Nusrat Azim| Eye of the beholder

Nusrat Azim ( Suborna)

She truly epitomizes talent and also practices absolute humility. She hails from Bangladesh and blogs at this website. You would find her all over the internet but her work speaks volumes. Like me, she is a worshipper of words and light. Her style is unique and she has an inclination towards light painting. She navigates the world through her own perspective. She is a minimalist and curates her self-assertive culture.She is self paced and does this work to please her soul first and then the world. Hope you enjoy this brief interview with her. I think she loves her cocoon and it me quite a while to convince her to come out of it into public glare for this interview.

Tell us a little about yourself ?

Nusrat Azim ( Suborna),  born and brought up in Bangladesh and now happily, peacefully settled in Dallas, Texas living with husband and a baby girl.

I’m a minimalist … meaning, I live with basic minimum material things but with a lot of light and air in my glass house. Finding peace of mind in prayers, hanging out with family and friends hours after hours, cooking, gardening… that’s who I am.

I do not have a TV in my living room. Neither do I go to movies. I live and do everything my own way. I have nothing to do with cinematic, fictional, fabricated lifestyle that is portrayed on TVs and movies.

What kind of photography do you like light or dark?

High-key, low-key both attract me depending on how mind fully and thoughtfully executed. And how much related it is to the story-telling.

Which is your favourite shot and why?

I have a few favourite shots of mine. They are like my babies. I took a lot of pain, heartache in creating them and got immense pleasure after giving them the final touch-ups.

What has been one strong learning after starting as a food photographer?

Food photography changed my entire perspective on FOOD. Food doesn’t just fill-up our bellies, it tells stories, leaves legacies. Cooking is a fine art and capturing food in a frame makes it eternal … imperishable.

Where else can we find your work?

My blog: www.myselfnusrat.wordpress.com

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nusrat-azim-suborna/

Some local Bengali and English magazines in Bangladesh feature my recipes and images on a regular basis.

How do you prepare for a photo shoot?

I’m a hardcore planner. I plan everything from A-Z. I set up the table first and then shop the ingredients, cook and shoot early morning when the sunlight is the softest. If I’m slightly late in shooting by the time the sun is a little harsh, I pack up and shoot the next day. I work weeks even months on one single photo: planning, jotting down ideas, cooking, shooting, post-processing the photo etc until the photo reflects what I envisioned it to be.

Also, I tend to use minimum props in my photos. To me “less is more”. And like I said, I’m a minimalist. My photos exactly represent my lifestyle.

What is that one trait which sets you apart from other photographers.

That I’m very laid-back. Relaxed. I don’t take food photography as a regular chore or a stressful hobby. I do it only for fun. You won’t see me shooting and blogging every week. You won’t find me competing with others in terms of flooding your news feed with my images. I shoot and blog only when I want to. I’m in total control of my wants and desires.What is your gear like?

An old machine. Canon Rebel XSI.

Who is your favorite photographer

• Renato M : The master of light painting:  http://www.caravaggioincucina.it
• Lakshmi: Love her simplicity, preciseness, thought process. Adore the way her mind works when she shoots. I follow in my photography her minimalistic approach.:  http://www.purevege.com/

If you like her work, please her on Facebook and