made me also decide about the angles and the shadows.
I still shoot for fun, and I will always do.
The difference is big, when you shoot for fun, you are the one who chooses the subject, the place, and the timing, you have no constrains, it is easy to be creative when there are no constrains, the only difficulty is to find your way, your identity, your finger-print that makes you stand out from the crowd.
But working as a pro (with agency or magazine) usually you don’t choose the subject, place determined not by you, and you can hardly negotiate the timing.
That’s why constrains are running after you, and that’s why creativity is critical, but here I mean to be creative “technically” to solve some lighting problems, background problems, weather problems….etc
Delivering “good results”?!! when you shoot for fun, you know what good results mean, but when you work as a pro, you should first understand from the client what he wants, I am not suggesting that you “shift delete” your personality, but a better understanding for the clients needs might save you some crises.
I will give you an example, I worked on an assignment before while I was shooting a unique Arabian young horse, the horse was still so young to reach his best form, but he was really promising, anyway, I asked the client (horse owner) how would he like to show his horse, he began to give me some valuable info that I never knew before, beside the ears and tail, he wanted to show some muscles and some steps, timing was crucial, it was like I learned a new language, a new definition for beautiful Arabian horses, of course his info made me also decide about the angles and the shadows.
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