From the essential portrait from INSIDE + OUT:

AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, WHAT IS THE MESSAGE YOU WISH TO CONVEY, AND HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A BODY OF WORK OR SUBJECT MATTER TO FOCUS ON?

Bahram Foroughi: I don’t really think in terms of a single message. For me, it’s about capturing something true, something that feels the way it actually was in that moment. That’s what drew me into working with filmmaker Larry Fessenden. Larry’s films live in that space where things aren’t over-polished or forced; they feel human, a little raw, sometimes uncomfortable, but real.

Being around that kind of filmmaking reinforced how I see things as a photographer. I’m drawn to moments that have tension, where something’s just beneath the surface. It’s not about perfection, it’s about truth. Whether it’s on a film set or in a live music environment, I’m looking for that same thing: a moment that feels like it could fall apart or come alive at any second.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW.

Bahram Foroughi: I’m a first responder and volunteer with the Woodstock Rescue Squad, and I previously served as a firefighter in Olive for six years. That experience gave me a real understanding of the challenges first responders face, especially when it comes to dealing with PTSD.

I’m currently working on launching a nonprofit that teaches first responders how to fly fish as a way to manage that stress. It’s something I care deeply about, creating space for people who are constantly operating in high-pressure environments to slow down, reset, and find a sense of calm and balance in nature.

Read more of this intertview with this cherished collaborator since BITTER FEAST (2010)