Meet Ghawam Kouchaki

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ghawam Kouchaki.

Hi Ghawam, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today. 
A lot of who I am as an artist was thanks to the support from my friends and family; I don’t think I would have progressed as much as I have today or taken risks as an artist if it were not for their mentorship. 

My interest in photography started from a young age when I used my parent’s old Minolta x-700 to take pictures, but I never took it seriously until 2020. One of the first things I photographed then were the George Floyd protests around City Hall in DTLA. It was from that experience that I began to photograph people on the street; this is where my passion for street and portrait photography started. 

My street and portrait work mainly was me asking people on the street if I could take their photo; some of my street photography was still capturing candid moments, but my focus leaned more towards portraiture at that time; my interest in portrait photography began when my grandfather, visiting from Iran, let me take his picture. He was my first model and a lot of my methods when I do portrait photography stems from the spontaneity my grandfather and I had during these photo sessions. 

During the summer of 2022, I traveled to Iran to shoot a photo book centered around portraits of my grandfather, family, and friends that was called “The Last Summer”. The Last Summer was my attempt to preserve my fading connection to Iran as my grandfather had been suffering from Alzheimer’s. 

When I was shooting my photo book, I was using a combination of film and digital photography, but after my grandfather passed away in December 2023, I’ve stopped using film in my work and committed to simplify my method of work with digital photography. 

Most of my work now is shot with a compact digital camera like the Fuji x100v with a small external flash; it’s lightweight and fits into a small bag; the simplicity of this camera has allowed me to think less and focus more on capturing moments unfold in Downtown Los Angeles. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of my biggest struggles was getting close to people on the street. I was afraid of confrontation, and I won’t lie; there have been times where I’ve been confronted for taking someone’s picture. I wondered if there would be a point where I would get over this fear of being confronted if I got close, but I realized that I never will, and even though I am afraid, I still try to get the picture I want because you only have one shot to do so. 

A lot of my growth occurred when I accepted failure as part of the process; I’ve missed shots, put in the wrong settings or my camera was in my bag. I beat myself up a lot for this kind of stuff, but after having gone through some life events, I started to calm down, worry less about being perfect, and allow myself to fail. 

The biggest obstacle I’ve found as an artist is the struggle to find a sense of community in Los Angeles. The common problem I’ve found talking to many people is the lack of cooperation between artists in this city, everyone seems to be out for themselves or they like calling themselves an artist and their real goal is to become a celebrity influencer. This is a symptom of the unchecked corporate capitalist influence that’s seeped into mainstream art today, but it’s still disheartening to see many artists struggling to pursue their passion because they don’t fit within a sanitized focus group-sized box. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a Filmmaker/Photographer, telling stories has been my passion from a young age and doing street photography allows me to stay connected to that part of my passion. 

I specialize in portrait and street photography, the majority of my time is spent out on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles or organizing photoshoots with models for street fashion shoots. 

What people know me for right now is my photography, I’ve finished a photo book centered around portraits of my grandfather and extended family back in Iran, this was my way of preserving that fading connection I have to my ethnic identity. 

I mainly focus on my street photography now as it’s helped me begin to find my voice as an artist, and I can finally capture Los Angeles in the way I’ve experienced it for so long, but I couldn’t articulate it as well as I could now. My growth as a photographer is thanks to other passionate artists who gave me great advice and helped me push past my preconceived limits. 

What sets me apart from most photographers is my willingness to try anything and getting the shot no matter what; there have been times where I’ve run through traffic or gotten into someone’s face to get the shot I need. This all stems from my tenacity; it’s the only thing that keeps me going out in the streets even after most people have gone home. 

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I don’t believe in luck. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ghawamkouchaki.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ghawam.kouchaki/