The
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The
GrowlersWorld Interviews are an ongoing quest, bringing you closer to
successful and creative people in all walks of life.
Rawle
Austin presents...
A
conversation with Hassan Noshib - Showing You the World through his Eyes
Hassan
Noshib has an incredible photographic eye and his pictures will
amaze you. I
spoke with him to get the full low down on his talent and more.
Rawle
Austin: Why do you like photography?
Hassan
Noshib: I love capturing moments that should not be forgotten
or natural scenes that are simply awe inspiring.
I
love travelling to unusual and remarkable places most of which are
etched firmly on my memory - However my memory is not the best!
So
photographs serve me as a valuable reminder of the people I have
met around the world and the stunning scenery I have visited. |
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I
also just like trying to compose a lovely picture! There is a knack to
it, when I find it, I’ll let you know!
RA:
How did you first get into taking photos for pleasure?
HN:
I guess this would be about 12 years ago before digital cameras came out.
I went to my home land Mauritius for almost 3 months.
My
Dad lent me his automatic camera - which I had used only a few times
before.
There
were more dials and switches on his camera than there are on a NASA
Space shuttle!
It
goes without saying I was a little apprehensive to use it due to
it's complexity and also because I was worried I might break it.
I
loved taking pictures of the many incredible places Mauritius has
to offer. |
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On
my return from Mauritius I bought a cheap and basic automatic film camera
to help me start learning and I've progressed slowly to my current more
advanced camera over the years.
RA:
How do you like to compose your shots?
HN:
Tough question and one that I've never actually thought of until now.
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guess my first thought is to find an angle that perhaps hasn't been
used before.
Even
if I think it doesn’t work I will still try it - I've had
some surprisingly pleasing results before (and some horrendous ones!).
Try
to imagine when you last took a photo of architecture or a natural
landscape whilst on holiday. |
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Most
tourists will take a picture from an obvious viewpoint.
I
usually take my time to look for somewhere to shoot from that will allow
a photo to shed new light on the subject. Doesn’t always work mind
you!
Secondly,
I generally keep the photo simple: One focal point with interesting/unusual
surroundings that could become a talking point.
Thirdly
I try to use the rule of thirds (framing a picture off-centre and
on one of the lines on an imaginary grid).
If
I’m photographing landscapes I always try and find a shot
which includes a great foreground, midground and background.
Again,
it’s not always easy!
RA: What do you enjoy most about taking photos?
HN:
I really enjoy landscape and nature photography - this bodes well
with my passion for travelling. |
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I
enjoy trying to recreate the view or the feeling of an area.
I
like the challenge of being able to capture a nice shot in difficult places/conditions.
I’m
due to go to Poland and Iceland within the next 12 months – two
vastly different countries.
Iceland
seems the more photogenic, beautiful country with it’s glaciers,
waterfalls etc whilst Poland has an incredibly emotional history.
Who
knows if the photos I take will reflect this?
I’m
not too keen on photographing people, but if I am, I enjoy capturing
the moment rather than staging line-up type pictures.
Capturing
the mood and atmosphere spontaneously is really challenging because
the photographer has to try and become invisible.
When
it happens, its great.
When
it doesn't the moment is probably lost forever as it’s difficult
to recreate. |
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RA:
What would you most like to capture on your camera and why?
HN:
As I love trekking in the mountains, I would love to take photos of Namche
Bazaar in Nepal. This is the climbing/trekking Mecca for those visiting
Everest and the Annapurna Circuit.
There
are various mountain tops in the area that could be reached without technical
climbing.
I'm
still dreaming of doing this and taking a picture from a summit of around
4-5000 meters on a clear day.
Or
if I felt a bit more adventurous, from the top of Mera Peak - the
highest trekking summit in Nepal (almost 6500metres!).
On
visiting Kilimanjaro a few years ago, a friend of mine took a photo
of Mount Meru which I think was over 100 miles away.
At
the time we were at about 4000 metres above sea level. Mount Meru,
like Mt Kilimanjaro is another free standing mountain.
The
view was incredible: A sea of cloud at about 2,000 metres, then
clear sky until around 6,000 metres.
In
between both cloud lines, standing isolated in the distance and
bursting out of the clouds below was the domed peak of Mt Meru.
A
phenomenal view and one that was captured beautifully by my friend.
I’d
love to have the chance to capture a great mountain top photograph
like that. |
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RA:
Who's your favourite photographer and why?
HN:
I don’t really have one, but for the sake of answering and having
been presented the opportunity to ‘big-up’ someone, I'm going
to say Yann Arthus-Bertrand.
I
went to an exhibition of his entitles ‘Earth from above’ a
few years ago and was truly astonished by the beauty of his photographs.
It
was a real eye opener.
I
thought I knew how beautiful the world was, but after seeing his
photos, well, to borrow a line from a famous Spanish waiter…
I know nothing!
Seriously,
check out his website
(simply google his name to find it).
There
are photos on there that will make you go “Wow!” or
“That’s not real” or they’ll simply leave
you speechless.
The
theme of nature and the environment runs strongly throughout this
portfolio. |
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The
text that accompanies each photo gives the viewer the necessary background
to understand the story behind the environment and the issues the locals
are presented with.
A
stunning piece of work Mr Arthus-Bertrand et al. The proverbial pat on
the back is heading your way.
RA:
Who inspires you creatively and why?
HN:
No-one. Yet.
RA:
What has been you most memorable experience whilst taking a photo
and why?
HN:
About 3 years ago I visited Barcelona Zoo with a really basic camera.
The
reason I went there was to see Floquette de Neu (Snowflake) the
Albino Gorilla.
He
was the only Albino gorilla known to man and unfortunately he was
very old and very ill.
The
chances of seeing Snowflake were slim to none as his condition meant
he rarely came out of his partitioned enclosure into the sunlight. |
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I
overheard a group of unhappy tourists saying they'd been waiting for over
an hour and he had not come out.
I’d
travelled quite far to see him and was prepared to wait as long as it
took – even if he didn’t come out.
As
soon as I got there, Snowflake entered his outdoor arena.
I
managed to take about 30 shots of him in various poses and with
various facial expressions (mainly grumpy!).
His
grandchildren (non albino) were also in a few shots behaving like
hyperactive kids which was fantastic to see.
The
photos weren’t great but the moment was so special.
The
story doesn’t end there.
On
returning to the UK, Snowflake made the news less than a week
after I had taken his photographs. He sadly died.
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In
a childish way, I maintain that snowflake came out of his indoor enclosure
to let me take his photos before he left this world. A once in a lifetime
moment.
RA: What's your camera of choice?
HN:
I currently have a Fuji S9500. It's a great camera which I got a very
good deal on. It has lots of manual capabilities with the added bonus
of functioning as a fully automatic camera.
It
has a great zoom lens and is wider than most non Digital SLR cameras
which means it will have a wider field of view.
This
will be beneficial for my landscape and nature photography.
I
recently upgraded from a Fuji s5500 which was a similar camera but
had less manual features.
My
idea is to keep learning from different cameras until I feel capable
enough to take the step up to Digital SLR.
However,
I am more than pleased with my current camera and I can see myself
sticking to it for several years. |
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It
has one major bonus over DSLRs: The lens is permanently fixed to the camera.
The advantage here is that the sensor within the camera will never be
exposed to elements such as dust, dirt, sand etc.
With
DSLRs there is always a risk in the sensor picking up a minute particle
such as dust which can cause major problems.
But,
if anyone out there feels the need to buy me a Nikon Dx2s with a 14mm
wide angle and an 800mm telephoto lens, that would be marvellous!
RA:
And finally, what advice would you give to a budding photographer
starting out?
HN: First of all I’m not the best person
to ask for photography advice!
What
I would say though is you should be enjoying it if you are going
to make it a hobby (or more).
Be
enthusiastic and enjoy what you are doing. |
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If
you don’t, it will become a chore and results won’t be as
good. That tip isn’t just for photography by the way.
Believe
in yourself. People’s preferences and their opinions can vary so
much that it is difficult to understand what makes a good photo.
So,
believe in yourself.
If
you think the photo is perfect, then it is perfect.
If
you want really useful feedback to help improve your photos, be prepared
tell people the background behind your photo and take on board criticism.
It’s
all very well someone telling you your photo is nice, but that’s
not going to help you take a nicer photo.
Experiment
with different settings and viewpoints and if you want your photos
to stand out look beyond the obvious.
Do
you want your holiday snaps to look the same as your friends or
do you want yours to look unique and unusual?
Push
the camera to its limits to see what it can and can't do.
Try
taking pictures of the same scene on different settings.
Don’t
be afraid to take your time.
This
can be difficult at first depending on who you are with, especially
if you are on holiday. Patience really is crucial. |
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As
is timing. If you like landscape and nature photography, the early bird
captures the worm (and there are less people around to get in the way
of your shot).
Buy
plenty of memory. I bought a memory card big enough so that I don't have
to spend time (and precious battery power) viewing and deleting pictures
whilst in the field.
Instead,
I upload all pictures on to my computer and view them all there. This
gives you more time to actually take pictures rather than viewing and
deleting them to free up space.
When
I’ve loaded my pictures onto a PC I compare similar pictures
to see which settings worked best (by right clicking on the photo
and going to properties you can view the settings of that particular
shot).
Viewing
photos on digital cameras LCD screen consumes battery power like
it goes out of fashion.
So,
by viewing them on PC you are saving yourself time and battery power.
Finally,
I would suggest that you try and find your own style.
By
all means take a picture under someone else’s advice, but
also take at least one of your own.
You
can always compare them later to see which one you think works best. |
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It's
good to be in awe of other people photos, but don't try and copy them.
I
gain more pleasure from seeing an average photo that hasn't been tried
before rather than a great photo that has been produced a by million different
photographers.
But
then again, this is my own personal preference. Remember what I said about
other peoples opinions/preferences earlier...?
Enthusiasm.
Patience. Originality.
All
pictures copyright © Hassan Noshib
To
find out more you can contact Hassan at hassan.noshib@hotmail.co.uk
Sarah
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