I love to cook and when I was in high school, I dreamt of becoming a chef. But I quickly discovered the work hours of a chef were not for me. Cooking for my friends and family makes me very happy and I when I’m not in a hurry, I find being in the kitchen very meditative.

Research varies depending on the body of work I’m pursuing, but generally I’ll do online research and study literature about whatever I am wanting to explore through documentary photo or video. My method has shifted a little overtime, but generally I like to start shooting and then have the option to review and return to shoot more. I make many passes through the selection of images and have different methods of flagging and editing potential selections in a digital catalogue. If I’m working on a longer sequence, perhaps for print, I benefit from small proofs to play around with sequencing and flow.

My project Tabriz to Shiraz holds a special place in my heart. It’s a story in progress for me, as I continue to create works in Iran and maintain the friendships I made there. Being able to produce a photo book, from my time in Iran, and then return to the country and share it with the people who made it possible was incredibly rewarding.

Photography can be incredibly inclusive and collaborative. Photos are easily shared, duplicated and adjusted. The process isn’t as limited as just pressing the shutter – there is a whole workflow that varies greatly from artist to artist. I believe that while it can be a very personal intimate practice it also has the potential to engage others through editing, narrative and sequencing. Even in a world with an infinite number of images (both still and moving) I still wholeheartedly believe in the power of photography, even with just a single image.

I loved studying art in high school, particularly art theory. However, I wasn’t very good at painting or print making which where the mediums I mainly explored during those years. I was always drawn to using photography to document my teenage years, but never made it into a darkroom or thought about it in a creative way. It wasn’t until I was studying political science and history on student exchange in The Netherlands that I began to photograph my travels and explore photojournalism. I soon became an avid (self-taught) photographer and once I graduated from International Studies, I applied for the documentary photo program at RMIT and it snowballed from there.

I began weekly Arabic language classes at the start of 2020, and that’s now become a part of my weekly routine. I study with a friend, which makes it easier to maintain, although nothing about Arabic is easy. During the creative challenges of 2020-21 lockdowns, having the routine and structure of Arabic classes and homework gave me something to concentrate on while my artistic brain was struggling. Apart from that, I love reading, watching films and walking during golden hour.

To worry less about what other people (might) think of you and enjoy being young and (relatively) carefree.