PHOTOGRAPHY BY NAZIA

Q. What is your mission statement?

I want to photograph real women to shatter the myth of false images that confront women on a daily basis.

Q. Where did you study photography?

I studied photography at the University of Wolverhampton and successfully completed my BA (Hons) in Photography along with completing a short course in VTCT Cosmetic Make-up.

Thereafter, I started getting overwhelming phone calls with requests for portfolios, and partly this combination of my qualifications pushed me to making a decision to launch my own photography studio.

Q. Which famous women do you admire, who you feel inspire you most?

I admire many famous women probably too many to mention, Madonna is a style icon. She is like a camelion and her ability to change with the times has enhanced her staying power for decades. Another style icon is the late Audrey Hepburn. I personally like that elegant look. For me her face is quite unique, she is somebody who I would have loved to have photographed. But I believe that every woman has a hidden beauty that I would want to capture in my work.

Q. Do you think women are put under too much pressure to look good these days?

Yes, I do think that women are under immense pressure, media created pressure to look a certain way. They are expected to live up to an unrealistic ideal. As photography can be self-empowering, my aim is to photograph real women and help them to realise and appreciate their own beauty and if I can achieve that, I will then feel that my work is worth while.