You’ve probably seen him at a wedding or engagement party dancing, laughing and mingling with the older and younger crowds. When you ask who he is, the answer is always: “This is the wedding photographer.
Fadi Gwanny is taking wedding photography in Egypt to another level.
Born and raised in the United Arab Emirates to an Egyptian father and Lebanese mother, Gwanny’s passion began with his first photography class at the American University in Dubai. He decided to go for a double major in photography and graphic design. Majoring in photography alone was, as he puts it, “out of the question as it is culturally unacceptable.
After graduating, Gwanny worked as an art director in an advertising agency. Four months later, he quit. “I couldn’t take it – sitting behind a computer for 11 hours everyday, he explains.
He eventually followed his heart and pursued a career in photography. He started working for a Dubai-based publishing house, Motivate Publishing, before moving to freelance work. “I got into PR [public relations] photography and Dubai is all about events.
In April 2006, Gwanny came back to Egypt with no major aspirations in mind. He envisioned a quiet, introspective lifestyle for himself. “I was planning on having four to five [photo shoots] per month and the rest of the time backpack through Egypt, play the oud and do those dreamy artists’ stuff, he explained.
What he found in Egypt was a completely different market than Dubai. “Photography is totally misinterpreted here . people don’t understand the value of a photographer.
Although he landed high-profile gigs such as the Ricky Martin concert, the number of events he was hired for was quite small because most organizers were not willing to pay for a photographer of his caliber.
Wedding photography 101
Through friends, Gwanny ventured into wedding photography; a new territory he regarded as a “very open field. Gwanny was convinced that while the rate of events may be low, people are always getting married.
Early on, he saw wedding photography in Egypt as “formal, flat.safe, largely restricted to certain templates: The bride and groom portrait, the formal group shots and cutting the cake.
“I was never convinced of those; they never made sense to me. In a place where emotions were out of the normal – there are those who are jumping up and down and those who are crying, there are strong feelings everywhere and nobody is looking at them, Gwanny said.
He also noted that the dullness of wedding photography in Egyptian to a great extent lies in the social gap between the photographer on one hand and the bride, groom and their guests on the other.
“I didn’t know what the package held until I stepped into it. I first dealt with weddings as a PR event but then I thought why wouldn’t I have a good time? Why wouldn’t I share it with them? said Gwanny. At weddings, he chooses to dress smart casual and stays away from the suit and tie so that he’s free to move around in the party.
He started adding new ideas to wedding photography, such as the rehearsals photos where he spends a day with the couple, their close friends and family and photographs them as they prepare for the big night. This also allowed him to get more acquainted with the wedding party “so that by the time we are at the wedding, [our relationship is] really good.
“It started out with me being the supplier then it shifted to me becoming the friend, there is a lot of psychology involved, Gwanny said.
During rehearsals, he would often find himself putting aside his camera and fixing a cup of coffee for the groom or getting the bride a glass of water. Other times, when the pair shows signs of anxiety, he tries to calm them down and restore their confidence.
“The understanding of a photographer started taking a different form, change started happening as people started dealing with the character, not the technical object shooting a picture, he said. This wasn’t restricted to the bride and groom; wedding guests have also warmed to Gwanny seeing him as a friend.
“Wedding photos then showed people having a great time, throwing their hands up in the air . There is excitement . it has become more fun, he said.
Addicted to weddings
At the beginning of his photography career in Egypt, Gwanny accepted any job that came his way. But as of 2008, he decided to take on weddings only and reject all commercial offers.
“I became addicted to weddings . I wanted to be at a place where there is joy, he said.
Gwanny explained that even the best commercial work is on display for two or three months at most, and then it’s put on the shelf, never to be seen again. Wedding photos, on the other hand, last a lifetime.
He is now the founder of Gwannian Photography, which currently boasts a team of 15. “The whole thing works with team work; it’s not a one-man-show. I would have made zero accomplishments without my team; they’re the key to everything we’ve accomplished, he said.
Gwanny asserts that all photographers at Gwannian Photography are at the same level of education, equipment and sociability. They are all well-trained, abide closely by established codes of etiquette and use the same photography techniques. The only difference is the creative approach each photographer employs.
“I alone can take 20 weddings per month. With the others we can take up to 40 weddings per month so we are able to reach out to 40 families and make that impact and leave our fingerprints on their lives, he said.
As he became completely consumed with weddings, Gwanny recently made a business decision which is “scary and wasn’t intentional, so that he could “buy time to pursue other photography-related projects.
Gwanny raised his fees drastically. For the rest of the company though, the old system applies, where the price is determined according to the number of guests in order to cater to everyone.
Having some time on his hands, Gwanny plans to tap different doors. For example, he wants to give classes on “how to use the camera and highlight the artistry of photography.
Social stigma
Despite his reputation and popularity, Gwanny was forced to endure the many misconceptions regarding his profession in Egypt.
“I went from people in Dubai dealing with me as Mr Photographer and highly respected to here ‘You’re a photographer, go get me a glass of water,’ he recalls.
“In October 2008, when I thought that I had established a decent level of respect, I begged the waiter for water and he wouldn’t get me. The cultural shift is still very slow. What I have suffered two years ago is still there, said Gwanny, who now demands a served high table for his team at any wedding.
“People also thought that anyone can take a shot so ‘let’s just get someone cheap,’ he added.
“Photography is not a crappy job; it’s different, it’s tough and it’s challenging, Gwanny said. “I’ve noticed something; that anything that has to do with art in Egypt is suppressed since childhood; people have learned that a talent has to be kept as a hobby.
On his Facebook page, Gwanny writes: “Photography is music … an orchestra of divine elements in perfect harmony, it’s poetry … when all the lines come together to define love, joy or torment, I see photography a painting with every stroke adding strength and beauty, photography can define emptiness or define a person’s life in a moment.
