Berlin based talent Mehran Djojan is another pearl from all those young artists to watch out. The 21-year young Afghan is fascinated by people and their stories. And photography gives him the opportunity to tell and create wonderful stories.
You are originally from Kabul. Tell me about your childhood, your parents and your environment growing up.
That’s right, I was born in Kabul but because of the war my parents fled to Germany when I was around one year old. I grew up in a small city in the East of Germany. It was not always that easy for me, as a person with a migration background, to grow up there. Especially in high school I got confronted with a lot of prejudices. I felt like I was never seen as a real German nor I felt like I’m a real Afghan. My parents are very open minded and they have always supported me in my decisions. Otherwise I wouldn´t have the opportunity to do my kind of photography.
And how photography was introduced into your life?
I was 13 when I got my first own camera and I took it with me wherever I went. I took pictures of strangers, my friends and basically everything which crossed my way. A few months later my camera broke and with the help of my sister I convinced my parents to buy me a DSLR . Ever since photography takes a huge part in my life.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I find inspiration everywhere. When I listen to music, read a book or watch a good movie. Sometimes it’s a feeling that makes me grab my camera and sometimes it’s a person who‘s fascinating me.
What is the essence of a good picture?
Passion and honesty. As long as you take pictures that mean something to you and you can stand behind them, they will come out great.
And what do you want to capture in your work?
I try to capture feelings like melancholy and longing in my pictures and to create moody scenerys which can be interpreted in different ways, based on the subjective views of every single beholder.
What is your biggest dream?
My biggest dream is to get the chance to realize some bigger projects and to showcase my work to a large audience in an exibition.
The most important thing in life…?
The most important thing in life is to have the opportunity to do what you love.
www.instagram.com/mehrandjojan
www.facebook.com/Mehran.Djo.Fotografie
