In the realm of photography, there are artists who not only capture moments but also weave narratives, emotions, and philosophies into their frames. Enter Ali Zolghadri, a visionary photographer based in the vibrant city of Dubai, whose lens has become a gateway to the realms of fine art, conceptual, and minimalist photography.
With an illustrious career marked by distinction, Ali Zolghadri has won an astounding 60 international photography competitions, a testament to his unparalleled skill and creative vision. Each award is a nod to the ability to distil emotions, concepts, and narratives into compelling visual tales. As a dedicated aficionado of black and white (BNW) minimalist and fine art photography, his work is an ode to intentional simplicity.
Copyright: Ali zolghadri
Join me as I delve into the enigmatic world of Ali Zolghadri, exploring the inspirations, techniques, and philosophies that shape his distinctive artistic vision. Through his insightful responses to my interview questions, Ali invites us to embark on a journey through the realms of fine art, conceptualism, and minimalism, where every image tells a story and every frame ignites the imagination.
So, prepare to be captivated, inspired, and immersed in the captivating world of Ali Zolghadri, where the art of photography transcends mere visuals and becomes a window into the soul of the artist.
Can you tell us briefly about your journey into photography?
At first, before starting my activity and interest in photography; I have been more interested in photography cameras. I always followed the latest equipment and photography cameras in websites and magazines because it was fun to see them. After that, I recorded my first photos in different genres using a home compact camera, and as time went by, my interest in photography grew more and more.
Winning 60 international photography competitions is an impressive feat. Could you please share some insights into your journey to winning these photography competitions and how does it make you feel?
After finding my own path and choosing my favorite genre in photography, I focused on minimal photography for a year and recorded many images during this time.
My photography in this style became more complete and the composition of my photos became stronger with the passage of time. I also made better progress and gained experience in photo editing.
One of my photographer friends who lived in Greece suggested me to participate in an international photography competition, one of the sections of this competition was monochrome photography, and he strongly encouraged me to participate in this competition.
My first participation in photography competitions was when I won a gold medal in this competition. This success motivated me to participate in more and bigger competitions in the world of photography.
What are the three most prestigious international photography competitions that you would strongly recommend our readers to participate in?
I believe that participating in photography competitions gives more motivation and improvement in photography. Photographers can compete with other famous photographers around the world by participating in international competitions, and this causes more efforts on your part to improve in photography.
The biggest and best photography competitions in this genre can be mentioned:
- Siena creative
- Urban photography awards
- WPE awards
Dubai is known for its diverse cultural influences and stunning landscapes. How has living in Dubai influenced your photography?
My works are a modern style of photography, in this style, modern and new locations are always more attractive and stunning. I received a residency in the United Arab Emirates in order to create better situations for the future. Photography has a great impact because I have entered a completely modern and different atmosphere and I have many ideas for photography in this beautiful city.
How did you discover your inclination towards fine art, conceptual, and minimalist photography OR What draws you to these particular styles of photography?
I started photography without a higher education in this field, at that time I had no information about the genres of photography and I was just taking photos out of interest and without expertise.
Around that time, among all the photos I had recorded, only one photo was randomly placed in the fine art and minimalist genre, which, one of my photographer friends, recommended to me: ‘the photo you recorded in the minimalism genre is better and more unique than other records are yours’. This explanation and guidance made me read more about this style of photography and take photos in a principled way.
After this incident, I realized that my vision and talent in photography is related to the genre of minimalism.
My keen interest in simplicity as well as combining the human mind with content and subjects is what drives me towards my photography style. Furthermore, I believe, in taking a simple photo and having a minimal look in the midst of busy everyday life. Also, the technology that we are constantly surrounded by, is an ideal art for achieving peace, saving the mind from chaos and confusion.
How do you maintain creativity in your photography while staying true to your style?
In general, ideation for me begins with careful observation of the surroundings, not other photographers or photos. My works are the result of thought processes that begin by watching a movie or hearing a story, and I need strong editing in photography to fully implement these ideas. The combination of images and the precise and fundamental editing of my records creates a successful work.
Can you walk us through your typical workflow from conceptualization to the final image, including your process of selecting the best out of many similar images you would have clicked?
For me, fine art photography and minimalism has a three-step process:
- First step: photographing the locations that attract my attention.
- The second step: seeing all the images and creating ideas
- The third step: editing and merging the images to create the concept and the final composition of the photos.
I never limit myself in the work process because the motto of fine art photography is not to be limited by time and place.
Minimalism often involves stripping away distractions to focus on essential elements. How do you decide what to include and what to leave out in your minimalist compositions?
Minimalism is known for simplicity and avoiding clutter. In minimalism photography, I convey the subject and concept to the audience in the simplest possible way. Removing extra elements in this style is very important, and the remaining parts of the image are the parts that are in line with the main subject of the photo. These elements are important and necessary for stability and communicating with the viewer.
Three pieces of advice that you would like to give to aspiring photographers, from your learnings and experiences in photography?
My advice to photographers:
- The first and most important part of starting photography is choosing the right genre of photography, and I recommend that you spend more time on this part.
- Seeing strong photography works and recording a lot of photos to improve the visual and also to improve photography skills.
- Don’t pursue photography just out of interest and be purposeful, seek more progress every day and participate in photography competitions and events to become a prominent photographer.
Creative Genes 