I was supposed to do the traditional thing – major in biochemistry, spend a few years in grad school working on a Ph.D., then go into research. That all changed when I borrowed a camera.
I developed a passion for filmmaking at Rice University. After directing two student films and screening them in front of hundreds of classmates, I was hooked. I loved the feeling of working with friends on a creative project and then sharing the results with the rest of the world. This feeling led me to Southern California, where I earned my Masters degree in film production at Chapman University’s prestigious Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.
Film school is also where I seriously became interested in still photography. I was always taking pictures as a kid, but now I saw photography as a great way to train my eyes to “see” as a director. I’m also fascinated with technology, and digital still cameras provided me with endless hours of creative playtime. Unlike film and video production, which require hours of post-production to develop a finished piece, still photography has an immediacy that I absolutely love. It’s immensely satisfying to shoot a photograph and be able to share the finished piece, right away. With the advent of DSLRs that also shoot video, my two passions are converging, and I’m eagerly anticipating all of the new developments over the next few years. But regardless of what’s coming around the corner, the foundation of still and motion photography is to create images that move people. I like to think that I’m in the business of creating “moving pictures.”
Today, my wife and I live in Dallas, not far from our original hometown of Houston. I teach film production at The Art Institute of Dallas, and I’ve developed my passion for still photography into a growing business. In my spare time, I’m working on a few story ideas to eventually produce as feature films. It’s a busy life, but busy in a good way. In this business, it’s hard to predict what you’ll be doing in five years. All I know is I’ll be creating images that make people laugh, cry, and see themselves in ways they didn’t expect. And if I can help them experience the same feelings that got me here in the first place, then I’ll be truly satisfied.
Thanks for visiting the site.
-Saqib Siddik