NAME :
Icy.
OCCUPATION :
Finance manager in the morning and a photographer 24/7.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN :
Cairo, Egypt. I’m all about that capital city life baby.
WHERE DO YOU LIVE :
United Arab Emirates, is the ultimate place to be for a dreamer.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 3 WORDS :
Resilient, Spontaneous, Charismatic.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY SHOOTING THE MOST :
Editorial shoots. It’s perfectionism embodied in photography and I’m all for it.
WHAT CAMERA DO YOU USE :
FujiFilm XT-200 for digitals. Too many film cameras to mention.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE SHOT :
My first ever film shot.. the authenticity hit different.
IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ONLY USING COLOUR OR B&W WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE :
B&W, The raw beauty of every detail and shadow is unmatched.
IF YOU COULD PHOTOGRAPH ANYONE ON EARTH WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE :
Tyla. Her beauty stuns me.
WHAT WAS THE LAST PHOTOGRAPH YOU TOOK :
A sunset in Dahab, Egypt. Probably one of the most aesthetically and soul-cleansing destinations you can go to.
WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY :
A scavenger hunt created by my sister and me to fight an imaginary dragon.
WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A KID :
I was a very calm kid, always had a fear of getting physically hurt, so I was mostly doing things in my imaginary world. I also had a fascination for people, so I recall I was very sociable too.
I’d say generally mellow and outgoing. Dress up was always a thing, and I didn’t really outgrow that part just yet.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION :
A necklace my mother gave me when I turned 18. A diamond initial of my birth name.
WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE :
Dakota Johnson or Zooey Deschanel. My choice is solely based on having bangs.
CHOOSE A SUPERPOWER :
Compulsion.
WHAT IS YOUR WORST TRAIT :
Impatience.
WHAT KEEPS YOU AWAKE AT NIGHT :
An endless stream of ideas and concepts to execute.
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT :
So far, my greatest achievement is also my greatest failure. My photography studio in Cairo. Entrepreneurship is difficult and needs a lot of experience, yet the bright side is that if you did it once before, you can definitely do it again and better.
DO YOU LISTEN TO PODCASTS :
Unfortunately, I do not.
WHAT’S YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE :
Has to be the endless daydreaming.
WHAT’S THE BEST THING YOU EVER STOLE :
A piece of every single person i met that formed me to be the person i am today.
YOU ARE HEADING TO THE ISS / INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, CHOOSE 4 PEOPLE TO TAKE A LONG :
Kevin Hart, The Rock, Matt Rife, and Dave Chappelle. Would be the funniest and most iconic experience ever tbh.
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT :
So far, my greatest achievement is also my greatest failure. My photography studio in Cairo. Entrepreneurship is difficult and needs a lot of experience,yet the bright side is that if you did it once before, you can definitely do it again and better.
DO YOU LISTEN TO PODCASTS :
Unfortunately, I do not.
WHAT’S YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE :
Has to be the endless daydreaming.
WHAT’S THE BEST THING YOU EVER STOLE :
A piece of every single person i met that formed me to be the person i am today.
YOU ARE HEADING TO THE ISS / INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, CHOOSE 4 PEOPLE TO TAKE A LONG :
Kevin Hart, The Rock, Matt Rife, and Dave Chappelle. Would be the funniest and most iconic experience ever tbh.
WHAT WOULD A PERFECT DAY FOR YOU LOOK LIKE :
A good night’s sleep, a mean cup of iced coffee, and waking up to the view of the ocean. Nothing but sand, beach,
and sunlight until the sun sets, and you start a campfire and watch the stars until you sleep with the sound of the waves in the background.
IF YOU COULD BE FRIENDS WITH A FICTIONAL CHARACTER WHO WOULD IT BE :
Sherlock Holmes.
WHAT’S THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB :
For finance, I’d say the perfectionism aspect of it. You can’t get it wrong, and you’ll know immediately when you do. Numbers don’t lie. As for photography, the lens makes you see beauty in everything, and it’s rare to have that these days.
ARE THERE DAYS YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO TO WORK :
The 8 to 5, yes, definitely. For someone who finds joy in the spontaneity of life, it’s hard to sit still all this time doing something so systematic. I’d say it’s a daily challenge, but that’s where the resilience comes in. Life’s all about balance.
PICK YOUR TOP 5 MAGAZINES :
Vogue, GQ, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and W.
WHAT IS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ :
The 48 laws of power BY Robert Greene.
WHAT WAS THE LAST GIFT YOU GAVE SOMEONE :
One of a kind vintage piece created by the talented Nadjib. It was a reworked collection of vintage Levi’s and dickies jeans to make a loose-fit, pocket-filled jacket. You’ll find his pieces at Digg it, which is also one of my favorite places to go to in Dubai.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU :
The fear of being average.
YOUR FAVOURITE DESTINATION :
Sinai, Egypt.
YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE DESTINATION :
Surprisingly, now it’s Cairo. It’s difficult to go home when you barely have anything left there.
WHAT IS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST :
It’s endless but the one right on top would be skydiving. For some reason, I’m actively seeking a
near-death experience.
DO YOU LIKE BEING INTERVIEWED :
Yes, I see it as a sociable way of self-reflection.
WHAT’S THE CLOSEST YOU HAVE COME TO DEATH :
Any time I’m behind the steering wheel. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a good driver. It’s just you can take the girl out of Egypt, but you can’t take Egypt’s driving out of the girl.
IF YOU HAD A BOAT, WHAT WOULD IT BE CALLED :
Icy sails. I have a streak for icy *anything* and I won’t be breaking it any time soon. Call it personal branding if you will.
YOUR MESSAGE :
Cheers to the world we make, not the world that makes us.
