I was born in Tehran, Iran. I moved out of Iran to live and attend school in the west when I was 13. I lived in Bern, Switzerland, then Hamburg, Germany. I left Germany for United States in 1987, and lived in the suburb New York of Westchester County. I met my wife in New York and in 1993 we moved to Austin, Texas.
My main career is in information technology (IT) and that all started with a Mac, when back in 1994 I started doing graphic design and web design work for a couple of large commercial real estate firms and the Austin American Statesman. I then worked in Network, Software support, and eventually settled into Database Management at medium to large international firms and organizations, including Applied Materials, Bank of America, and Department of Veterans Affairs.
Photography has been my main hobby, passion and interest since I was 12 years old and shooting with my fathers Canon AE-1 and then my own point and shoot Canon, back in Iran. Today, I have access to a small studio in downtown Austin. I also try to get as much outdoor photography as possible, because I always prefer to use natural lighting. My photography clients come to me thru word of mouth and networking. I have become pretty experienced with Digital Darkroom techniques, but there is so much more to learn… I look at a lot of photographs because people’s good work always inspires me.
I am a Nikon dude... All the way. When I shoot film, I shoot with my old beast, the Nikon F5, and when I shoot digital, I shoot with my D300. I use a variety of lenses, filters, and tools including the Sigma 10-20MM, Nikon 18-200MM, Tamron 90MM, Sigma 50-500, and Nikon 50MM. As far as lighting, I try my best to utilize natural lighting, otherwise I use Nikon flashes and at my studio, I often use Tungsten lighting. My favorite subjects and focus areas are portraiture, and cultures. My production style is generally higher than average saturation, trying to use unusual angles to get different perspectives of subjects, silhouettes, and trying to always produce unique lighting.
Outside of IT and photography, I keep busy with my wife and two boys. We like to travel, cook, watching movies and being with our family and friends.
Ali
Favorite Aspect of Photography
The Art of photography, the Technique, the communication you get to have with your subjects, no matter what the subject is. The instant gratification of capturing a subject at a specific time and place.
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