Q1. Hey Umna, Welcome to Islo Times! Please briefly introduce yourself.Answer: Hi everyone I’m Umna! Well I am a 15 years old extrovert from Karachi and am doing my O-levels. I am as wild as a teenager is but serious and decent at the same time. Weird combination, but yeah my family deals with it.
Q2. What does photography mean to you? and why did you choose it as a medium to express yourself?
Answer: Photography is an art to me which can be found within everyone. Just polish your skills and you’ll be fit to start snapping away! I live by the quote of Ansel Adams which is “You don’t take a picture, you make it.” That’s my motto and that’s what I am doing. I think that photography defines me best. I mean that the kind of pictures you take can tell what kind of a person you are and that is why I adopted this habit.
Answer: Honestly speaking, when I went to the United States of America, back in 2010, I used to take pictures of every thing that I could see. Since we did a lot of roadtrips I used to take pictures of the road, the lakes and practically everything we passed by. Those were the times I felt that I liked photography but then returning to Pakistan I never got much time to take pictures, except obviously selfies. But the serious interest of photography grew in me in the winters of 2012. It was my cousin’s wedding and then I used to take A LOT of pictures so I knew that I can take pictures and well the new year was started with a new excitement, a new interest and new love in photography!
Q4. Who has been your biggest support?
Answer: Well, obviously my parents.
Q5. When did you get your very own first camera? And by whom?
Answer: I got my very first camera back in 2010 in America. It was a gift from my father’s friend who bought us expensive gifts. I did not know that I would be getting a camera as my father had kept it a surprise. But when I got it the smile on my face was the biggest I ever had.
Q6. Every photographer has love with a particular subject such as landscapes, nature and portraits e.t.c. What are you interested in the most?
Answer: I love taking pictures of food! Seriously, the way the food items come out is non-comparable with any other object. But most of all I want good colors in my pictures, it should look colorful, giving you a good feeling when you see them.
Answer: I love reading, crafting and sometimes baking. I have a big book collection and encourage my cousins to read which think of it as the most boring hobby. All in all, I’m a major book nerd!
Q8. If not a photographer, what would have you been?
Answer: I have an aim of doing actuarial science which Insha Allah, I will do. The thing with me is that, being a photographer you can do many other things side by side.
Q9. Best compliment you've ever received and by whom?
Answer: I guess it would be by my cousins. It was their nikkah day and I was just taking some pictures of them after the photographer had left and they loved the pictures. Their words were the best compliment I had ever gotten!
Q10. Happiest moment in your photography life?Answer: Umm, I would rather say that I am still waiting for that perfect happiest moment because I haven’t gotten one yet.
Q11. In which way can you utilize your talent to bring forth a better image of Pakistan to the world?
Answer: I can do that through my pictures. When I take pictures of the places of my country, I put my heart and soul to it and by publicizing them I think that a positive side of Pakistan is displayed to the world.
Q12. List few of your favorite photographers and the people who have inspired you.
Answer: Waliya Najib of Waliya Najib Photography has been my greatest inspiration when I started doing photography. Her unique pictures and innovative ideas have been inspiring me ever since and I think that she is the best photographer and to me she is! Other than that, I think that Tapu Javeri is an amazing fashion photographer and upon meeting him, I was further impressed by his style. People keep on inspiring me every day and there are so many people whose photography I love!
Q13. Best event that you have captured so far?
Answer: My baby cousin’s birthday party has been till now my best piece of work.
Q14. Future plans? Do you have any new projects on the go at the moment or anything that you're planning to do?
Answer: I might start offering professional services later in 5-6 years but right now I have no projects going on. But I plan on doing a collaboration project with a photographer whose I work I really like.
Answer: I really want to shoot in Hawaii. That place is extremely beautiful and the cultures of the people over there are amazing. I would like to capture those areas and those people because I think the colors would be beautiful and the end product would come absolutely perfect.
Q16. Piece of advice for somebody wanting to get into this field?
Answer: Just be original and through your pictures show the kind of world you see.
Q17. Thank you for providing Islo Times with this opportunity to interview you. Any final thoughts on us and your fans out there?
Answer: Honestly, this is the first time I heard about you guys but after going through your page and website, I can say that you guys are doing a wonderful job and thank you for giving me this opportunity as well. To my fans, I love you all!
Interview Conducted By:
Sabahat Ali Khan