By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Opinion| Will the BRICS group give a lifeline to the Global South against the dominance of the US dollar?
    Opinion| Will the BRICS group give a lifeline to the Global South against the dominance of the US dollar?
    June 8, 2023
    AUR Capital concludes second securitized bond issuance of EGP 1.124bn 
    AUR Capital concludes second securitized bond issuance of EGP 1.124bn 
    June 8, 2023
    Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy consults on more than 18 deals currently: Founding partner
    Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy consults on more than 18 deals currently: Founding partner
    June 8, 2023
    Egypt’s petrochemicals exports surge 23% to $8.629bn in 2022
    Egypt’s petrochemicals exports surge 23% to $8.629bn in 2022
    June 8, 2023
    Trade exchange between Egypt, COMESA countries increases to $5.3bn in 2022: CAPMAS
    Trade exchange between Egypt, COMESA countries increases to $5.3bn in 2022: CAPMAS
    June 8, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Opinion| The suspension of Russia's participation in the START Treaty portends an imminent nuclear war
    Opinion| The suspension of Russia’s participation in the START Treaty portends an imminent nuclear war
    June 8, 2023
    Israel's neglect of Palestinian issue threatens regional, global security: Palestinian Foreign Ministry
    Israel’s neglect of Palestinian issue threatens regional, global security: Palestinian Foreign Ministry
    June 8, 2023
    Renewed clashes erupt in Sudan’s Omdurman, Khartoum
    Renewed clashes erupt in Sudan’s Omdurman, Khartoum
    June 8, 2023
    Abdel Ghaffar highlights Egypt’s government achievements in health sector during Africa Health ExCon
    Abdel Ghaffar highlights Egypt’s government achievements in health sector during Africa Health ExCon 
    June 8, 2023
    A legally binding agreement must be reached on GERD: Al-Sisi
    A legally binding agreement must be reached on GERD: Al-Sisi
    June 8, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    EFG Finance to launch unified platform gathering all its financing services: Alaa Al-Afifi
    EFG Finance to launch unified platform gathering all its financing services: Alaa Al-Afifi
    May 31, 2023
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    May 25, 2023
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    May 8, 2023
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    April 29, 2023
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    April 18, 2023
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: Abi Naguib and the ‘constant search for identity’
Share
Notification
Latest News
Egyptian drama and cinema industry: challenges and solutions
Egyptian drama and cinema industry: challenges and solutions
Cinema Culture
Opinion| The suspension of Russia's participation in the START Treaty portends an imminent nuclear war
Opinion| The suspension of Russia’s participation in the START Treaty portends an imminent nuclear war
Opinion Politics
Opinion| Will the BRICS group give a lifeline to the Global South against the dominance of the US dollar?
Opinion| Will the BRICS group give a lifeline to the Global South against the dominance of the US dollar?
Opinion Business
AI outperforms standard risk model for predicting breast cancer
AI outperforms standard risk model for predicting breast cancer
Science
AUR Capital concludes second securitized bond issuance of EGP 1.124bn 
AUR Capital concludes second securitized bond issuance of EGP 1.124bn 
Business
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Culture > Abi Naguib and the ‘constant search for identity’
Culture

Abi Naguib and the ‘constant search for identity’

Daily News Egypt
Last updated: 2017/01/22 at 11:19 PM
By Daily News Egypt 4 Min Read
Share
Naguib tackles the psychological aspects of photography (Photo from Abi Naguib)
SHARE
Naguib tackles the psychological aspects of photography (Photo from Abi Naguib)
Naguib tackles the psychological aspects of photography
(Photo from Abi Naguib)

While some expect a photography talk to give advice on technique, lighting and composition, Photopia’s talk by filmmaker Abi Naguib on emotional photography may have left some a little surprised.

“The talk was well-received but it was challenging because I was talking about the psychological aspect of photography and not the technical aspect,” said Abi Naguib.

Like many filmmakers, for Naguib, cinema and photography are inseparable. “You cannot [divorce the two]. Cinema is the art of moving images and to be a filmmaker, you have to be interested in photography,” she said.

Naguib thinks it’s imperative for young photographers to understand the historical context of photography as a form and understand why humanity has used imagery to express itself. “Essentially, the arts are a constant search for identity,” she said. “Photography especially had its beginnings in documenting and understanding society. In the 19th century, when the first camera that created lasting imaged was invented, it was used to document patients at a hospital. This gave rise to important concepts in psychoanalysis such as the male gaze. Photography is about knowing yourself.”

This poorly understood connection is what Naguib says is preventing many photographers from becoming great at their craft. “In this age everyone has a camera, you can take a shot that is technically good but if you do not know yourself, your shots won’t be unique,” she said. “One of the people attending my talk left halfway through and it made me think that people are used to receiving instructions. On one hand, I’m happy that everyone is holding a camera but on the other, it makes me sad that people just want to know which button to press.”

For Naguib, emotional photography allows a brief glimpse into the photographer’s own psyche, creating an ephemeral emotional connection between the photographer and the viewer.

Here Naguib’s interest in psychoanalysis is apparent. “I developed an interest in cinema when I was seven because I had an interest in how people operated and how they reacted,” she said. “To represent people properly, whether on film or as subjects of an image, you need to understand them properly. You cannot separate psychoanalysis and photography or cinema.

The talk dealt with themes like history, starting with paintings and moving on to photography, in an effort to understand how people have historically expressed themselves through imagery and how historical framework is as important to a photographer as technique. Naguib also discussed the relationship of the artist to the subject of the photograph and the journey from imagination to realisation of an image. Other themes included colour philosophy, composition, mood setting and movement in a photograph, and self exploration.

While her talk may have left those with a less refined understanding of photography underwhelmed, her emphasis on a theoretical framework to ground budding photographers might be just what others need. Naguib’s rich ideas on photography will be discussed again at the Photography Summit at the American University in Cairo’s Greek campus with a bigger focus on the artists’ relationship to their work and on film.

You Might Also Like

Egyptian drama and cinema industry: challenges and solutions

I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi

The story behind Gayer-Anderson Museum in Cairo

I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek

Mona Zaki leads race in Ramadan TV series

TAGGED: Culture, Daily News Egypt, DNE, photography
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Previous Article Attack of the florals
Next Article Lingering in Vicinity: photography as eavesdropping
2 Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad image
Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

Egyptian drama and cinema industry: challenges and solutions
Egyptian drama and cinema industry: challenges and solutions
Cinema Culture
Opinion| The suspension of Russia's participation in the START Treaty portends an imminent nuclear war
Opinion| The suspension of Russia’s participation in the START Treaty portends an imminent nuclear war
Opinion Politics
Opinion| Will the BRICS group give a lifeline to the Global South against the dominance of the US dollar?
Opinion| Will the BRICS group give a lifeline to the Global South against the dominance of the US dollar?
Opinion Business
AI outperforms standard risk model for predicting breast cancer
AI outperforms standard risk model for predicting breast cancer
Science
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?