CURIOSITY PORTRAITS
Curiosity Portraits is a personal project that captures the essence of strangers I meet on the streets.
Each portrait goes beyond the surface, inviting a deeper look into the lives and stories of everyday people.
Through these encounters, I’ve discovered the incredible diversity and shared humanity that connects us all.
Every face holds a story, and I’m here to listen, learn, and share that story through my lens.
FEDERICO FRANGI
I met Federico while he set up flashlights to illuminate his portable art gallery.
Federico, originally from Argentina, explained his path into photography and how he fell in love with Nepal and its people. And how he documented his journey with his Rollei 35 and Rollei Flex film cameras, and how he prints his work on Papyrus, giving them a natural, organic feeling. One of his prints is proudly on display in my studio. We also discussed how he supports the young girl in the portraits via his “in her eyes photography project” on Facebook.
His work inspired me to pick up a film camera once again.
AYHAM CHAMSEDDIN
My wife and I were walking back from the Miniature Book Museum in Baku, Azerbaijan, when we saw this older lady in her fur coat overseeing a video shoot. We recognised her from one of the photos in the museum as the founder. We spent some time talking, and then I made this portrait of her before we said farewell.
ZARIFA SALAHOVA
I met Ayham in a coffee shop along with Rollan while haveing coffee on a visit from the US, Ayham works as a Physician who specialises in endocrinology.
ROLLAN YASSIN
I met Rollan and Ayham in a coffee shop.
Rollan is from Syria and has lived in the UAE for 20 years. She works as a skincare specialist and positive beauty trainer for determined people, and her passion for her work really shows when talking to her.
MICHEAL
I met Micheal at IWM Duxford, where he works as a volunteer, after I asked him about a strange-looking leading edge on a BAC strike master. “I knew you were going to ask that,” was his first reply.
After we started speaking about the Sea Vixen (the Aeroplane behind him), it turned out that he was a retired pilot who flew the Sea Vixen himself from the decks of aircraft carriers. He spoke lovingly about her and, despite her looks, is a very agile fighter aircraft and how the poor WSO was cramped in their station. His favourite part of flying her was the “multi-role” capability of the plane, and his least favourite: Night time carrier landings…
MELANIE
A post-yoga smile on a cold crisp morning at Kite Beach, our dear friend Mel, from the UK, has been living in the UAE for 10 years, working as a DHT pastoral at a British school in Al Ain.
