Tarek Mawad, photographer
previously: 3D animation/sculptor/vfx and light artist
The Past
What got you into photography?
I worked in film and animation, starting as a 3D/VFX and lighting artist, and did that for around 10 years. I came to photography through my observation of light—something I used to build 3D environments as realistically as possible.
I fell in love with photography and the idea of direct response and interaction—creating visions in the moment, shaped by light and connection, resulting in beautiful work. I’m drawn to how much you can control and shape an image according to your vision, while also knowing when to direct and when to let things unfold naturally trusting in your empathy.
I keep pushing myself every day, working on new concepts and images I want to build. I like to grow slowly and steadily, building a multidisciplinary universe—much like painters or sculptors used to work. I see things as milestones, small achievements along the way.
What was your style like as a teenager?
An oversized skater shirt over an oversized hoodie, baggy jeans, and éS shoes. I always wanted to have long hair, but my father didn’t let me, so I ended up with a ’90s Dave Grohl-style haircut—long enough for headbanging. I dress in what fits, suits my body type, and makes me feel comfortable.
What was the first thing that sparked your love for photography’?
The human interaction and the direct response are essential to me. Your energy, motivation, and empathy shape the essence of a shoot, and through that, you lead an entire team.
There’s also a physical aspect to photography that I deeply value—you can touch it. The ability to pour precision and care into a single negative, shaping every detail in the darkroom. In a way, it reminds me of sculpting—just in a different form.
The Present
Tell us of a proud moment in your career?
I think most of it comes from experimental work—being in a flow where I test things out and figure out what works. It usually starts with a challenge and an idea, telling myself, “It should work.”, but I’m not 100 precent sure. Then I can spend hours at night experimenting.
When it comes together the way I imagined, it becomes work without reference—the reference is you and your thoughts. It’s about diving deep into a subject until you find something you didn’t even know you were looking for.
Those are the most proud moments. And of course getting the chance to work with huge talents I’ve always admired, like Zinedine Zidane or Lionel Messi.
Where does your process begin when you’re developing something new?
Being alone with myself and my thoughts is essential. Solitude and time are a big part of my process—it allows me to create, to connect with my thoughts, and to ask absurd questions. What if I change the material of the body? What if it had a different gravity?
It’s my place everything is possible, where I shape ideas, write down dreams, and find ways to express what I want to say. Then I mostly have a clear image in my head, sometimes sketch or write.
Whats the most important part of curating a shoot that people may not realise?
It’s the energy of people coming together, and having people on set who believe in the vision and understand it. Everyone’s skills and the dynamic on set play a major role. You carry a certain force—when you truly love something, it affects the entire team, and everyone is focused, fully present, and giving it their all.
What’s one truth about the creative industry that took you years to learn
There is mostly a lack of time when it comes to the creative process. You have to stand up for yourself, learn to push back and to say no without the fear of losing an opportunity.
A pressure/something people dont talk about in your industry?
Pushing through takes a lot of endurance and energy. You never know what’s next.
Photography has its own strange way of functioning. Every detail matters, it is such strategic form of working. People often want to see that one defining element you have in order to follow it. You have to stay true to yourself and also strategically shape and guide the audience into your universe—especially when you work across a wide, multidisciplinary range. If you’re doing something different, people disconnect more easily than they try to understand. It becomes a quick judgment, often driven by a lack of concentration or patience.
If you work in black and white, people assume you can’t do color. If you shoot in a studio, people assume you can’t shoot outside. You have to find yourself in various fields without loosing yourself. I think, in most cases and due to the lack of patience, people rarely engage deeply with the core of what you’re doing.
The Future
What does success look like for your photography in the future? A dream project?
A large solo exhibition in a renowned museum or art gallery, where people take time to observe and fully understand the universe behind the work.
Advice you would give someone starting out in the industry?
Invest in yourself and in your ideas. Consistency is key. Keep exploring and experimenting, and find things that inspire you and keep you excited and motivated. Let the creative flow lead you, and don’t overthink—trust it, and have fun.
What references influence you and your work?
My main references come from sculpture, dreams, and music that allow me to imagine and puzzle images in my head. I accept the weirdness that every dream brings with it, without questioning it.
Which artists have been the most influential/ inspiring to your work?
Artists such as Caravaggio, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick, Man Ray, Irving Penn, and Richard Avedon have deeply influenced my way of seeing images.
What inspires your expression/photography style?
Realism and surrealism. I love when something in an image feels slightly off, yet still works in its own way, could be a shadow, light, expression or a set—adding a timeless, sculptural visual language that freezes it in time but is contemporary. I want to keep a personal connection to every photograph I take.
