Lahore Like Never Seen Before: Featuring Muhammad Ashar, Emerging Architectural Photographer

“It takes more than a camera to be a good photographer.”

But with today’s smart technology and flow of information, it’s easier than ever to learn how to take great pictures, though still its the imagination, creativity, framing and to be on the right spot at just right time to capture unique perspectives.

To present our readers with unique perspectives of Lahore, we are starting series of articles to feature talented and emerging photographer’s work, we are showcasing their pictures of historic monuments and architecture that you have been seeing from long period of time, but never thought that it can look that mush stunning with some WOW factor.

Our this month’s featured photographer is Muhammad Ashar, he has been listed on top of list on number of international competitions, like Wiki Love Monuments and also featured on BBC Urdu and number of other national channels. His area of mastering is landscape and architectural photography. As brought up in the streets of Walled City of Lahore, he always carrying a vision to present those historical places, architecture and streets in unique perspective. Ashar started photography just few years back and now known and acknowledged as one of the best photographer in Pakistan’s Photographers community.

Today we are featuring some of the classy shots of Lahore historic architecture scene from an eye of Muhammad Ashar. Let’s start exploring great shots with totally inimitable perspectives.

Locally Lahore: What inspire you the most to capture anything around?

Muhammad Ashar: Uniqueness and beauty of the place. Mainly interested to capture architecture and landscape.

Locally Lahore: What kind of gear do you use mostly?

Muhammad Ashar: Nikon DSLRs

Badshahi Masjid also known as Emperor’s Mosque, Lahore.

Locally Lahore: Which is your favorite lens? Why?

Muhammad Ashar: For architecture Nikkor 10.5 mm f2.8, For landscapes Tokina 11-16 mm f2.8, For portraits Nikkor 50 mm f1.8.

Locally Lahore: When you go for photo walk in walled city or on one of your travels, what all gears you take with you? Why?

 Muhammad Ashar: For walled city mainly, I’m using wide angle lenses as they are good to capture architecture. For traveling where main target to capture landscape wide angle and telephoto both kind of lenses are required and handy.

Bahria Grand Jamia Masjid, Lahore.

Locally Lahore: Location hazards and weather condition seems to be a crucial aspect to get a great photo. How do you handle these all unpredictable factors?

Muhammad Ashar: Most of the time I planned the trip for the location which I haven’t captured earlier or not properly captured earlier mean some expects get missed or captured not on golden hour. Weather is most important factor it can make or destroy your photography trip. So while planning we try to see forecasts. But sometimes you have to take risk.

 Locally Lahore: In the field, what are your preferred settings?

Muhammad Ashar: As far as camera settings is concern mainly three parameters matter i.e. Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO. For landscape, architecture, cityscape, street photography (except portraits), I used camera on manual mode and strictly followed the book i.e. aperture should be between 9 to 11 and shutter and ISO should be adjusted accordingly.

Masjid Wazir Khan, Lahore.

Locally Lahore: Share with us your journey of learning photography. How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?

Muhammad Ashar: Initially it is started from traveling. Then brought DSLR and start photography along with traveling. Then I started posting picture on different groups, forums and international competition and get fair amount of appreciation which encourage me to keep capturing and sharing.

As far as learning is concerns my follow friends (Atif, Nauman, Mansoor) has DSLR before me and when I bought DSLR they guided me to use it, told me basic settings. Initially learned a lot from there picture specially Mr. Nauman pictures. Than i start following other famous photographer and started learning tutorials online and that gradually improve my photography and post processing skills. Most importantly practice make you perfect so to improve any skill you need to keep practicing it.

Locally Lahore: Which photographers influenced you the most, and how did they influence your thinking, photographing, and career path? Any national and international photographer.

Muhammad Ashar: There are many names who inspire me like Mr. Yasir Nisar, Mr. Gulraiz Ghuari, Mr. Mobeen Mazhar, Mr. Hammad Iqbal, Mr. Minhaj Qazi, Mr. Danial Cheng and many more list go on and on. But Mr. Atif Saeed my personal favorite he is the best among all.

Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore.

Locally Lahore: What kind of tools do you use for post processing? Share your work flow

Muhammad Ashar: Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. Workflow is different for different pics no hard and fast flow.

Locally Lahore: What you want to advice to those are beginner photographers?

Muhammaed Ashar: I am still a student and always trying to learn new things every day.  So advice is the same try to learn something new every day when you thought that you know everything your learning and creativity will be stopped. So keep learning and do the practice as much as you can.

 

More Wonders of Lahore by Muhammad Ashar

Muhammad Ashar outstanding work is inspiration for many new talented photographers to present an amazing and rich historic and cultural view of Pakistan to outside world.