My serious photography started in the Fall of 1995, when I took an elective class in photography at Portland Community College, Oregon, USA. It was just the intrigue and curiosity of  what was going on inside this dark box, what is the film and how it works, and figuring out how the aperture and shutter work together in such an accurate way to create this beautiful phenomenon of 'photographs'. Not to mention that I, like most of us, was holding a camera when just a child, taking casual snapshots.

In 1988 till 1993 I started taking photography as a hobby to save memories, like photographing the family and friends with a funny act, that just ended up looking artistic with beauty and passion. I recall when I was 15 years old,  climbing to the top of our Mosque’s minaret and photographing our old neighborhood, with an all-round panoramic view. I also remember how my father would look at my pictures, criticize them and explain how I should fix my perspectives when I take pictures. I always appreciated his method of teaching me, especially as he had himself been a photo enthusiast way back in the 60’s, working in the dark room and learning to produce prints from 35mm photos.

It transpired that my turn came next to learn the art of photography and to experience first hand the beautiful feeling of creating imagery with my own hands. Over the years, I improved my skills in photogrpahy through practice and study.

In 2003 I recall being amazed by seeing a photo taken by Tillman Crane, coincidentally at a time when I was just beginning to gain interest in Platinum.

I looked close at his plate titled 'Brooms', analysing and noticing something different about this particular kind of process that is not present in other photographic mediums. The great effect of tones in the picture made the objects look as if they were separated from each other, much like a drawing, where the painter is not rolled by a limited dynamic range of the scene. A painter would never forget the importance of shadow details, trying to hide what is seen with both eyes in reality.