Interview with Omani Photographer Hani Macki

November 2007

Personal Details
Name: Hani bin Habib bin Abdul Nabi Macki
Age: 35
Nationality: Omani
Website: http://www.coloman.blogspot.com

Oman3D interviewed Hani bin Habib bin Abdul Nabi Macki, an Omani working in financial services in the UAE with a passion for photography. His photoblog was selected by Gulf News as one of the best in the region and his work has been used in promotional campaigns, regional letters, and the Global Calendar of the HSBC bank.

O3D: First of all, could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Hani: My name is Hani, and I am of Arab and South American descent. After graduating from University I started working in the financial sector in Oman and later in the UAE. My hobbies are diving, traveling, camping and photography.

Bedouin Women of Oman

Hani: The colorful ladies in the Wahiba Sands. My favorite photo.

O3D: When did you start practicing photography?
Hani:I have always enjoyed books on photography and while my dad’s and brother’s hobby is photography, I only really started in the summer of 2004, while working on an environmental project in New Zealand. I guess the beauty of New Zealand inspired me. After doing lots of research online, I decided to buy the Canon C-8080 to start taking this hobby a bit more seriously.

O3D: Where do you get your inspiration from?
Hani: Nature, architecture and life’s simple moments.

O3D: From all the places you've been to, which was the best "photographic" experience?
Its hard to say, but its between New Zealand for natural beauty, Iran for its architected and Yemen for its culture.

O3D: What type of scenery do you commonly take pictures of?
Hani:I am into documentary photography and I enjoy taking photos with contrasting colors or photos with symmetry.

A Bird's Eye View of Hajarh

Hani: A beautiful village on the top of the mountains, Yemen.

O3D: What are the aspects that you consider most important in photography?
Hani:Besides enjoying photography and being in the right place at the right time, the photographer must be patient and take several photos of the same subject. The photographer should not just focus on the subject but on its surroundings as well.

O3D: Photography's become pretty popular with all, and is practiced widely even as just a hobby. What differentiates a poorly taken photograph from a professional one?
Hani: I don’t qualify as a professional, although I do sell photos on irregular basis, so I won’t be able to answer that question correctly. However, as a person who takes photography more seriously, I notice many people take photos without paying much attention to the content of the photo and its surroundings. Most don’t even take the time to ensure the photo is straight, so the key word is being patient

Doors of Freedom

Hani: Doors from an old merchant's house in Iran.

O3D: Have you taken any courses or have you studied photography anywhere?
Hani: No I haven’t. I will take courses when I return to Oman, but I always keep thinking of what an artist once told me. I was told if I take courses I would start getting influenced by the instructor’s style of photography and it will derail me from what inspires me to take photos and instead I will start paying attention to the technical matters.

O3D: What do you enjoy the most in this field?
Hani: Exploring new places. When I see a place for the first time, I see things which grab my attention and I document it with my camera. But if I pass by the same place again I somehow miss it.

O3D: How do you manage to have the time to practice this hobby aside with your career?
Hani: I have many other hobbies including traveling, diving, camping and reading which I spend lots of time on. Career is not an excuse to stay away from someone's hobby, otherwise life will pass you by and you would grow old without doing things that you enjoy.

The Cleaner

Hani: A cleaner at sun rise in Cambodia dusting off the sun rays.

O3D: What advice would you give to any junior artist willing to get into photography?
Hani: I don’t consider myself an expert so I can’t give advice, I am a beginner myself. I just happen to be lucky since I do make some money from my hobby on some occasions.

O3D: Which camera do you use?
Hani: I recently bought a Nikon D200

We would like to end by thanking Hani for having this interview with Oman3D, we wish him the best of luck with his upcoming projects. You can view his photo blog via this link.