During the time you spend on social media platforms, you have certainly come across a beautiful aerial photograph depicting a part of Lebanon from a new point of view.
The 29-year-old photographer Rami Rizk was recently featured in an article on the Bored Panda. That is when he reached considerable fame and became the talk of the town.
We had the opportunity to speak to Rami about his work.
What’s your background
Rami Rizk lived in Jezzine, South Lebanon, his whole life before moving to Jounieh – where he lived for about 6 years. His hometown nostalgia made him establish a Facebook page showing the beauty of Jezzine.
He learned about drone technology on Youtube before it became popular in Lebanon. Rami has a twin brother who is also a photography fanatic.
When did you discover your love for photography?
“My photography hobby grew after I was fascinated by the landscape of my native village, Jezzine, and was nurtured by my love for discovering new places. It is thanks to these two factors that I began to visit the various places you can see in my photographs.”
Which was your first publicly featured work?
“My first feature was in the magazine of Middle East Airlines, where a picture of Saint Charbel statue in Faraya was published.”
How do you feel when your work gets featured on an international website or magazine or when a photograph of yours goes viral?
“I never thought my images would reach such a vast audience, and I am always humbled and grateful when my work is praised and featured internationally. It makes me proud to see that I am able to convey the incomparable beauty of Lebanon to both locals and foreigners, amidst the waves of negativity that this small country is showered with.”
How much of your work is for Lebanon and for spreading its beautiful image?
“It has undoubtedly become my mission to highlight the hidden gems that we fail to encounter in our daily lives, due to the lack of belief in the marvels of our Lebanon.”
What is your favourite subject to photograph?
“Landscape images have always been my favorite subject, since, along with the right timing, and my drone, they seem to jump out of a fairytale.”
What drone technology do you use?
“Almost all my photos are captured using the latest DJI Phantom technology, the Phantom 4 Pro. I highly recommend its use since the results are far better than any other brand, especially while using it in low-light sceneries and while recording movies.”
How do you control the credits problem?
“At first, I took the credits’ matter very seriously and I felt offended every time I saw my picture somewhere without credits. However, with time, the issue mattered less to me as I understood that my main concern should be for the pictures to highlight the landmark, rather than my personal effort in picturing it.”
Are you a fan of The961?
“I am definitely a fan of The961, as I believe we share the common interest of spreading Lebanese matters, each in our own way.”
