Walking down the beach at the North Coast this summer, it is only natural to observe people posing for digital cameras everywhere. This year, an innovative photographer has put a twist on the standard beach photos, encouraging her subjects to let loose and go crazy; some went as far as posing in their wedding dresses on the beach.
The artist is Shahira Zaki, a young aspiring photographer who managed to turn her “obsession with photography as she calls it into a highly distinguished professional career.
“I was attracted to photography because it’s an art that you can manipulate, Zaki told Daily News Egypt. “You can do whatever you want with the photo. Someone may find it marvelous and another may find it terrible.
During her first years at the American University in Cairo, Zaki, like most other students, was pushed to try her hands on various extracurricular activities, but she didn’t find herself in any of the “preparing you for the business world clubs. She eventually found her vocation in photography.
“I would go down to alleyways and just take photos, Zaki recalled. “The idea was to take photos of the different things out there on the streets, the shabby, old ones which you can’t get anywhere else.
During those trips, Zaki developed a new set of social skills. “I had to wear a hijab [head scarf] and abaya [long loose gown]. I had to interact with them and show them that I’m very Egyptian. The people there are very narrow-minded. If I didn’t do that, they would’ve immediately felt suspicious and would’ve tried to get me out of there, she explained.
Early work
Zaki’s first step into the professional photography world came with Egyptian youth-magazine, Campus. “People around me were constantly telling me how my photos are great and outstanding. One day I found an ad in Campus magazine saying that anyone can send in their photos for publishing. I sent them a few photos of mine without expecting anything really.
Campus contacted her afterwards to offer her a job as a freelance photographer. Gradually, Zaki branched out to work simultaneously for Campus’ sister publication G-Mag and Ehna.
Meanwhile, at university, Zaki decided to take a photography course to enrich her knowledge. “Honestly speaking, I didn’t learn much. But [studying] motivated me more to enter the field.
When she finished her class, her professor took her work and exhibited it at the university’s gallery. The attention her photographs received encouraged Zaki to organize her own exhibition. Shortly, Sawy Culture Wheel hosted her first private exhibit which was met by enough positive feedback to propel her to the next level.
Finding a direction
At this point, Zaki started receiving offers to shoot actors, singers and a host of different celebrities. The interest in her work took her by surprise, driving her to seriously consider taking on photography as a career.
“When I came to think of making a living out of photography, I found out that those who manage to yield a steady income are the ones photographing celebrities and weddings, Zaki said. “The latter was out of the question for me, first, because of the working hours and second because I believe it’s degrading.
Finding herself at a crossroads with different directions of photography, Zaki felt slightly torn and ambivalent, so she packed her bags and went to London to take some classes on the different types of photography. There, she studied fashion photography, product photography and “travel, people and places – also referred to as street – photography.
“I liked all of them and I was lost a bit, Zaki said. “Then I thought of what I’m really good at, and that was taking pictures of people. This gave me two options: either fashion photography or street photography.
She left London as the offers were starting to pour in and headed back home. Upon her return, she began promoting a new concept: Pre-weddings photography. Instead of having a traditional photo session, the photo shoot is staged in an untraditional way that allows for action and certain elements of drama. The resulting work is always distinguished for its flair, originality and prevailing sense of fun.
From then on, Zaki rapidly became a household name. A number of factors gave her an edge – on top of these factors was her gender. Egyptian women are more comfortable with female photographers. In the presence of a female photographer, women become uninhibited in striking any peculiar poses of their liking. Veiled girls, on the other hand, can have their photos taken without their veil on.
Zaki defines her style simply as “natural. She can’t bear pretense photos that feel artificial. That’s why at the beginning of every shoot, she waits till her subjects get comfortable with the setting. “I don’t mind staying for hours. Usually the best shots are those taken at the end because that’s when they are the most comfortable.
For Zaki, the sky is the limit. She has countless plans for the future ranging from organizing charity auctions across the country to publishing a book about the Egyptian characters. Whatever she does next, you know for sure it’ll be far from the ordinary.
