We asked Egyptian photographer Mohamed Radi, our Photographer of the Month, about his artistic journey in the world of photography. He said:

“I am Mohamed Radi Gouda, 32 years old. I always like introducing myself using my full three-part name because I keep discovering talented people who share the same first and last name. I remember the first time I took a photo was in 2009. My father had a digital camera, so I secretly took it and tried taking pictures the same way my father and older brother did.

I always consider that I truly started photography in real-life settings as a hobby in 2014, and as a job in 2018. Photography has always been connected to my love for cinema, theater, and music, and I’ve always been fascinated by how to capture people’s nature and inner emotions through the image. I learned that a picture equals a thousand words.

Over time, I got to know most types of photography. I started with street and people photography, then moved to food and product photography, followed by events and music concerts—which are closest to my heart. Eventually, I got into shooting behind-the-scenes of movies and festivals.

In past years, something kept occupying my mind: the ability of photographers to document their work on major platforms. I always wondered, ‘Do I need to be a photojournalist to achieve that?’ This is why I began following the work of great photographers from different photography schools to develop myself.”

Mohamed shared with us three of his favorite works and told us about them.




“This photo is from two years ago. At the time, the audience’s reaction was not satisfying to me. So when I reached the final stage of the 35 Awards competition, I was very happy because it ranked in the photojournalism category. I was surprised and learned not to care about negative opinions.”


“Family always comes first. Whenever I feel lost or distracted, I find support from my father, prayers from my mother, and encouragement from my siblings in every situation. I find calmness in many moments that help me try and strive to see things from a different perspective.

“This photo was from the first time I ever shot at a film festival. I felt a mix of stress and excitement—excited to participate and at the same time focused on capturing images that express the inner emotions of the artists attending the festival.”