Portland photographer Naim Hasan is known for capturing a moment, creating an image that entices. And in this season of photogenic events, he is willing to share his secret: Memorable portraits have nothing to do with camera tricks.
“For me, it’s about connecting with the environment, the person, place or thing,“ said Hasan, whose photographs tell a story, evoke an emotion. ”Everything has an energy and I pay attention to that."
He said people can miss seeing an unexpected object or action in plain sight when focused only on what’s expected.
To prevent overlooking something of interest, he takes the time to slowly scan a scene from right to left, then left to right, top to bottom and from the center out.
“I continue to develop the skill of noticing the intersection of different elements,” he said, whether he’s photographing landmarks around the world or an Oregon wedding.
He has fine tuned his practice of being present in the moment — meditation helps — and by honoring his instincts, “what I call ‘little nudges’ that lead me to go in one direction or turn around,” he said.
Hasan has worked both sides of the camera — he was a professional model for 15 years — and as an Olympic athlete on the U.S. taekwondo team, he learned to be totally focused.
“When I am immersed in doing something, my thoughts are quiet, and I can observe what’s going on without judgment,” he said.
His modeling career gave him a front-row view of seasoned photographers and art directors at work, and the visual mood major brands like Nike, Columbia and Adidas strive to convey.
He uses his insight to gently coach people posing for a portrait. When they relax, he said, they release joyful energy “and that spirit gets projected or infused in the photo.”
Hasan’s portfolio has an executive in a blue pantsuit and pearls standing with her arms crossed on train tracks, a woman in an elegant sari and Portland Rose Festival princesses.
Then there are Hasan’s portraits of everyday occasions that captivate: Two men, brothers in identical orange shirts, standing shoulder to shoulder in the backyard; a confident-looking high school senior, his body leaning toward the exit door; and a young woman in jeans gazing into a glamorous mirror, her reflection looking straight at the camera.
He looks for quiet moments. A close-up photo of a bride, peaceful on her wedding day, includes her mother’s hand gently touching her daughter’s tulle veil.
Hasan said events have moments like “riding whitewater rapids” and the photographer wants to capture that excitement. And then, the water goes calm, presenting an opportunity to portray, he said, ”a nice, easy, peaceful kind of flow."
— Janet Eastman covers design and trends. Reach her at 503-294-4072, jeastman@oregonian.com and follow her on X @janeteastman.
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