XPOSURE SHOWS RARE SIDES
Visitors get to see stunning impressions
SHARJAH: If you thought photography is only about nature, fashion and cameras, Sharjah’s International Photography Festival, Xposure 2017, can make you think again. Going beyond traditional deinitions, the festival is addressing new and unconventional sides of this art for aspiring and professional photographers.
Featuring 25 seminars, lectures and live-stage events, Xposure celebrates the incredible power and inluence of images in transcending linguistic barriers and geographical boundaries.
From travel to food and from underwater to street, various lesser known forms and techniques of photography are being highlighted at the event through an array of workshops and activities, being conducted by acclaimed photographers from across the world.
The amateur and skilled photographers gained deeper insights into reining their creative skills at the Festival with live sessions, panel discussions, outdoor visits and more.
A session titled ‘Culinary Stories’ conducted by Jai Arumugam, a Dubaibased professional food photographer attracted the interest of visitors at Xposure. The presenter shared insights and tips about creating beautiful images of food.
Another important activity was a practical class of underwater photography conducted by Zena Holloway, the London-based underwater photographer. A huge water tank acted as a performing ground for aspiring photographers who learnt the intricacies involved in underwater photography and captured on-the-spot moments. EMERGING TALENT
The festival also hosted one-on-one professional portfolio review which offered emerging and professional photographers in the region an opportunity to receive face-to-face advice on their work from expert assessors including National Geographic magazine’s First Senior Editor for Natural History Kathy Moran, Director of Photography at Yahoo News Kelli Reed Grant, and two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning political photojournalist Muhammed Muheisen. The session revealed that the region is a source of interesting new talent.
“Events like Xposure are critical because they work at multiple levels. Xposure has provided a platform for me to be able to look for new talent and then it gives the photographer greater opportunity to break into publishing worlds that they may not otherwise be able to access,” said Moran.
“You may have some very talented photographers working right here in the emirates, but unless they have an opportunity to reach out to someone, say, in Washington D.C, they may never have their work published in the big publications,” added Moran.
Commenting on the quality of works she came across during her reviews, Kathy said, “I have rarely seen portfolios from students that have been as strong as the ive or six that I have reviewed today. In each portfolio I saw a beautiful eye and a maturely developed style. All they need to do now is learn how to tell stories.” HOLLYWOOD ICONS
Surrounded by lifelike images of animal poaching and the horrors of global refugee crisis, celebrity photographer Lorenzo Agius’ exhibition at the Xposure 2017 allows one a few moments of quiet with some of Hollywood’s biggest heartthrobs.
Lorenzo’s stunning portraiture technique is showcased at the festival through Jack Nicholson, Madonna, Samuel L Jackson, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Toby Mcguire, Kate Blanchett and many others who represent Hollywood’s inest.
In every image, Agius tunes into the creativity of his subjects and successfully relects the mood of a moment and the person in that moment. His works feature at the London’s National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection. PHOTOGRAPHY LESSONS
“Know your worth, value your work and be proud of it,” said celebrated photographer Andrea Belluso as he addressed professional and amateur photographers at a workshop on Fashion Photography.
Encouraging the participants to think out of the box and develop a style of their own, Belluso said, “Never work for other people. You must understand that there is no competition because every artist. Every photographer is unique in his/her own ways. Do not believe in any competition. If you work for yourself, the money follows.”
Belluso shared practical tips on camera lighting and explained how it can make a difference to the inal outcome. Participants were assisted by the ace photographer as they created their own portraits during the workshop. He also gave tips on effective use of zoom function, distance and contrast adjustment.
The workshop was held in four parts aimed at giving photographers a good understanding of working with lights, from a single light set-up to a multilight setup, and the use of different light shaping tools.