Lomo Amigo Amir Ebrahimi Shoots with the Diana F+

New York photographer, art and film director, Amir Ebrahimi, is here to show what he can do with a Diana F+. As a self-proclaimed non-digital camera user, he takes analogue images to a whole different dimension. Amir not only focuses on fashion photography, but he also heads his own production company, Metric Nine. We are truly in the presence of a visual and artistic guru.

REAL NAME: Amir Ebrahimi
CITY: Brooklyn, NY
COUNTRY: US

How long have you been a Lomographer (or are you new to this whole thing)?
About 15 years ago was my first memory of my brother and his “funny” plastic camera’s that took “odd” pics. As my interest for photography grew I learned that he had a Holga and Diana. My brother was a painter and the amazing shots he took with the Diana and Holga resembled his paintings, they looked like memories. After my brother passed a year ago I started shooting with these “funny plastic cameras”. I love em.

Describe the Diana F+ in five words.
BAD ASS PLASTIC SHUTTER BUG

The strangest, funniest, or hands-down greatest photographic/Lomographic encounter that you have ever had?
The time Mike Tyson stopped me on Collins dr in Miami to ask me where Coconut Grove was…..although I had 2 cameras on me I didn’t have any film, I was actually on my way to buy film. A lost moment that I will always remember.

If your photos shown here could have a soundtrack of three songs, what would they be (song title & artist please)?
1st. “umi says” by Mos Def
2nd. “as” by Stevie Wonder
3rd “sun king” by The Beatles

If you could be anywhere, doing anything, right now, where would it be and what would you do?
WOW! This answer will change from day to day hour to hour…but right now….. Ok this is almost impossible to answer, I just went from a beach in Tobago Trinidad, Photographing Fidel Castro in Cuba, starting a revolution in Iran, the United States and El Salvador, Sky diving over Mt Kilimanjaro, to riding on an elephant’s back in the jungle of Thailand all in about 3 mins……but if I had to stick to one answer, I’d be riding a motorcycle along side my brother threw the empty late night streets of Phen Phem, Cambodia.

Coming from an Iranian and El Salvadoran background, have you been to Iran and El Salvador before? If so, what was your most memorable experience? If not, do you have any plans on visiting?
Yes been to both Iran and El Salvador, Most memorable memory in El Salvador is staying in my mothers home town Juayua, El Salvador ( really small town in the mountains of El Salvador…beautiful!) for festival season with my cousins. In El Salvador Fire works are very legal and very cheap (among other things) so legal that people are really over the whole fire works thing. I LOVE fire works….not fire work shows…actual fire works that you can light yourself (Canada is still good for this, but not cheap) Soooo I always had tons of fireworks on me and every thing called for a fire work celebration. Image family, dancing, drinking, and fire works…all night!! Iran was a different experience. Didn’t do much dancing, drinking and definitely didn’t light anything on fire, My most memorable experience was going to Persepolis, Just out side of Shiraz. To the ancient Persians, the city was know as Parsa, which means” The City of Persians”…very spiritual experience for me.

As a photographer, art director, and film director, which field are you most passionate about and why?
I haven’t directed any films since college, although I’ve directed music videos, it can’t be compared to directing films. I plan on directing about 4 to 5 films 7 to 10 years from now and that is what I will be most passionate about, when that time comes. To answer your question now once I’m on set I become very passionate about any project I’m working on, but as an Art Director you have to know your limits on set in respect to the director and cinematographer so you have to let up at some point. When I’m shooting the project as a photographer there is no letting up, and that can become a sort of high. I hope I answered the question….

As a self-proclaimed Non-Digital camera user, why do you believe in Analogue cameras?
Film is much more romantic than digital. It’s a process and craft that reminds you to appreciate and focus on each shot and moment. Film also makes you appreciate the process it takes to reach a shot or moment. Everyday digital cameras are becoming more advanced, and nobody can deny the cost issue. I always shoot digital on jobs, but always have at least 3 different film cameras on set to capture that “moment” when I see it.

Your company, Metric Nine, is a production company that deals with set designs for print, commercials and music videos. Do you have upcoming projects that you are excited for?
My company Metric Nine is a way for me to utilize my design and art directing talents out side of photography. At the moment I am Art Directing a book by Doctor/Director Mehret Mandefro, about activist/musician David Foxworth, “Notes On Healing”. This is an important project for me due to be released next year. I’ve never Art Directed a book so the project is intimidating and extremely exciting at the same time.

The one person (living or deceased) who you would most like to photograph?
Jesus Christ would of been really interesting to shoot, think of all the work I’d get just having him in my portfolio! Assuming you meant in the past 100 years. Ok, another tough question but at this moment I’ll go with Malcolm X, A series of Portraits and Documentary Images of Malcolm X would be amazing.

Your advice to future Diana F+ photographers
do yourself a favor and get the 38mm Super-Wide lens.

Take a closer look at Amir’s gallery below:

written by mmoya on 2010-11-01 #people #lomo-amigo #lomography #new-york-city #diana-f #lomoamigo #amir-ebrahimi