‘Photography is my second life’

is my second life. I inherited the love of photographing from my father, and honed my skills as my passion for travel and exploration took me to new places,” user experience designer Muhammad Omair told Pakistan Today. Omair photographs for pleasure and relaxing his mind. He is a young, friendly, passionate photographer who has many achievements to his credit. Describing his ideal headshot subject, he said that he prefers the elderly. “Looking at them as subjects, I find that shadow on their faces looks mesmerising; whereas observing them as humans, capturing the hardships of their lives imprinted on their faces and the expressions in their eyes is an extraordinary experience,” he explained.
Omair has always loved photography and capturing the world the way he sees it. “I started photographing in 2004 with a point-and-shoot camera and learnt the basic techniques. I bought my first digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera in 2008 and studied photography further,” he said. Alongside his design work, he started freelance photography and worked on many projects for promoting Pakistan’s beauty and tourism, as well as on documentary shoots. He also participated in a large number of national and international exhibitions. “I am constantly inspired by good work and I keep trying out different genres of photography, but I always want to capture photographs that are self-explanatory and technically and aesthetically perfect,” Omair said.
He is not only a photographer, but a graphic designer as well. “Both fields are very interesting. I started photography as a hobby, but it appeals more to me now because I do it for my own satisfaction,” he said, adding that he also takes interest in videography by DSLRs. Offering advice for aspiring photographers, Omair said that photography has become very easy these days thanks to digital equipment. “However, the trick is to capture an image using the right equipment with the right technique at the right time, which is the difference between a true photographer and all the rest,” he said. “Always come up with your own signature style and storyboard. Take inspiration from the work others have done before you and try to improve your own work, but do not copy,” he added.