Navid Baraty is a self-taught photographer whose work has been internationally published and exhibited. After receiving a degree in engineering, Navid’s creative vision led him from Ohio to San Francisco, where he was a web developer and freelance photographer for nearly four years. He has recently moved from San Francisco to New York City to further pursue his artistic passion. A selection of clients and publications include National Geographic, The San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, Getty Images, and California College of the Arts. The first image featured below is the Grand Prize winner of the Landscape category in GeckoGo’s Search for the Ultimate Travel Photo Contest and Navid won a 15-day trip to Northern India with Intrepid Travel.
www.navidbaraty.com

when and how did you become interested in Photography?

My curiosity with photography began during a class in junior high where we wandered around the playground taking pictures, and then developed the photos in the school darkroom. Unfortunately, I don’t know whatever happened to those prints. I’d love to be able to see the photos I took that day.

what gear do you mainly shoot with?

Nikon D700

what is your #1 source of inspiration?

My inspiration comes from a combination of many sources. Perhaps that’s cheating, but I simply don’t have a sole source of inspiration. Looking at the work of other artists, reading about the origins and physics of the universe, interacting with creative people, observing the interactions of society, wandering around aimlessly with my camera; any of these can equally inspire me.

many times photographers find themselves with a full schedule of paying gigs, ending up with little time for doing the work they truly love. Do you struggle with finding time for your personal work?

Never. My personal work, the work I truly love, is my priority and I’ll always find and make time for it. I’d be using my engineering degree instead of working as a freelance photographer in a terrible economy if making money was my priority. I think the goal of any photographer is to be able to do the work they love while being able to make a living. Merging the two isn’t beyond the realm of possibility. It’s really a matter of how much you want it, and your willingness to sacrifice.

what is your all time favorite genre to shoot (portraiture, conceptual, documentary, commercial, etc..)?

Probably documentary. Not only in the sense of documenting a specific person or group of people (which I’m definitely interested in), but also documenting the Earth.

do you have any upcoming shows or events you want our readers to know about?

I’ve been selected to be a part of APA’s Something Personal exhibition in San Francisco, opening December 3.
You can also see one of my photos in the upcoming (November) issue of National Geographic.

what is the one thing you feel makes your style or your work unique?

It can be frustrating to try to think of ways to make your art truly unique from anything else that’s ever been done. Everything is a reference of a reference of a reference. Instead of approaching it that way, my goal is to just create work that succeeds in both stimulating the mind and engaging the senses.

if you could photograph anyone, (past/present/future), who would it be and why?

I have a tremendous amount of respect for Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. I’m not sure how compelling the photographs of them would be as they pondered over texts and solutions to equations, but it would have been amazing to know them. If I could choose both the setting and the person, I’d choose Neil Armstrong as he set foot on the moon.

what’s your dream photo field trip?

Photographing the landscape and beneath the ice shelves of Antarctica. Not much could top that, except perhaps a voyage into space.

what’s your post production process?

I import, organize, and do 95% of my processing using Adobe Lightroom. It really is an incredible piece of software.

if you had unlimited resources to purchase any type of camera, what would it be and why?

Nikon D3x, with an accompanying Nikkor 400mm f/2.8 lens. If I had unlimited resources, I’d also love to get a really nice film camera and have my own darkroom.

who are your favorite photographers and why?

One of my favorites is James Balog. His time lapse photography documenting the retreating Arctic glaciers is both amazing and disconcerting.

what has been the shining moment of your career thus far? (or, describe your “big break”)

Definitely being published twice in National Geographic. I have a tremendous amount of respect for its quality of content and photography, as well as for its contributing photographers. It’s very special to me that I’ve been able to have my work be among that level of excellence.

do you have any tips/tricks or advice for amateur photo nerds who are looking to shoot full time or students who are just starting out?

Don’t ever stop creating. Shoot as much as you can. Constantly draw on other artists and sources for inspiration, and surround yourself with as many creative people as you can. And again, be willing and prepared to make sacrifices if you’re serious about doing what you love for a living.

what’s the soundtrack to your life and/or your favorite music to listen to while editing?

Anything from indie to electronic to punk to Michael Jackson. It really depends on my creative mood at the time.

what’s your favorite hang (when shooting or not)?

Somewhere that has strong coffee, reliable wifi, comfortable seating, and ample power outlets.

best chow (meal/snack) to get you ready for a shoot? or best way to celebrate a brilliant capture?

For morning shoots, coffee and bagel is a must. Otherwise, a preparatory or celebratory burrito is ideal. Of course, now being in NYC makes this a bit more difficult!

will you share with us one of your favorite shots?

I have thousands of favorite shots. Some recent ones that made quite an impression on me are the Capturing an Atom Bomb on Film Lens slide show from the New York Times and the incredible long exposures of Michael Wesely.

has your passion for photography changed at all since turning “pro”?

I’ve had an intense passion for photography for years now, and I don’t see that ever changing.

are you a photography nerd or a camera gangsta?

I’m most definitely more nerd than gangsta.

what’s your sign? (we’re conducting a poll)

Sagittarius

who would you like to see interviewed by photopolus next?

my friends and fellow photographers Keira Chang and Laura Kicey.

©NavidBaraty

If you are a photographer and would like to be featured as a future/potential Art Star on our blog, email us!
info@photopolus.com or ange@angefitzgerald.com, subject: Art Star.
*please include your website and examples of your work
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