It is rare to get an opportunity to interview a colleague. But since I met Fahad Ayyad our very own photographer, I had the urge to learn how this aspiring freelancer managed to carve a name for himself from the art of capturing light.

Mazen Al-Angary: Lets start at the very beginning, how did you become a professional photographer?

Fahad Ayyad: It first started as a hobby that became a profession, since my childhood, I was surrounded by art since my elder brothers were painters.

Mazen: They became an influence then?

Fahad: I always wanted to express art the same way they did, but since I was lousy at painting, so I discovered that capturing light is the way I can express my inner artistic views on the picture not the canvas.

Mazen: Which camera did you use at the very beginning?

Fahad: Back then I used the Kodak easyshare, which is a simple digital point-and-shoot.

Mazen: Oh so you were lucky to start with the digital age.

Fahad: Well yes, but I used it because it didn’t cost me more then 600 Riyals. (Laughs)

Mazen: What made you move to SLR (Single-Lens Reflex) cameras?

Fahad: Well I wanted to have more control over the settings, so the next logical step was to upgrade to an SLR.

Mazen: Did you join any photography courses to learn how to use a camera, or even how to shoot photos?

Fahad: Not really, it was all based on trial and error, until I got it right. But I used to read a lot about photography online.

Mazen: Isn’t that amazing, I mean the way people can now acquire such information just by surfing the web. Okay I don’t want to get carried away along this rat-hole, cause I can talk about that for hours, lets get back to photography.

Fahad: Well the thing is I tried to find good books here to learn from them, unfortunately I couldn’t find anything useful.

Mazen: That’s disappointing.

Fahad: I kept on depending on trial and error till I started to notice that I am getting better at shooting photos over time, and people started to point that to me as well.

Mazen: At this point you are still considered as an amateur hobbyist photographer, how did you get your feet wet as a professional photographer.

Fahad: A friend who became a client asked me to take some commercial shot for him, I did that for free, after a couple of assignments, he asked me to start charging money for my work since there is a demand for it, I then started my first steps in professionalism.

Mazen: I know it takes time to buildup confidence in ones work to ask people to pay for it.

Fahad: I remember in the beginning I used to charge the minimum for my work, but over time I started to notice that clients are willing to pay more for quality, and they started to accept that, knowing that it was worth it. After that I started to invest in that profession by buying high-end cameras, lenses, among other studio gear.

Mazen: How do you get new clients?

Fahad: Till now it is a matter of referrals and word of mouth, I am still working on my website to showcase my work, but till now this is the only way I promote my business and get new clients.

Mazen: Is it hard to promote your business? Especially when you’re a freelancer?

Fahad: It is so hard to do that, you need a lot of financial support in the beginning, plus people don’t take you seriously. Although some do, because they tend to see the beauty and art in the work and they are willing to pay and support that. But till date the majority aren’t like that.

Mazen: Hum, would you elaborate a little bit on that point?

Fahad: Most people prefer to go to photo-studios around town to hire a photographer, now no one can claim that those photographers don’t follow all the basic guide lines in taking photographs and sticking to the standards, but most of them won’t bother themselves to take the extra mile to shoot a professionally artistic shot, think of it as something made for mass production, you would get what anyone gets, nothing more and nothing less.

Mazen: I noticed you said “most”. But isn’t taking a professionally artistic shot, like taking any shot or photo?

Fahad: Not really, lets say you traveled to a destination, and shot a tourist attraction or landmark, then bought a cheap postcard from the same site while getting a soft-drink, once you look at your photo, you will notice how bad it looks in comparison with the postcard. And the reason is because a professional photographer spent days in that location to take the perfect shot, while a traveler is rushing to get on the tour bus to be transported to the next attraction, without spilling that drink.

Mazen: I like that analogy, but some tourist do get good shots, I know that would be the result of either good luck or having good artistic taste.

Fahad: Exactly and that’s why there are professional photographers, who have taste, and an eye for details. A commercial shot should be appealing, and that’s why it requires emphasis on a product or a model.

Mazen: How did you join What’s Up?

Fahad: Well I saw an ad on the web stating that What’s Up is looking for a photographer, so I applied and got the job.

Mazen: Did you learn anything new when joining a publication that calls for a lot of shooting and in most cases on a daily bases for their advertising clients?

Fahad: Well I did learn a lot by seeing the high demand on quality photography in What’s Up, I learned a lot about technical issues I have to watch out for, and I learned how to take informative pictures, to illustrate and highlight products.

Mazen: How can people contact you, or find out more about your work?

Fahad: Well they can either contact me through What’s Up Jeddah, or visit my website www.FahadAyyad.co.nr