Ibrahim Nabeel is a Fine art photographer and Art Director who grew up in a family whose profession was photography. His portfolio contains a very diverse palette of artworks: from architecture and abstract to Fine art and landscape, from color to black and white. Lines and shapes, lights and shadows create powerful images with strong impact through composition, personal perspective, and contrast.
Hello, Ibrahim,
First of all, I would like to thank you for taking the time to tell us about you and your work in this interview.
To begin, where are you from? Please tell us about yourself and your passions.
My name is Ibrahim Nabeel Salah from the Jordanian capital Amman.
My father, Nabeel Salah, is one of the first photographers in my country since 1968. He had a fully equipped studio and laboratory, and from here my passion arose, and I was very affected by that through film development and printing.
How did you get caught up in the magic of photography? How much has your parents' profession influenced you?
At first, I accompanied my father as a spectator only, and I peeked at him while he was doing the photography process first, then developing and printing. I found myself falling into the magic of photography.
Your portfolio includes very different works, many of them minimalist, all producing a strong impact on the viewer through contrast and astonishing combinations of lines and shapes. How do you find the inspiration for your artwork?
Over time I would ask my dad if I wanted to learn photography, but he would always tell me the time is not right now and he would always tell me to just look and watch.
This was my first lesson on learning by observation (visual feeding).
I am still practicing this so far by watching global business in various axes.
What is your artistic journey, techniques, and theme that you have experimented with so far?
In response to your question, diversify my portfolio. For several reasons, including that I was affected when I was young, I used to watch very different works, such as wedding photography, portraiture, project photography, and several different topics.
There are many discussions on developing and shaping a photographer's artistic profile. There are voices that say that you have to create your own style, recognizable and not deviate from it, and other voices that say that on the contrary, it is necessary to experiment as much as possible to evolve. Tell us, please, what is your perspective from this point of view?
The most important reason is that I do not like to adhere to a specific technical school in photography and I like diversity in work.
Please share with us what photographic equipment you use and what is the process of creation of your works.
Now I use a Canon 6d Mark ii camera, lens 24 -70 70 -200 24-105, and wide lens. As I told you earlier, I do not follow a particular school, but I like diversity in business with the presence of a special imprint for the photographer, and that successful work must communicate an idea to the viewer. When I photograph an architectural work, I take a comprehensive look, and then I segment the building and look at the lines and shapes accurately.
Sometimes I add a human element to the building and follow the rules to create a balance and highlight an idea for the work. Sometimes the work forces me not to abide by the rules, so I abstract and follow my feelings.
In fact, I love the lines and shapes and I modify the work according to my final conception of the work. I look at the picture many times until I reach a state of satisfaction and the feeling of comfort with the work and the completion of the idea.
Sometimes I sit for long hours, maybe days, but the work is not completed! After a long effort on one picture, I make many adjustments! In the end, I am not satisfied with it, so I delete the work permanently.
Moving from abstract to architecture, from Fine art to landscape, color or black and white your artworks have something in common, a certain order, clarity, and a great perspective. Starting from these common elements, what is the essence of your work? What do you want to convey to the viewer?
I participated in many international sites with the aim of visual feeding and learning, and I participated in many competitions as well. I loved abstract architectural works very much, and moody works as well, because I am very convinced that work that is not based on communicating an idea and feeling is not considered successful in my opinion.
Architecture, angles, and perspectives are part of our everyday life. What advice would you give to a beginner photographer who is passionate about architecture? Are there rules in architectural photography?
I am trying new techniques and not being bound by one style, however, the photographer must have his own imprint and feel in all his works, no matter how different they are, to make him feel unique.
Please share with us your favorite photographers you admire and how did they influence your photographic journey?
In fact, there are many names that have influenced me and I love their work, but I will show you some of the names : Andreas Gursky, Gilbert Claes, Carla Dlm, Carmine Chiriacò, Hans-Wolfgang Hawerkamp, Ahmed Thabet.
Which of your own photographs do you prefer and why? Please tell us the story behind it.
https://www.ibrahimnabeel.com/newyorkcity?s=QqWCPnTtmlsXnEcA&i=byu10i1odOzTlYpk
( Multiplicity )
This work I am very influenced by, and the idea I want to convey is a noble and universal idea.
How do you imagine the evolution of your artistic work and your figure as an artist in the future?
I imagine myself as an artist whose work has spread and made art exhibitions in various countries of the world and I aspire to learn more.