Welcome to Archer’s Queer Fashion Files! Each month, we’ll interview trendsetters and tastemakers, showcasing the diversity and talent of the fashion world. You can check out all episodes of our Queer Fashion Files here.

In Episode 10, Hailey Moroney chats to Sulaiman “Sully” Enayatzada about photography techniques, Afghani representation and creating spaces full of love and safety.

Sully Enayatzada is an Afghan-Australian conceptual & editorial photographer + creative director based in Naarm (Melbourne).

All images by: Sulaiman “Sully” Enayatzada

Hailey Moroney: Sulaiman! We first connected through our Issue #17 print edition: the HOME issue, and I totally fell in love with your creative eye. Can you catch our readers up on all about you? What’s your personal and creative origin story? 

Sulaiman “Sully” Enayatzada: It was awesome being featured in Marcus’s piece about their life. Thank you so much for that.

I’ve been a photographer for four years now after trying many different career pathways (politics, coffee brewing/roasting, pathology lab assistant, corporate communication etc.), but none of these fulfilled me or nourished my soul the way photography does.

I suppose I’ve always had a need to express myself; I’ve always been stubborn in that sense! I’m forever grateful for the privilege of expression, that I get to do this every day and meet amazing people along the way.

HM: Your work is a beautiful and seamless combination of environmental and studio settings – do you lean more towards one or the other? Does it depend on your subject, the client or whether it’s commercial vs editorial?

SE: It definitely depends on the type of work and the goal of what is being created. Studio, location or even AI are just different tools to help your expression – no one is better than the others.

What matters most is your vision and allowing it to evolve organically. Hopefully you’re working with people who don’t impede the creative flow. 

HM: I see you shoot both film and digital, which do you prefer? Can you elaborate on why? 

SE: I love both! I used to shoot film more, but found I was being too reliant on the “film look” as opposed to honing my concepts. So, I actively stopped shooting film for a year or so in order to work on my ideas. I’ve since integrated film back into my workflow, as there is no doubt film renders scenes in ways that digital simply does not.

I think digital or film both have their place, I’m definitely no purist towards one or the other.

HM: Where did you learn your craft? Your work is extremely skilled in utilising natural light and rigging artificial lighting. Are you self taught?

SE: I have no formal training or qualifications. I’m purely self-taught and self-funded. I’m a bit of a passion-driven dork; once something piques my interest, I get obsessed, it consumes me and I spend countless hours learning everything I can about it.

I learnt how to use lighting by watching photography YouTubers who kindly shared their knowledge, which I really appreciate. I can’t stand gatekeeping!

HM: You mentioned in ShoutoutLA that you were working on a photobook exploring Afghani identity in the West. Can you tell us more about this project, and about using photography to explore identity?

SE: I’ve sadly put this project aside as I feel it no longer sits well with me.

At the time, it felt right to create this work, but as time went on I was left feeling more and more off about the whole thing. I couldn’t help but to think about Edward Said’s Orientalism and how the West has conveyed us Eastern folks in ways that are “exotic, frozen in time, sensual, and limited”.

So, having a well-styled young Afghan person in a rug store drinking tea felt like I was a part of the problem and a part of the exotifying. It felt like I was letting down my culture by capturing this very shallow depiction of who we are.

Right now, I’m trying to rethink about how I can express my culture in a way that feels authentic and honours the complexity that exists in Afghani culture. Watch this space.

HM: How does your identity inform your practice? How do you facilitate a safe space while shooting for all crew involved?

SE: My identity informs my practice as I grew up between two cultures, never really belonging, but having the privilege of a mother who imbued me with a sense of unwavering confidence despite my isolating experience. A lot of my work expresses people being solitary but powerful. Alone but not lonely.

I facilitate a safe environment by honouring those I work with and holding space for people to just be themselves. I want people to have fun at my shoots and want to be there, not just have it be a chore. But of course, some shoots are time sensitive which doesn’t always permit the ‘fun’ element. In that instance, we’ll work efficiently, but with love, always.

HM: Lastly, I like to ask all our Queer Fashion Files contributors what they have in the pipeline! Do you have any upcoming projects that you’d like to share with our readers?

SE: I’m currently working on my own passion projects after a long string of amazing client work. So, soon you’ll be seeing work from the funny thing I call my mind, haha.

You can stay up to date with Sulaiman “Sully” Enayatzada on Instagram.

If you want to pitch an idea for Archer’s Queer Fashion Files, email pitch@archermagazine.com.au with ‘QUEER FASHION FILES’ in the subject line. You can check out the rest of our Queer Fashion Files here.