Interview with Naseer Behbehani

It was not something I choose on purpose. It just happened. All kinds draw and paint, but once they grow up most of them stop drawing, I was of those who chose not. One thing led to another and I became a photographer. And naw, whenever I see a good photograph it motivates me to become a better photographer. So what really motivates me is a good executed photograph.

I choose it myself.

I photograph people. Editorial, commercial and family portraits. And once I tried travel photography in Venice. Which was a rich experience for me as a photographer and a person. It made me look at people in a different way. So I want to take more photos about people and their lives.

Other than Learning, practicing and accept criticism, one must evolve as human being to evolve as a designer. Shallow designers will only produce shallow designs.

I think booth good and great designers can produce equally good looking designs. Yet what really distinguish between them is the thought behind the design. Great designer can produce more meaningful designs.

Good design starts with a meaningful idea, and ends with a good understanding of design rules. Combine these two together and you will have a really good design.

Good designs grabs attention. And attention is what you need to spread idea. That is why it is important for education, business, communication between different cultures .. etc. Every idea can benefit from a good design.

I would choose a village, not yet corrupted by civilization. Take portraits of their elders and print the photos for them.

My dream project is to take portrait of people around the world, mostly villagers. Collect their stories and put them in a book.

Design from your heart. Even if you are designing for a client, find that connection between your heart and the design and let that connection lead you.

Annie Leibovitz, Richard Avedon and Platon

My favorite is Annie Leibovitz style for the painterly quality she delivers in her photographs and how romantic they are.

I think my greatest photograph is “Mother Earth”. Because of the emotion it delivers.

Think a lot and question every thing. The more questions you ask, the more deep your thoughts will bee. And that will reflect on your designs.

Writer I think.

Design is a physical form of thought and emotions.

My mother. She bought me my first computer, and that really helped me evolve.

I Photograph for myself not for someone else. Design for yourself, love what you do and that will show in your work.

Can't say there were any obstacles.

I like to print my photographs in large sizes, which I should do more often. I think physical presentation of the design is important. While the digital era is helping designers to reach large number of audience, a physical presentation in exhibitions is how a design should be presented.

I was working on a project highlighting the past of my country Kuwait, specifically “pearl fishing” practice. It was postponed for the lockdown. Hopefully I will continue working on it once things back to normal.

I want to be known for my work of art, and to leave some things to be remembered off when I'm long gone.

People expect from designers to be honest and to produce genuine art work. And that is what I’m trying to give to my audience.

A good design grabs attention, and that is what you need to spread ideas. The more good ideas spread in society the better it will be.

A travel photography I did in Venice, Italy. It is the first and only travel photography I do. I wondered in the city trying to absorb every emotion I can get out of it. The processes and the results ware so satisfying to me.

It depends on the elements I need for the photograph. Some could take months of searching to find them and some are around the corner. Once I find all the elements, the photoshoot and retouching take no more than two or three days.

First thing I do, is to put myself in the mood of photography. To get in that mood, I look at other photographers work that I admire. It gives me that extra push I need to work harder.

Be a good person as much as you can

I think people set trends and designs. And both trends and designs influence each other. They have a parallel relationship.

Technology is everything in my workflow. I am a digital artist after all.

Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Photoshop
Canon 5d ii
Profoto lights
Wacom tablet

I try to use color theories in my photographs as much as possible. And I like to embrace texture in my work.

I want to grab my camera and take some good photographs of my own. I’m super motivated.

I think it is interesting. But it is importer to find the right partner that suits your style and equally passionate about the project.

I can’t be specific in that matter. Every conversation I hear or be part of, influence my thoughts which influence my photography.

I look at masters work and try to learn from them. And by learning I don’t mean the technical stuff only, I watch their interviews and try to learn their way of thinking, the thought behind their work. The idea is what makes the art works. The technical stuff is just a tool.

Prophet Muhammad. Who would have the deepest thoughts than the man who meet God?

Orange, Europe, Fish, Winter, Electronics (Speakers to be specific), Bose.

It was in Austria when I was a beginner photographer. I was walking between the fields in the country side, I saw a family of farmers, man and wife with their kids riding their tractor. I wasn't speaking their language and they didn't speak English, So I gestured with my camera, trying to ask if I can enter the field to take some photo. Back then I wasn't interesting in photographing people, I considered myself as landscape photographer. Anyway, they nodded OK and I moved on searching for a good spot to take some photos.

A good photoshoot Makes a good day. It is like having a new baby added to the family. Looking at other photographers work always motivates me. It never failed me.

I was drawing well from a young age. So all my family new I was going to be an artist.

I think people will learn to coexist with nature and use technology that is not harmful to it.

I am a free lancer photographer. As a portraiture, my focus is set on human, emotions and memories. Which I aim to deliver to my clients.

Design as a form of art is a language of emotions. A good design is one that moves your emotions.

I like to take two kind of photography, Editorial and concept photography. Editorial photographs let me get in touch with the subject and take photos that speaks the truth, in a way, about the person. As for the concept photography, turning an idea into an object that others can see and feel fascinates me.

“Mother Earth” is the most favorite photograph I take. It shows planet earth as a sick woman as a result of pollution.

It was a yearbook for a high school. I remember that the agency took most of the paycheck to buy equipments and gave me the rest. It was my first lesson.

Photography.

When I’m happy, calm and relaxed. And mostly when I’m not trying to be creative. In other words, when I’m not trying to lead my thoughts, just let them flow.

Researching is the most important part of my work flow. It helps a lot in the thoughts flowing part.

During the designing process I’m like a robot actually, I’m just focused. I don’t know if that is a good or a bad thing, that is just the way it is. Emotions take place at early stage of my photography process.

Pride. It is like having new baby. I download it on my phone and keep watching it all day.

If it does its purpose, looks good and touches the user emotionally.

The purpose. Does the design serve it? If it does not serve the reason of its existence it is definitely a bad design.

Design is a form of speech. Designer responsibility is to choose what to say and how to say it.

It was in Venice, Italy on Sep 2019. My next exhibition was supposed to be in Dubai this April. unfortunately it was canceled due to Corona virus Status. So it will be held in Kuwait instead, but no dates are set yet.

From everything around me. A movie, Tv interview or anything I hear or see. Then I relax or take a shower it just clicks and new idea is born.

It is moody, Painterly and tend to be emotional sometimes. I like this style because it is calm and romantic. And I’m trying to have a combination between Avedon, Platon and Annie Leibovitz styles. And Rembrandt is my choice of light.

I live in Kuwait. Actually I was more moved by the western culture through the TV shows and movies rather than Arabian culture. That was the only form of art I was exposed to and effected by. As for the pros of living in Kuwait, I think it gave me a financial advantage since it is a rich country. But the down side is that there are not much talented craftsman if a designer need outsourcing.

Contract contract contract. Can’t say it enough. I learned many lessons for not signing a contract with the clients. Although having a contract doesn’t mean you can’t be flexible.

Don’t search for the name, search for the style . A common mistake clients do is selecting a designer, wither because of the name or price or even they like his/her work. And ending up by asking the designer to copy other designers style. It just won't work.

It starts with a concept. I think of the concept for some time before I decide to start working on it. Once I decide to work and my feeling is strong about it, I start the researching, using google and Pinterest, I collect photos that shows the style I want to convey. Then I do sketches to show the color scheme, the pose of the model and the final photograph I want to produce. Now I’m ready to start shooting. Then I edit the photos in Lightroom before I do the final touches in Photoshop.

1- Camera (Of corse)
2- 50 mm Lens
3- Profoto flash with softbox
4- Adobe Lightroom
5- Adobe Photoshop

That is all I need!

I wake up at 5.45 am, drop the kids to school on my way to work. In the car I usually listen to talkshows or youtubers, I pick those who exchange thoughts as a source of inspiration. I finish work at 2.30 pm. I eat and take a nap at home then I check thing off my list, home or photography related. At night I have a family diner and go to sleep. That is how usually I spend my day.

Train your eyes by looking at good designs, keep learning and practice. You can have a lot of information from lectures, but practicing is what really boosts the learning curve.

Being a designer force you to ask big questions in order to make a meaningful design, and that reflects on the designer’s way of thinking in general. It helps you live meaningful life.
The negative side is that designers are exposed to rejection all the time. When designers show their works to the public, acceptance is not guaranteed.

Observation. You have two ears, two eyes and one mouth, so you can look and listen more than you talk. Designers gets inspiration by observing their surroundings.

Canon 5d ii.
Lenses: 50mm/1.4, 16-35mm/2.8, 85mm/1.2,
Profoto flashes
Mac Pro
Wacom tablet
Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Photoshop

I manage my time week by week. At the beginning of every week I set the tasks

A after I finish the research and decide how the final photograph would be, the production doesn’t take much time. 6 to 7 hours shooting and retouching.

What camera do you use?

Editorial portrait photography. People tend to open up when photographed in a strange way, that they don't in other ways. It is like taking a journey into different world every time I photograph some one.

I want to have my first solo exhibition.

Usually I work alone.

Via E-Mail: naseer1981@gmail.com