EXTENDED BIOGRAPHY
"I am awake, my eyes are open and my mind is free"
Sara Fénix Farag, having been raised by a travelling family, discovered the unique and fulfilling beauties of the world at an early age. Her environment continuously changed following her birth in 1987 in Meet Ghamr, a small farming village of rural Egypt. The precious moments of her life were too many and went by too quickly so she was delighted to see her mother consistently capturing them on 35mm film. Fénix was inspired by the idea of having an image of a moment with which to tell its story throughout time.
Driven by her adventurous nature she continued to travel in her teenage years, and began her regular visits to the United States. Over time she discovered her talent for capturing surreal moments that only last for the blink of an eye. Without any intention to adopt the practice as a profession, Fénix found herself increasingly photographing her surroundings. Then one day in 2010, a friend helped her realize that her passion could develop into a sustainable way of life. She bought a Canon 7D, her first professional camera, and shared an underground studio with a friend in the 3rd district of Vienna. There, she was able to explore and practice within the realm of Beauty, Portrait and Fashion photography, learn how to creatively manipulate light, how to design a set (from choosing the model’s clothing and make-up to setting up props and lighting equipment) and how to effectively direct a photo shoot. During this period she studied and developed advanced skills within the digital realm, everything from the enhancement of photos and complex composition of images to designing |
full commercial campaigns. For example: she developed, created and implemented the entire concept of the promotional campaign for the Fête Blanche in each of Austria’s primary cities, from dressing the model to printing the posters, banners and booklets.
It was also in 2010 when Fénix began experimenting with videography and in that year she was hired as personal photographer to Bollywood superstar Mallika Sherawat during the Cannes movie festivals. Her photo and video footage was published daily on Hollywood TV.
In 2011 she began shooting more action oriented photography like BMX, free style motocross and surfing in cooperation with teams such as Red Bull, Metal Mulisha and Masters of Dirt, covering events like XFighters, XGames and Nike’s Surf tournament.
Fénix' work was published in numerous magazines around the world such as ESPN in America and LW Magazine in South Africa.
During her worldly adventures, she discovered a profound passion for exploring nature’s incredibly diverse wildlife, scenery and vegetation. Her curiosity was aroused by the possibility to view each scene from endless perspectives and the broad range of naturally occurring exposure levels provided by the sun, moon and the stars. She learned to use this ever-evolving atmospheric lighting to capture breathtaking landscapes, macro images of the morning dew resting on flower petals and all the life forms in between. She found that shooting wild animals commands a great deal of patience, respect and a certain presence in order to elicit the perfect shot.
In 2013 Fénix moved to California seeking new experiences. Living in a community in the mountains of Topanga took Fénix' inter-personal adaptability and improvisational skills to a whole new level - which greatly serves in the art of photography. Here she combined her expertise in the studio with her extensive practice using natural lighting to shoot outdoor portrait and fashion photography. In the tranquility of the peaceful mountains, she spent considerable time further advancing her digital skills using Photoshop, Lightroom and Final Cut Pro.
During her four-year stay in the States, she was booked for a broad range of photography and videography. For example: doors-off aerial photography for Coastal Helicopters in Los Angeles and NYonAir in New York, press photos at red carpet events such as the Peoples Choice Awards, MSN Entertainment and shooting behind the scenes for major car commercials such as Ford and Toyota.
She was also hired to shoot artist portfolios, weddings, and fashion photography for many different brands such as 7 for all Mankind, Rich Honey and Costa Blanca.
Fénix' exploration carried her all over Europe and to many remote areas around the world from shooting weddings in Austria and wildlife in Botswana to exploring the jungles of Ecuador, from scaling the edge of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and chasing rainbows in Ireland to having motocross riders hurtling over her head in Poland.
Spontaneity, flexibility and courage are three of the founding qualities that Fénix has developed through her experiences as a traveling photographer. Her creative eye for angles and her unique attitude and style is vividly visible throughout her work. She has grown from an enthusiastic hobby photographer into a highly skilled, professional artist. Her camera is no longer a tool but functions rather as her bionic eye. She has found and nurtured her talent and keen passion for capturing invaluable moments, which are the building blocks of her exciting, unfolding portfolio.
In 2017 Fénix moved back to Europe and is today living in Ibiza, Spain where she continues her profession as a skilled photographer, videographer and creative director amongst other hobbies and professions.
It was also in 2010 when Fénix began experimenting with videography and in that year she was hired as personal photographer to Bollywood superstar Mallika Sherawat during the Cannes movie festivals. Her photo and video footage was published daily on Hollywood TV.
In 2011 she began shooting more action oriented photography like BMX, free style motocross and surfing in cooperation with teams such as Red Bull, Metal Mulisha and Masters of Dirt, covering events like XFighters, XGames and Nike’s Surf tournament.
Fénix' work was published in numerous magazines around the world such as ESPN in America and LW Magazine in South Africa.
During her worldly adventures, she discovered a profound passion for exploring nature’s incredibly diverse wildlife, scenery and vegetation. Her curiosity was aroused by the possibility to view each scene from endless perspectives and the broad range of naturally occurring exposure levels provided by the sun, moon and the stars. She learned to use this ever-evolving atmospheric lighting to capture breathtaking landscapes, macro images of the morning dew resting on flower petals and all the life forms in between. She found that shooting wild animals commands a great deal of patience, respect and a certain presence in order to elicit the perfect shot.
In 2013 Fénix moved to California seeking new experiences. Living in a community in the mountains of Topanga took Fénix' inter-personal adaptability and improvisational skills to a whole new level - which greatly serves in the art of photography. Here she combined her expertise in the studio with her extensive practice using natural lighting to shoot outdoor portrait and fashion photography. In the tranquility of the peaceful mountains, she spent considerable time further advancing her digital skills using Photoshop, Lightroom and Final Cut Pro.
During her four-year stay in the States, she was booked for a broad range of photography and videography. For example: doors-off aerial photography for Coastal Helicopters in Los Angeles and NYonAir in New York, press photos at red carpet events such as the Peoples Choice Awards, MSN Entertainment and shooting behind the scenes for major car commercials such as Ford and Toyota.
She was also hired to shoot artist portfolios, weddings, and fashion photography for many different brands such as 7 for all Mankind, Rich Honey and Costa Blanca.
Fénix' exploration carried her all over Europe and to many remote areas around the world from shooting weddings in Austria and wildlife in Botswana to exploring the jungles of Ecuador, from scaling the edge of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and chasing rainbows in Ireland to having motocross riders hurtling over her head in Poland.
Spontaneity, flexibility and courage are three of the founding qualities that Fénix has developed through her experiences as a traveling photographer. Her creative eye for angles and her unique attitude and style is vividly visible throughout her work. She has grown from an enthusiastic hobby photographer into a highly skilled, professional artist. Her camera is no longer a tool but functions rather as her bionic eye. She has found and nurtured her talent and keen passion for capturing invaluable moments, which are the building blocks of her exciting, unfolding portfolio.
In 2017 Fénix moved back to Europe and is today living in Ibiza, Spain where she continues her profession as a skilled photographer, videographer and creative director amongst other hobbies and professions.
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