Mahmud Tareq Hassan Khan
1. Can you introduce yourself and talk about how you got into photography?
Born in 1973, I'm a northern Norway-based photographer/artist. By education, I have got doctoral degrees in Pharmacology and MBA in management. Since 2000, I have mainly worked in academia for research & teaching.
2. Where did you study photography?
I started doing photography in 1987 when I was in grade 8. My recently passed away father then gifted me a Yashica Electro 35 analog camera. That was my beginning. I'm mainly a self-taught photographer, yet learning from trial & error.
3. Do you remember your first shot? What was it?
Of course, I clearly remember that. With my father's gift the Yashica Electro 35 analog camera, I took a landscape shot where my father was walking on paddy farmland. The farm was full of water, so I was able to take reflection of my father in the water, too, in that shot.
4. What equipment do you use?
Currently, I
5. What do you hope to achieve?
I want to show the world, what I see through my lenses.
6. What compliment inspired/touched you the most?
"That's a nice shot"
7. What inspires your unique storytelling?
My long way from my childhood memories til now. More importantly, my idol, my father is no more with us, but his gift to my childhood remains in my heart.
8. What THREE (3) words describe your photography style?
Candid, minimal edit, no manipulation whatsoever.
9. Congratulations! As the winner of the European Photography Awards, what does it mean for you and your team to receive this distinction?
It's an honor to me. I don't have a team, but I wish one day. Such honors will increase my enthusiasm and my strength & confidence.
10. Can you explain a bit about the winning work you entered into the 2022 European Photography Awards, and why you chose to enter this project?
I travel a lot, both due to my work as well as for vacations. I shoot when I see something interesting in my path and very likely I shoot candid. I don't have any fixed projects. I shoot and if I believe something I get interesting on my digital celluloid I try to put it (those) into some groups or some kind of projects. The photos I submitted for this EPA awards, I thought could be also interesting for the global audiences.
11. How has winning an award developed your career?
As I said earlier, such honors will increase my enthusiasm and my strength & confidence.
12. Name 1-3 photographers who have inspired you.
Michael Kenna, Fan Ho, Olga Karlovac, etc.
13. What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out, by a mentor or your role model?
Don't go for street or documentary photography. That's not you. You are very good at the landscape. You are technically even more sound than me!
14. What advice would you give someone who would like to become a photographer today?
Shoot, whatever and however you like. Don't waste time for recognition.
15. What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?
I shoot, whatever and however I like. And, I don't waste time for recognition.
16. How do you stay in that space of being receptive to new information and knowledge?
I update myself every day via books, the internet, and of course YouTube.
17. Anything else you would like to add to the interview?
During my recent trip to South Asia, I was fortunate to shoot more than 10K photographs. Of them, many are covering people mostly working women. What amazes me is that there are more women working to support their families than before and in varieties of sectors, not only in garments. Even I noticed they are working in the construction, sells, and small business sectors beside men as their counterparts, day & night.
