Building an image

Leading fashion photographer Amer Mohamad says his architecture training is invaluable in his work

Angles, shapes, lines, light and colour — the parallels between photography and architecture are plain to see. Whether it’s a pencil or a camera being used, the ultimate goal of both an architect and a photographer is to construct a killer image.

For Amer Mohamad, one of the Middle East’s leading fashion photographers, his architectural training has been hugely beneficial to his work. “I think studying architecture helped me to build my vision of the kind of photographer I wanted to be – it opened my eyes,” he explains. “I didn’t study photography, but I feel architecture has helped me to improve my work.”

The in-demand photographer studied architecture at Ivanovo State Polytechnic University, 300kms north-east of Moscow, from 2013 to 2018 before completing his master’s degree in architecture between 2018 and 2020. Born and raised in Syria, Mohamad moved from Russia to the UAE in March 2022 and is currently shooting editorial features for a range of high-end magazines as well as advertorial work for luxury fashion and jewellery brands such as Dior, Chanel, Guerlain, Cartier and Piaget.

Mohamad’s background in architecture, he believes, helps him in his preparation for how a shoot is going to look. “When I arrive on location for a fashion shoot, I instantly survey the scene and start figuring out how to work with it,” he says. “I understand the shapes, angles and aspects of the space, I see the environment, the position of the sun, and I start to imagine how it’s going to look in the finished photographs,” says Mohamad, 29. “Once that groundwork is done in my head, I can let my imagination run wild.”

As well as helping him to assess his surroundings, Mohamad’s background in buildings is a valuable tool in understanding how to position the model draped in extraordinary pieces of haute couture or luxury jewellery. “I try to move the model so the angles of her body echo the space of the building because I think that enhances the background,” says Mohamad. “In turn, I believe synchronising the model with the space instantly elevates the product, whether it’s clothing, jewellery or watches.”

When it comes to a photography philosophy, Mohamad feels most inspired when he’s stretching his creative boundaries and exploring areas that test both his technical skill and imagination. If you’re looking for a motto to describe his style, it might be summed up as ‘bold is best’. “Minimal photography is something I admire but it’s not really a style that excites me,” admits Mohamad. “I prefer a photograph that is bold and expressive, that’s what gets me excited and that’s what drives my passion as a creative artist.”

Mohamad has a burning desire to hone his craft and do great work. “For me, it’s never enough,” he says. “I always want to do more, and be bigger. I’ve wanted to do this since I was a kid and looking around me now, I feel I’m not there yet, I’m still on the way.”

• KT Network