Photographer Amed Lotfy, better known as The Koshy on Instagram, has gathered quite a following featuring anything from a camel near the pyramids to a felucca in Aswan—all using his mobile phone. One of the few Egyptian photographers making Egypt look magical, El Koshy manages to make even old, forgotten cars somehow look charming. Starting in 2009 with a Nokia N70 phone, today El Koshy has over 56,000 followers on Instagram.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Ahmed Lotfy, however, people have been calling me El Koshy ever since I was four. I started amateur mobile photography in 2009 with a Nokia N70, photographing what I think are neglected perspectives. Along the years I learned more about mobile photography and got myself an iPhone 5S for better quality. Roaming the streets was, and still is, my utmost passion. I joined Instagram in 2014 to share my work on a very small scale with my friends.
What inspires your work?
The possibility of expanding the common understanding of perspectives; based on this idea, I always try to show the unseen sides of ordinary streets, taking place in our daily lives within the boundaries of Cairo.
How has your work developed over the years?
Along the years of sharing my work on Instagram, I ran into other participants from the Instagram community. That worked in my favor because it expanded my own perspective to a bigger world and more tools that can be used for a greater outcome. My passion grew bigger and my willingness to improve never left my head. A few months later, Instagram supported what I do and featured my account as one of the best photographers in Egypt.
What do you like most about your work?
Having accomplished all that with my cellphone.
Tell us more about your work; what process do you generally follow?
Charge my phone, roam the streets and capture what I see.
How do you see the art scene in Egypt?
At the very beginning of my days with photography, I actually thought it would be a very long shot for me to accomplish anything, but along the past few years, I witnessed a great expansion in people’s minds and their way of accepting and acknowledging the existence of art.
Who are your favorite artists, both local and international?
My favorite international artist is Olivier Wong (@wonguy974 on Instagram), and locally, my favorites are Taimour Othman (@Taimouro on Instagram) and Hana (@hanaperlas on Instagram).
What are your plans for the future?
Till now, my goal is to shoot a movie with a cellphone.
Can you tell us about your experience with Artspine and how and whether it helped advance your career?
Artspine was a great opportunity for me to run across some very talented people and motivated me to never quit what I do. I believe that Artspine will be a great chance for me to expand my work on a greater scale in the future.
Artspine is the first arts portal in Egypt bringing together talented artists from various fields including art, photography, writing and music. Members of the digital hub are invited to aspire to inspire by showcasing their work and exchanging experiences and contacts. Follow artspine on facebook at facebook/artspine, on Instagram @artspine1 and on Twitter @Artspine1 • www.artspine.net
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