“Born and lived all my life in Karachi, by profession ‘web designer, photography is a charm ond passion for me. fin exhilarating experience going through what it tokes, copturing moments and expressions, presenting perspectives that | see. Like many things, Art and Beauty is subjective, as they say, and so | believe. The art of expressions and beauty of emotions intrigues me. | ike to present our rich culture ‘and beautiful heritage, showcasing life os we live, fed. There's a lot more to show and bring out that's beautiful and interesting in this land, I've yet to narrow down myself but I'm not restricted towards a certain subjectigenre of not that's presented or perct photography as yet.” Abdel Qadir, 0: FuSids a sot-tought [photographer who clsplayed some achingly ‘beautiful photographs ct Prologue Karachi’ “Dont Mess Wh Korochexnibton Hs camera ‘coplirod the majesty of ihe ciy’s colonial ‘rchectue, the innocence of children ring bicycles a! Soc View Beach, and my personel overt, ie rides ot Fun Land, Pink: Could you start with a brief thematic Intro of your work? Furi: Ihe theme has come fiom “Dont Mess wth Karachi ~ on ontitter campaign fun by “Dear and supported by COGK. My work presents ctterentimoges ot Korechi, showing ‘actives, happenings and the beauiy ofthe citys is. Ihave tied to convey that we shoule not ignore the good in he city white we ore busy whining ond ranting about the bad ant negative aspects Pink: What type of assignments attract you mest? FS: Prosenting imovatve ond creative ideos trough photography. creating awareness and bringing a senso of responsibly towards problems that we face each dey woud defintely Ctract me. Assignments involving coptuing street le, cutecl and spiritual activites, to e-sye would eaualy attract me. Pink: Do you have a favorite walk-oround lens? FS; Not all Thats becouse the choice ot your Jens depends on what youre shooting. Since lerjoy captutng expressions ond moments, | rother cory 0 0mm lens wth a good focal lengih. Suprsingy do not even own a comera; borow cameras fiom fiends this woy | gat ‘exposuie to several lens ond cameros. Pink: In general, during a session how many pictures do you take to find "tne ight one"? FS: Sometimes |om eoslysatsiag wih onty a ‘couple of shots or even ane of thom and at ‘mes ts cifcut to get the same eect nat yousee vith your noted eye. On occasions you have an image in mind and gradual you ‘achieve I by taking several shots Pink: Can you describe the fist photo you took Interviewed By Motz Kazmi that made you, or someone else, think that You might have a caling as « photographer? FS: was not actualy @ pholegraph, bul @ shod ‘ceo clip. A ew years ago a cousn ond were vacationing in Lahore; we were enioying on ‘ttemcon picnic in o beaut park one playing ‘cround wth a video cameo. Ne made videos ‘of each other tying to Exng an anise touch ‘wih froming ond direction and thot made me ‘think | wanted to ce more. Pink: Does your identity change when you it the camera? Do you act differently? FS: Sometimes. yes When you hoid the camera ‘he photographer in you stats to tote over, nt ‘nat tis gone wile you are not hokding the comers. I ust gots active orrother procctive In the senso, Pink: Is photography an escope or a hamess? FS: A mixof both! Im basically a web designer Though however interesing, Isa technical job Photography takes you away trom ft. okows ‘me fo present mages and moments the way | 99e ond perceive them, detiitaly © Woy to‘express mysotf with imoges, Pink: What is one lasting impression you want to leave trom your photos? 5: Cheris he beauty of things ond surouncings while keeping in mina the responsioity of ‘making an effort fo fi things where we can, Pink: Which photographers’ work has influenced you most? FS: Defrilely some great pro phologiophers ‘but more than that, my fends at the Photography Club of Karachi. Theyve greatly Inluenced me with thei work and have grown Into better photographers each day. Pink: What Is the wildest thing you have evr done fo gain better access for a shot? FS: Hung myself out of ation door to tote a shot ‘while ho'ding on to the doox wih just one hand it was dangerous but worth the effort and tsk. Pink: What was the fist photograph you remember making an impression on you? FS: Everyday see a:new photo that inspies me ‘and leaves a strong impression on me. Pink: Greate, spitua or emotional inspiration? FS: Boouty, fatty at imes. Creat iso ‘would ft my spits high, lenjoy ¢ creative ‘envionment. Pink: Do you plan to do more such thematic exhibitions? FS: Would defintely lke to do thot. cves. me the fealing of objectivty and makes ‘much more sense whan theres therne, «thought pxocess behing your work and ctor. fink: Can you share @ technic! ip wh courteader tohelp them get better esis? FS: Doro! pace your suboctin he ceed Center ot your tome, Dont be fai of cexpeimeris ond one mote hing: 90 alt 9000 protogrophs hot nepimereve con yourcompostions i The Art Itmay come as a shock to many who ‘hough! orf had died, but it hasn't is ove ‘ond well and siowy but grodually reaching out {tom those who create Ifo those who ‘oppIeciote i, ond the namesake of one of our ‘most prolific ext is ploying its par in keeping the magic of at alve. That namesake would be the Sadequain Golery houred deep insce Frere Hall Korochi, \whete a colection of photographs endeavors tordise enough funds to place trash cons ‘round! the ciy ond wah tongue feryin cheek, ‘echoing the brashness of youth that reflects the soit ofthe photogrephers who took them, of Bein fells us, “Dont Mess Win Karachi" Ina bie! t8te-0- tte win some of he featured photographs, we find Urne-Aiman Ahmed, & student at the Indus Volley School of At who ‘chose “small moments" os her theme. Her ‘colection consisted of a so offen pictures which ‘weep through the metropois, reflecting the citys perspective through the wide-eyed wonder (fa chid: the morning sun peeping from behing {hick bans of clouds; the evening sun setting ‘boshfully behind rows upon 10¥s of stetighis ‘snot of he snoring, vicious trafic hat hos. ‘become on essential element ofthe cily, and ‘cop§ off her panoromic views with a daring ‘close-up of panuciion - a stopie on the city’s stroot sides ond his myiod possessions bundled togetner on a smal surface. LUme-Aiman, inspired by Amean J. ond Topy aver remembers the fist photograph that left ‘closing imeression on hex: sot by Steve MoCasy In nde ding the monsoon the pictue is tien {tom the inside of 6 cor of a woman dressed in scale, holding 6 child, “his wiring heaviy so ‘most ofthe picture is densely blared, but the fl {focus ison the chil eyes. soys Ume-Aimion who confesses that she went to considerable Jongths to take her photographs, incising Wing down on the toad in the busy streets of Ga. Clean By Mois Kazi ‘Ahmed Shojee Ajoalis onotner young, ‘energetic photographer. He chose to show ‘he other side of the bornibed, cevestated, ‘wall chated, broken Karachi wih pictues that Intencied 1 rise the idea that he other sider ‘could be made beautitul 60. His collection consisted of arisicaly token photogiapis ‘@sploying bus oft atts best; the eccentic: ‘beauty of a choiwola's sta: ond the good ‘ond bod of wal of, wall chokings ond grt Another admirer of the works of fopu, Aeon, Sleve, and Forch Mahou, Ahmadis so intent ‘on feng © good story through his photos that he ended up in the middle of o plo of goroage, anging forthe perfect shot while fending off cuious questions trom passersby ‘who couldn't uncetstanc thot the demonds Cf at are such that one must do what one must dot Cimbing © bostetbal pole dd not dete Fe fom geting ne sorront ensocnercotecton Mahjabeen Merk itoned ine focal point of her ens onthe stuggie fr encronce ond sunt othe lowievel ncemnes woring cos. Hor set of photos fo fight fom a closed, lected ondasted cook Meniooeen tices “Ihave show oight ves which ore on pot of cur own evencioy Nes A 16