Ahmad Alaa: Egyptian filmmaker and photographer preserving fleeting moments through photography and film

Ahmad Alaa is a Cairo-based filmmaker and photographer and a graduate of the Photography, Cinema and Television Department at the Faculty of Applied Arts. His practice explores memory, place, and the relationship between people and their environments through documentary, narrative and photographic work.

Working across directing, cinematography and editing, Alaa approaches filmmaking through observation. His latest documentary, Qahera, has received several awards and been screened at film festivals in Egypt and internationally. His photography has also been exhibited at Cairo Photo Week and Cairo Design Week. He is currently working as a cinematographer on his first feature film.

How did you get started in photography?

When I was ten, my dad gave me my first camera and took me to the zoo. It was the first time I had ever taken photographs, and as a kid I was fascinated by the idea that I could save those moments in one place and revisit them whenever I wanted.

Looking back, I think that was the moment I fell in love with photography, and eventually with filmmaking too.

How would you describe yourself?

I would describe myself as honest and curious. I like paying attention to small details and noticing things other people might walk past without seeing. That is probably part of why I got into photography in the first place.

I also really value family. I think the people and places around us shape who we are, and that shows up in the kind of stories I want to tell.

What are the main themes that inspire your photography?

Much of my inspiration in photography comes from my desire not to forget. One of the most fascinating things about photography for me is its ability to keep a moment and allow me to come back to it whenever I want. I believe that is what made me interested in photography from childhood.

I also enjoy photography as a medium because I feel like it leaves space for the viewer to imagine what is beyond the image, or even hear the sounds behind it. I like that a photograph does not always explain everything and can make people create their own connection with the image.

I love keeping photos of the people I love, the places I have visited and the moments that mean a lot to me. Maybe it is because I always feel that people may leave, and places may change or disappear. Photography gives me a way to keep these moments.

I think this connection also comes from my interest in archives. I truly appreciate archives and find them very inspiring because they raise many questions for me about memory, time and how photographs become part of our collective memory.

What moment in your career are you most proud of?

I spent some time thinking about what moment I am most proud of. At first, I thought it might be my first exhibition, or the first time my film was screened in a cinema in front of an audience. After thinking more, I realised it is actually a photograph I took that means a lot to me.

During her last years, my grandmother did not like being photographed or appearing in family pictures. She would not let me photograph her either, even though she knew how much I loved photography and how much she meant to me. I understood her feelings. I think it came from a sense of getting older and not looking the way she used to.

One day, she told me, “Ahmad, I want you to photograph me.” I was surprised because I never expected her to ask me that. I brought my film camera, and we sat together in the garden and talked for a while. I photographed her.

A week later, I printed the photo, put it in a frame and gave it to her as a gift. What made me really happy was that she loved the way she looked in it. A few days later, I found that she had hung the photo in her room.

After my grandmother passed away, this photograph became something I hold onto. It is one of the few things that keeps that moment with me, and it reminds me of the connection we shared. This moment might seem simple, but for me, it is one of the things I am most proud of.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a photographer?

As a photographer in Cairo, street photography can be very difficult. I have experienced situations where my camera was taken, or my photos were deleted.

During my studies, photography was my main field, and we were often required to shoot in the streets, but we constantly ran into issues with permits and bureaucracy. At one point, after one of these situations happened to me, I ended up spending a day detained just for photographing in the street.

At the time, it left me frustrated and unsure whether to continue. After some time, I realised this was something I wanted to explore creatively. I felt I had a story I needed to tell, especially since it is something many photographers experience.

This led me to create my film Qahera, which explores my relationship with photography, the city and the difficulties of photographing there. The film was screened at several festivals and received awards.

What made me happiest was seeing that people connected with the feelings and ideas I wanted to express, and that I was able to turn a personal experience into something others could relate to.

What type of photography do you specialise in?

I think I am still trying to find my own voice and style. Most of the time, I find myself interested in street and documentary photography because I feel there is a lot of honesty in them.

I really enjoy photographing people, places and everyday life, and I always feel that there is something new to discover.

What is your primary commercial niche?

Most of my professional work so far has been in filmmaking rather than photography. During my years at university, photography was mainly a personal practice that I pursued because I genuinely enjoyed it.

If I were to focus on photography professionally, documentary photography is the direction I would choose. It feels like the most natural extension of the way I already work.

What is your unique technical or visual approach?

I do not think I have a fixed visual style. I care a lot about composition and lighting, but how I shoot changes depending on what I am shooting.

Lately, I have started shifting towards analogue photography. It has made me slower and more careful with each shot. Part of what I love about it is that you cannot see the photos right away. Something is exciting about seeing the whole roll at once and finding photos you had forgotten you took.

I have also started to feel like analogue is real photography because you end up with something physical and tangible. Digital, in comparison, feels more like a simulation of a photograph.

Which global brands, photographers, or industries do you feel your work aligns with most?

I have always been more interested in the process of creating images than in specific brands or equipment. What inspires me most is the way photographers approach their work.

I feel especially connected to the work of Denis Dailleux, Mohamed Mahdy and Randa Shaath. Their photographs have influenced the way I think about storytelling and the ability of images to capture a sense of place, memory and human experience.

How is the photography and art space in Egypt?

Egypt has always felt like a photogenic country to me. I love the architecture, the streets and the mix of old and new everywhere you look.

Right now, there are a lot of inspiring Egyptian photographers, honestly more than before, because photography has become so much more accessible.

You can shoot with your phone now. You do not need expensive equipment to start, and that has opened things up for a lot of people who might not have gotten into photography otherwise.

What is one professional standard you never compromise on?

Being aware of my positionality as a photographer. I think it is important to understand my relationship with the people and places I photograph, and how my own perspective influences the image.

I always try to approach photography with honesty, respect and trust. Especially when photographing people, I believe it is important not to take a moment out of context or create an image only because it looks powerful. I want to represent the people and stories I photograph with care and respect.

What do you think of the 54Ruum platform?

What interests me most about 54Ruum is that it focuses on the photographers and their work, as well as the stories behind individual images. I appreciate that it creates space for artists to share their stories, ideas and experiences.

I also like that it is building a community across Africa. That is really interesting and inspiring for me. A platform like this makes those connections more possible while giving photographers greater visibility and opportunities.