What makes a good picture stand out from the average?

A good picture needs to convey something new (an idea about the author, a story…) Other factors like composition and lighting complement it.

What do you want to say with your photographs?

My objective is to highlight the changes Beirut and Lebanon are going through. It’s a long term project that underlines the evolution of Beirut/lebanon through its demography, architecture, urban life… To achieve this, I need to be on the streets almost every day in order to create a coherent sequence of photographs.

Do you get to work with ad agencies on specific assignments?

I worked with NOW Lebanon, Raseef22, and others. I used to recommend the subjects I would work on, most of which were considered “cultural”. One of the many memorable photo-essays I worked on was “Le Souffleur”. This private museum was an amazing discovery. I met its owner, Ibrahim Najem, as he invited me for a coffee in Ain el Mraysseh area. “I have a treasure up there” he said. Le Souffleur is the name of a French warship that sank on the shores of Beirut during WWII. Ibrahim once dived and discovered it bringing back, as a memory, its nameplate, which he placed on top of his museum’s main entrance...

Do you see yourself as a photographer many years down the road?

Yes I do. I still need to do a solo exhibit and publish a book if possible. Another aspect I need to work on is marketing.

What advice do you have for photographers just starting out?

Practice is all I recommend. No need to have an amazing camera or lens to start with. A cell phone’s camera can do the job. Another thing to do is to check the work of known photographers like Magnum Photos’...