I have been a member of Deviant Art for a while now. I’ve always like the site because I enjoy looking at other artists’ work and exploring new techniques and ideas. One of the artists I discovered on DA goes by the name of ZARDO. He is a self taught photographer who manipulates photos into something amazingly dark and edgy. Every time he submits a new photo I make a point to look at it and really appreciate it.  He shares the world in a way that is unique to others. It always stuns me how beautiful his work is. I promise that his websites are worth checking out.

Zardo’s Links:

Personal Website

Deviant Art

Facebook

BIOGRAPHY (accord to his website):

“Behind Zardo, my real name is Behrouz Riahi. I’m born in 1985. I am Belgian and I live in Bruxelles. I am a Psychologist. I really began photography when I was 19 years old and have pursued it actively for 7 years. Before taking pictures I liked writing some dark poetry. The problem was that illustrating my thoughts only with words soon became too restricted. I wanted to show how I saw the world. It is why I began with photomanipulation before photography. But the problem with photomanipulation is the fact that it is not real. With photos and the technique I use, I found the way to show the world as I see it.

I am a self-taught person as far as photography is concerned. When I see a really good photo I wonder how it was made and how I could make it myself. To take my photos, I like going to the old part of cities and to places with stunning landscapes where there is nobody. Everywhere I go, I take my camera with me. Firstly, for me, the ideal place is deserted. I hate having people on my photos. It is one of the most difficult parts of the job. Secondly, it has to contain some old buildings with a Gothic architectural style. And finally, there should be a tormented sky where clouds are tempestuous. Maybe one day, I will find the perfect conditions. But does perfection really exist?

I have been influenced by a lot of artists in various ways. The movies by Tim Burton and the beauty of his images is one of them. I am also influenced by the great imagination of two Belgian painters: Magritte and Delvaux. The surrealistic look of their paintings always makes me dream.

As a conclusion, I would like to say that photography is a way for me to leave a world and live in another. When I take my photographs, time stops. There is nobody with me. Photography is a method for me to share with others what is inside me. It is a pleasure to take them and then to share them.”