Pro Bio

I was born in Central Asia and raised within a nomadic lifestyle rooted in Kyrgyz traditions. From my Kazakh mother, I inherit a lineage of seven generations of shamans, whose spirit of creativity and resilience continues to guide my work. My life journey has taken me from Kyrgyzstan to London, China, and now the United States, each place shaping the way I see and capture the world.

My career began in the fashion industry at an early age—modeling at 14, serving as deputy director of a modeling agency at 16, and launching my own clothing designs by 17. At 19, I presented my first collection at the national Independence Day of Kyrgyzstan celebration on Red Square before thousands of people. That experience opened doors to opportunities in fashion, media, and contract negotiation, eventually leading me to co-found a modeling and talent agency while completing my BA in Management and Economics and exploring ventures in fashion production.

Since 2005, I have devoted myself fully to photography, bringing more than 20 years of creative experience to diverse projects. My clients span corporate institutions, commercial brands, nonprofits, and private individuals.

My work blends fashion sensibility, design, and makeup artistry with fine art photography to create portraits and stylized experiences that are deeply personal, expressive, and memorable. Whether capturing products, portraits, or artistic projects, I strive to create imagery that reflects individuality, beauty, and story.

Though I now work entirely in digital photography, I still value the lessons of film and treasure the first camera I received in photography school. I remain especially grateful to my teacher, Don Jones, whose guidance and patience laid the foundation for my craft. (View his work at www.DonJonesPhotography.com).

For me, photography is more than technique—it is the art of drawing with light. My mission is to illuminate every project with clarity, depth, and emotion, creating images that will be cherished for years to come.

© Gulnara Niaz — Photographer & Visual Artist