“I really enjoy exploring what makes sense to me: freedom of expression, the freedom to be who we are without judgment, and the uniqueness that each human being has. It’s about acceptance and respect,” says Adelaide Khaled, a photographer whose art captures the spiritual intersection of dream and reality. Based in Portugal, Adelaide’s images are imbued with a dreamy, melancholic quality that motion viewers into a secretive world. Her photographs don’t reveal everything at once, yet they powerfully tell stories. In our interview, Adelaide shares her journey through the lens of her camera, exploring themes of nature, emotion, and the essence of human connection.
Can you share the story behind your journey into photography?
Hello! My name is Adelaide Khaled, I’m 30 years old, and I’m the daughter of a Portuguese mother and a Lebanese father. Currently, I work as a photographer, designer, and art director. I was born and have lived my entire life in Portugal, with more than half of it in a small town in the interior of the country, Serpa. Only much later did I move to the capital, Lisbon. Presently, I like to say I have a ”double life” as I spend time both in Serpa and Lisbon. I end up having the best of both worlds: the city and the countryside. It was in Serpa where I started taking photographs, first of myself, and then together with a friend, we had almost daily sessions. Living in the countryside, we had fields and fields to explore. From incredible sunsets, starry skies, daisies, sunflowers, to fields of flowers, where creativity could flourish. Even as a child, when we only had analogue cameras, my mother would take me to these fields, put flowers in my hair, and take photos of me. I remember the excitement of waiting, the anticipation for how the photos would turn out, which I still feel to this day. I think that’s where the interest and love for what I do began to grow. Presently, since I don’t work solely in photography, I always try to combine my love for photography with my professional journey.
How do you choose the subjects and themes?
My choice of themes and subjects often revolves around the feelings I may have at the moment. It’s not very specific. I often end up conveying mental health, not always in a clear way, because it’s something that has been with me since forever. My emotions end up defining what I want to portray and what I want to convey. When I photograph someone, I always try to get to know the person and how they feel. Whether they are outgoing or shy, whether they like to dance or write, for example. I grasp onto those emotions and incorporate them into the photographs I’m taking. Your photographs have a distinct style, characterized by a moody and raw aesthetic. At what point does a photo become emotional for you? All of my photographs are emotional to me. Each one carries a certain feeling. It has a lot to do with how I choose the themes. It’s through my own sensations. What I most enjoy hearing from those who appreciate my work is when they tell me: “I feel nostalgia in this photo,” or “I feel longing in that one,” for example. Even though we might feel different things about the same photographs, people are feeling them, and that’s what matters most.
“The sea helps me to cleanse my energies, to distract myself, to calm my mind… I adore the mystique that exists behind the sea, how it can be as profound as we ourselves can be.”
I’m also captivated by your underwater images. Could you share more about this aspect of your work?
It has a lot to do with how I grew up. I’ve always been surrounded by nature, and although there wasn’t any sea in my area, I always went on vacation to coastal areas and have always loved the beach. The sea helps me to cleanse my energies, to distract myself, to calm my mind. And that’s where my love for photos and videos, whether with water or underwater, emerged. I adore the mystique that exists behind the sea, how it can be as profound as we ourselves can be when we feel something so strong and true. I still have a lot to explore regarding this theme; I still want to take thousands of photos and videos that I haven’t had the opportunity to capture yet.
Your work also seems to engage with social and cultural themes. How important is it for you to send a message through your photographs, and what messages are you keen on sending?
I don’t always do it intentionally. But I really enjoy exploring what makes sense to me: freedom of expression, the freedom to be who we are without judgment. It doesn’t matter race, it doesn’t matter gender, it doesn’t matter anything. Just the freedom to be who we are. Also, being half Portuguese and half Lebanese, I ended up growing up with different realities, which allowed me to see the world beyond the society I was in. And that’s what I like to talk about. The uniqueness that each human being has. About acceptance and respect. I talk a lot about mental health. It’s something I can’t help but talk about, even if it’s in a more subtle way. Mental health is very important and ends up being interconnected with everything I stand for. Self-love is necessary to love and respect others.
“The most important thing in life is being able to feel alive. To breathe and have a calm mind. Never give up and always do what we love with great love. It’s not always easy, but never give up.”
How do you see your photography evolving in the next few years? Are there any projects or themes you are eager to explore?
I want to continue making more portraits and delving further into the fashion industry. I’d like to portray fashion in a different way. I’ll explore the art of underwater photography even more. Besides photography, I really want to explore the world of videoclips. I’ve already had the opportunity to make one and to be present in others as a photographer, and I really enjoyed the experience. I think I want to continue photographing and improving my videos. (smiles)
The most important thing in life is?
The most important thing in life is being able to feel alive. To breathe and have a calm mind. Never give up and always do what we love with great love. It’s not always easy, but never give up. Everyone has their own time, and there’s no rush.
www.instagram.com/ak.haled
www.instagram.com/adelaidekhaled
