naseer Behbehani

Interview with naseer Behbehani

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?

My first dream was to become character designer for animations. As I used to draw from a young age and was fascinated about anime and video games characters design. I worked as a caricature artist in a local newspaper for a while, But with time and experiencing different art forms, I moved to graphic design then to photography.

Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

I am a free lancer photographer. As a portraiture, my focus is set on human, emotions and memories. Which I aim to deliver to my clients.

What is "design" for you?

Design as a form of art is a language of emotions. A good design is one that moves your emotions.

What kinds of works do you like designing most?

I like to take two kind of photography, Editorial and concept photography. Editorial photographs let me get in touch with the subject and take photos that speaks the truth, in a way, about the person. As for the concept photography, turning an idea into an object that others can see and feel fascinates me.

What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

“Mother Earth” is the most favorite photograph I take. It shows planet earth as a sick woman as a result of pollution.

What was the first thing you designed for a company?

It was a yearbook for a high school. I remember that the agency took most of the paycheck to buy equipments and gave me the rest. It was my first lesson.

When do you feel the most creative?

When I’m happy, calm and relaxed. And mostly when I’m not trying to be creative. In other words, when I’m not trying to lead my thoughts, just let them flow.

Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

Researching is the most important part of my work flow. It helps a lot in the thoughts flowing part.

What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

During the designing process I’m like a robot actually, I’m just focused. I don’t know if that is a good or a bad thing, that is just the way it is. Emotions take place at early stage of my photography process.

What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

Pride. It is like having new baby. I download it on my phone and keep watching it all day.

What makes a design successful?

If it does its purpose, looks good and touches the user emotionally.

When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

The purpose. Does the design serve it? If it does not serve the reason of its existence it is definitely a bad design.

From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

Design is a form of speech. Designer responsibility is to choose what to say and how to say it.

When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?

It was in Venice, Italy on Sep 2019. My next exhibition was supposed to be in Dubai this April. unfortunately it was canceled due to Corona virus Status. So it will be held in Kuwait instead, but no dates are set yet.

Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

From everything around me. A movie, Tv interview or anything I hear or see. Then I relax or take a shower it just clicks and new idea is born.

How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?

It is moody, Painterly and tend to be emotional sometimes. I like this style because it is calm and romantic. And I’m trying to have a combination between Avedon, Platon and Annie Leibovitz styles. And Rembrandt is my choice of light.

Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?

I live in Kuwait. Actually I was more moved by the western culture through the TV shows and movies rather than Arabian culture. That was the only form of art I was exposed to and effected by. As for the pros of living in Kuwait, I think it gave me a financial advantage since it is a rich country. But the down side is that there are not much talented craftsman if a designer need outsourcing.

How do you work with companies?

Contract contract contract. Can’t say it enough. I learned many lessons for not signing a contract with the clients. Although having a contract doesn’t mean you can’t be flexible.

What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?

Don’t search for the name, search for the style . A common mistake clients do is selecting a designer, wither because of the name or price or even they like his/her work. And ending up by asking the designer to copy other designers style. It just won't work.

Can you talk a little about your design process?

It starts with a concept. I think of the concept for some time before I decide to start working on it. Once I decide to work and my feeling is strong about it, I start the researching, using google and Pinterest, I collect photos that shows the style I want to convey. Then I do sketches to show the color scheme, the pose of the model and the final photograph I want to produce. Now I’m ready to start shooting. Then I edit the photos in Lightroom before I do the final touches in Photoshop.

What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

1- Camera (Of corse) 2- 50 mm Lens 3- Profoto flash with softbox 4- Adobe Lightroom 5- Adobe Photoshop That is all I need!

Can you describe a day in your life?

I wake up at 5.45 am, drop the kids to school on my way to work. In the car I usually listen to talkshows or youtubers, I pick those who exchange thoughts as a source of inspiration. I finish work at 2.30 pm. I eat and take a nap at home then I check thing off my list, home or photography related. At night I have a family diner and go to sleep. That is how usually I spend my day.

Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?

Train your eyes by looking at good designs, keep learning and practice. You can have a lot of information from lectures, but practicing is what really boosts the learning curve.

From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

Being a designer force you to ask big questions in order to make a meaningful design, and that reflects on the designer’s way of thinking in general. It helps you live meaningful life. The negative side is that designers are exposed to rejection all the time. When designers show their works to the public, acceptance is not guaranteed.

What skills are most important for a designer?

Observation. You have two ears, two eyes and one mouth, so you can look and listen more than you talk. Designers gets inspiration by observing their surroundings.

Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

Canon 5d ii. Lenses: 50mm/1.4, 16-35mm/2.8, 85mm/1.2, Profoto flashes Mac Pro Wacom tablet Adobe Lightroom Adobe Photoshop

Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

I manage my time week by week. At the beginning of every week I set the tasks

How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

A after I finish the research and decide how the final photograph would be, the production doesn’t take much time. 6 to 7 hours shooting and retouching.

What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

Editorial portrait photography. People tend to open up when photographed in a strange way, that they don't in other ways. It is like taking a journey into different world every time I photograph some one.

Extended Interview with naseer Behbehani

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

How did you become a designer?

It was not something I choose on purpose. It just happened. All kinds draw and paint, but once they grow up most of them stop drawing, I was of those who chose not. One thing led to another and I became a photographer. And naw, whenever I see a good photograph it motivates me to become a better photographer. So what really motivates me is a good executed photograph.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

I photograph people. Editorial, commercial and family portraits. And once I tried travel photography in Venice. Which was a rich experience for me as a photographer and a person. It made me look at people in a different way. So I want to take more photos about people and their lives.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

Other than Learning, practicing and accept criticism, one must evolve as human being to evolve as a designer. Shallow designers will only produce shallow designs.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

I think booth good and great designers can produce equally good looking designs. Yet what really distinguish between them is the thought behind the design. Great designer can produce more meaningful designs.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

Good design starts with a meaningful idea, and ends with a good understanding of design rules. Combine these two together and you will have a really good design.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

Good designs grabs attention. And attention is what you need to spread idea. That is why it is important for education, business, communication between different cultures .. etc. Every idea can benefit from a good design.

What is your day to day look like?

I would choose a village, not yet corrupted by civilization. Take portraits of their elders and print the photos for them.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

My dream project is to take portrait of people around the world, mostly villagers. Collect their stories and put them in a book.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

Design from your heart. Even if you are designing for a client, find that connection between your heart and the design and let that connection lead you.

What is your biggest design work?

My favorite is Annie Leibovitz style for the painterly quality she delivers in her photographs and how romantic they are.

Who is your favourite designer?

I think my greatest photograph is “Mother Earth”. Because of the emotion it delivers.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

Think a lot and question every thing. The more questions you ask, the more deep your thoughts will bee. And that will reflect on your designs.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

My mother. She bought me my first computer, and that really helped me evolve.