Born 1960, Karachi; lives and works in Karachi

Young and the Fearless
2004
Gelatin silver print
H. 16 x W. 16 in. (40.6 x 40.6 cm)
Collection of the artist
Image courtesy of the artist

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Chalk Footsteps in Mithadar
1998
Gelatin silver print
H. 20 x W. 16 in. (50.8 x 40.6 cm)
Collection of the artist
Image courtesy of the artist

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I am basically a street photographer, documenting people, events, places, and any kind of topical project that I assign myself to do on a regular basis. Most of my work is done in Karachi, since I am based in this city. However, from 2003 onwards, I have traveled throughout Pakistan with my camera. Mostly people inspire me. In a way, my work is also a documentation of the times we live in. There is this restlessness in my work, as if I am collecting things for a certain task or cause.

My medium is film. I shoot mostly black-and-white simply because it allows me to focus on the graphics and the subject matter of an image without much distraction, and it inherently requires a certain discipline that keeps me on my toes.

We live in and within boundaries of our fate. We are thrown into certain situations which are beyond our control. I document what I see, but I also give a small part of myself to the image. The street teaches you the closeness that you need to have when documenting the look on a person’s face. A graphic moment of texture and composition that only exists for a split second is the ultimate gift a photographer can be given.