#OmanPride: An Omani banker with a thirst for taking photographs

Click here to see Haitham Al Farsi's works
MUSCAT: Haitham Al Farsi, a 28-year-old Omani, is banker by profession. But photography is his passion, for which he spends seven to eight hours daily on honing his skills and 30 to 40 per cent of his annual salary to quench the thirst for capturing good pictures.
Having 270 global and four local photography awards in his kitty, Al Farsi started his photography journey in 2013, when he bought his first camera, a Canon 550 D, from a mall in Oman while doing window shopping.
“I bought that camera purely out of curiosity. However, purchasing it changed my life. Slowly, by following YouTube and other social networking sites, I got acquainted with the basics of photography. Later on, I attended the Photography Society of Oman’s workshops, where I learnt the nuances of photography from the masters. Now, after three years, I feel happy and enthused to capture more,” said Al Farsi, who also attributes his success to his father who is also passionate about photography.
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During the initial days, Al Farsi used to capture landscapes and follow fashion photography. However, travelling to different places changed his priorities.
“I travelled to India and started to capture street life and the faces of people. Slowly, I realised that capturing faces is my forte. I have spent hours and hours to get the perfect shot. But spending time is worth it. I have not felt bad about it ever, especially after seeing the final shot,” Al Farsi added.
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Recently, he got the Sofia Photography Award from Bulgaria for capturing a young girl carrying water in Nepal. “The picture was captured in 2014. I took three shots only. But it turned to be one of my favourite pictures,” Al Farsi added.
Al Farsi said he wished to meet that young girl again, as she has brought him these accolades.
“I travelled in 2015 again to find her. But couldn’t. I will travel to find her again. It is said that patience pays off in photography. I am sure that I can find her again,” Al Farsi added.