Lara Zankoul

I was born in Lebanon in 1987 and currently live and work in Beirut. I spent my younger years intrigued with the photographs I would find in magazines (specifically fashion magazines), going over the details and the setups for hours on end. Eventually I enrolled in an economics degree for my undergraduate college years. It wasn’t until the age of 21, when I bought myself my first professional camera and began taking photographs, that I even considered pursuing my passion for the arts. After taking a single photography course for a college elective, I began looking up online tutorials, reading manuals and experimenting with my camera on my own time. As I steadily progressed over the years, I began balancing my career in economics and my love of photography until I decided to take a leap of faith and switch to the latter full-time. Now, six years later and completely self-taught, I’ve climbed to the status of an emerging fine arts photographer with an emphasis on the conceptual/surreal style. I spend my time teaching workshops (both in Lebanon and abroad), excitedly creating my own photos and photo series, carrying out photo shoots for clients and overall keeping up a very busy schedule.I love challenging myself and pushing my own boundaries. One of my main aims is creating surreal photography without any photo manipulation. In doing so, I push my own boundaries, explore new territories and experiment continuously. I believe a smart concept and a well-studied lighting setup (be it in a studio or outdoors) are crucial to the success of a photo. I also have a keen interest in portraying invisible concepts: emotions, psychology and all that is related to the soul. My work has been sold in various auctions, and my series “The Unseen” received international acclaim in 2013. I consider the choice to follow my passion as one of the greatest decisions of my life.“