Exclusive interview with David Abdallah A photographer with a passion.
LPM: Where did you study?
David: I studied Law at the Lebanese University
LPM: Introduce yourself? How long have you been in photography? Starting point? And what is fun and rewarding about Photography?
David: Ive been in this field for more than 15 years; it is a challenging, wide and fast growing domain. It first started as a hobby, I discovered later that its the only thing I want to do in life. The fun part is the creative part where you have to come up with something new each time, what is rewarding is the appreciation of the clients and people around me and my self satisfaction about the accomplishment, this is also challenging as it motivates me to give better results in the future.
LPM: How would you describe your photography style?
David: It is a different style that I have developed through my 15 years of experience, I am able now to master the direction and creativity of lights..and Thats what photography is all about .. Nevertheless Im more interested in how others describe my style.
LPM: What advice do you have for new Photographers?
David:To improve their talent by being updated about all the new equipments in this field and mostly the lighting techniques, extensive researches about all kind of arts, to accept the criticize and work hard to improve their talent and skills.
LPM: Did you train at another photographer?
David: No
LPM: How do you prepare for a photo shoot?
David: I discuss with the client what he has in mind, we try to define and shimmer the idea until we come up with a fine concept. Sometimes we work with a creative Art director. Once the concept is approved, my team will arrange for the production, casting, finding the convenient location (if its an outdoor photo shoot) and all the necessary arrangements within the deadline agreed with the client.
LPM: Do you shoot what you feel is best for your clients or do you allow some to clearly define what they want?
David: The client explains me what is the main idea he has in mind and I help him shimmering this idea into a concept and than into imagery.
LPM: How do you decide on locations & subjects?
David: Usually I sit and discuss these issues with the client, the Art director if any and my creative team
LPM: How do you work out your composition?
David: I get inspired from the subject/product of the photo session taking into consideration the main message which the client wants to promote through my photos.
LPM: What distinguishes a good model from a bad one?
David: She either can pose in front of the camera or not, she has to be active, self-confident and have a good eye contact.
LPM: What make the Lebanese photographers different from the west?
David: Their style due to their different culture
LPM: Do You Have A Favorite Lens...If So What Is It?
David: Noctilux 50 mm 0.95
LPM: What is your Lighting Equipment and Techniques?
David: Broncolor
LPM: In general, during a session, how many pictures would you say you take to find "the right one"?
David: It depends, sometimes the perfect one is within the first shots. Here the model, the art director if any also the set and lighting team have to be very well prepared. This will help getting the perfect shot at an early stage
LPM: Who are your famous clients?
David: BRANDS: to name a few : DIOR-GUERLAIN- ESTEE LAUDER- THIERRY MUGLER- HELENA RUBENSTEIN- FURLA- VIVIENNE WESTWOOD-CARTIER- LOUIS VUITTON- YSL-
Celebrities: Najwa Karam, Haifa Wehbe, Nancy Ajram, Sherine Abdel Wahab, Rashed al majid, Mjida El Roumi, to name a few
LPM: What is your latest work (last 4)?
David: Fady Kataya (Beauty Shoot, Advertorial)-VIVIENNE WESTWOOD (Ad campaign, the overall ad campaign was assigned to my company) Dior (Fashion and Beauty shoot, Editorial), Helena Rubenstein and Cartier (Beauty and Jewelry shoot, Editorial)
LPM: What do you say for people who love your work?
David: Thank you for your support. The best is yet to come
LPM: What do you say to Lebanese Photography Magazine?
David: It was pleasures having this interview.I wish you all the success
Studio David Abdallah
Tel / Fax : +961 4 416 445
Mobile : +961 3 167 000
www.davidabdallah.com
NEWS:
Lebanese Photographer Database.
LPM is starting a database for Lebanese photographers to register in it.
Once Completed it will be posted online.
Click here to register.
Lomography - Lomography - What is Lomography
It was in the early 1990s when two students in Vienna, Austria, discovered a small enigmatic Russian camera, the Lomo Kompakt Automat, and started a new style of artistic experimental photography of unorthodox snapshots. In the blink of an eye the Lomographic message spread around the planet and people from North to South were screaming for Lomo LC-As. So they hopped on a plane, flew to St. Petersburg and negotiated a contract for the worldwide distribution of this fantastic little camera. Then everything happened quickly for Lomography.
Click hereto read the full article.
If you are not using Flickr yet, then you are really missing out.
Not only is it a great way to store and share your photos, but its also an excellent place to get feedback
and learn from other photographers.
Flickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community created by Ludicorp
and later acquired by Yahoo!.
In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs,
the service is widely used by bloggers to host images that they embed in blogs and social media.
As of October 2009, it claims to host more than 4 billion images.
Also it is another form of backup for your photos
How to get started
1.) Signup for a free account at www.flickr.com
2.) Upload your favorite photos (make sureto use tags, and descriptions!)
3.) Search for groups that target your interested subject (i.e. portraits, street, nature, cityscapes, food, landscapes,).
4.) Search for interesting photos and add them as a contact.
Some lebanese flickr accounts.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toniyammine/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/larazankoul
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leb2ashta/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clementtannouri/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/projectrsp
http://www.flickr.com/groups/lebanese_photographers/
http://www.flickr.com/groups_members.gne?id=27418998_N00
http://www.flickr.com/groups/nightcollective
Click hereto read and share the article
Photographic technique: Light painting, how to design with the light.
The photo that you see in the Night Collective Group is not a Photoshoped or made by any other software, it is a true picture made with the technique of light painting, that can be achieved by any digital camera that allows to use the manual features with long exposures, a tripod and a torch.
Put the camera on a tripod,
Make totally dark the Room, or outdoor late at night away from light
Adjust the opening time of the camera shutter ( depends on how long you need to draw)
Press the Shutter release button and at this point writing your name or use LED objects to create special effects.
Guide Created by Lebanese Photography Magazine
Click here to read and share the full article
Events, Rumours & Competitions:
Events:
Photography Workshops:
Lebanese photography club - By toni Yammine
Photography workshop for beginners
October 2 at 3:00pm - October 23 at 6:00pm Cost 240$
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149720008391059
This Workshop will be divided to four sessions, each of 3 hours, during saturdays
http://www.shuttr.info/
to register REGISTER NOW: http://www.toniyammine.com/register
VAPA Association
Open your eyes an advanced photography workshop _ Roof 68
September 22 at 6:00am - October 27 at 9:00am
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=121093294608086
Photography Workshop held at Roof 68 cost 200$
for more ingo 03-922 425 or 03-466 764
http://www.roof68.com/photo.html
Also at Vapa Association - Roof 68
September 15 at 6:30pm - October 7 at 8:30pm
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111790178870432&index=1
Rumors:
Competitions
2010 Lebanese Photography MAG Cover Competition
WANT TO BE ON THIS NEXT COVER?
We are pleased to start the search for out next cover girl.
if you like to apply go to our Competition\Blog page and submit your profile
Email us to info_lebanesephotographymagazine.net
4 pictures, with info about you ( sizes and contact info) and we will contact you for more info.
UN Day Photo Competition - Lebanon
A snapshot for development
September 1 at 11:30am - October 15 at 12:00pm
The contest opens on Sept 1, 2010 and closes on Oct 15, 2010 midnight.
No entries received after that date shall be considered.
http://www.un.org.lb/photocompetition/
Lebanese Photography MAG Party Picture Competition
From July 1st to July 19th, LPM ran a Party Picture Competition and the winner would win
4 VIP tickets to party in style and photograph models? 4 tickets was won, to be part of the
35 International top models at MODELS NIGHT -at Senses Kaslik, The Winner Was "Christian Chemaly"
Last Month Photography Exibitions
"Mshkal", Photo Exhibition by Elena Kukoleva in Beirut
August 31 · 4:30am - 7:30am
_ Zico House, 174 Spears Street, Sanayeh
Elena Kukoleva is a photographer from Moscow. After several years of work experience in the PR field,
she decided to give up office jobs and applied for Moscow Modern Art School. 2 years ago she started her
career as a free-lance photographer, traveling around and capturing identities of faces, places and Life Motion.
"Mshkal: مشكال" is Elena's first exhibition in Beirut after some individual and collective
exhibitions of her work in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The set of portraits was taken during her last 3 months
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102884839771248
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"The Shameless", a photography exhibition by Rasha Kahil
July 29 _ Zico House,174 Spears Street, Sanayeh
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102407616478979&ref=mf
Shameless is loosing sight of the boundaries that we have set ourselves.
Shameless is letting go, for a moment, for a day, for another, for our own selves.
It is dropping the act and giving ourselves up to unimagined experiences, heartbreaking encounters,
to the sways of the life that we unwillingly embark on. Whether the moment leads to failure or success,
with shamelessness comes redemption, and a situation worthy of being witnessed and captured.
www.rashakahil.com
rashakahilblog.blogspot.com
The theme is a about the mannequin's points of view in lebanon,
I tried to reflect the lebanese condition through the mannequin's faces...
The project started with choosing the faces and their expression and right after shooting them on the first layer on a slide film, I insert the film again for a double exposure.
The other layers as you see, are the subject matter of the picture, and some photos had three layers in them.
I tried to mash it up by choosing some abstract shapes to the expression.
Please note that these photos are not photoshoped, they are taken straight from a slide film developed in cross-process.
A little about me,
Marc Abiad, born in october 1988, started experimenting with photography by the age of 12, won an illustration award at Unesco Palace in 2005.
Majored in cinema and photography, I took part in two photography exhibitions and currently preparing for one.
A work experience of directing 150 documentaries during
the last two years while continuing my education. for now.
Best Regards
Marc
About Us:
2010 is a marvelous year.
Photography market has risen by many folds.
Photographers are more and more organized and available.
Workshops have also been rising in the numbers.
We are an online community dedicated to highlight the Lebanese photographers and their work and bring the news about the photography events and the happening.
Graphics: Feer- Mcqueen s.a.r.l
A Product By BCCM
Email: info_lebanesephotographymagazine.com
