Mehdi Tadlaoui is a visual storyteller blending cinematic precision with a refined sense of composition and emotion. Shaped by art, film, and a background in 3D and VFX, he uses photography to explore atmosphere and narrative. This foundation guides his fieldwork, where fleeting moments become carefully composed visual stories.
Growing up in Morocco, I developed a deep fascination for refined visuals and the subtle techniques behind compelling compositions. Through museums, films, and art history, imagery became a way for me to understand stories and emotions beyond words. This curiosity naturally led me to pick up a camera, and later to pursue studies in 3D and VFX abroad, where I expanded my creative perspective.
That foundation is what led me to create my winning photo, where a fleeting alignment of light, landscape, and movement came together to express a moment I had long envisioned.
I wanted to capture a caravan of camels trekking along the edge of a dune in the Moroccan Sahara, framed and silhouetted by the sun. This minimalist, centred composition had been on my bucket list for a long time. Making it happen took quite a bit of planning, a few friends willing to drive long distances and wake up very early, and plenty of coffee to keep us going.
In the end, it took almost three sunrises and sunsets to finally be in the right place at the right moment. I usually use an app to preview the sun’s position and plan my compositions, but for this shot, I had no control over the subject. That meant simply being there with my camera ready, sometimes even running to line up the frame exactly as I imagined it. It took a few attempts, and I am really happy with the final result.
I chose the centred composition to eliminate distractions and guide the viewer’s eye directly to the subject, which created the minimalist image I envisioned. I wanted the image to feel simple and pleasing at first glance, while still carrying a meaningful story. Ideally, it invites the viewer to pause for a moment and think about what’s happening in the scene and the journey behind that fleeting moment.
I also used the longest lens I had with me during the trip to create strong compression without getting too close to the subjects. I still wanted the image to retain a sense of environment, and 200mm turned out to be the perfect choice. If you look closely, you can also see the sun rising over the High Atlas Mountains, which helps place the scene geographically in the Agafay Desert.
Another element that helped bring the shot together was the camera settings. Because I was shooting directly into the sun, I had to expose heavily for the highlights to clearly define the sun’s shape. I used an ND filter, increased my shutter speed, and stopped down the aperture to control as much light as possible. This allowed me to shape the image in the way I had in my mind.
My editing approach was guided by simplicity and emotional consistency. I wanted the photograph to feel timeless and immersive rather than overly processed. The scene itself was already powerful, so my intention in post-production was not to transform the moment but to refine it and let the natural strength of the scene speak for itself.
Before making any adjustments, I always start by carefully studying the RAW image. I look at the direction and intensity of the light, how the subject is isolated, and how the foreground and negative space interact. Understanding these elements helps me determine how colour harmony, contrast, subject placement, and space can work together to create a calm yet powerful visual.
Once that foundation is clear, I move on to the technical basics. I correct white balance, contrast, and exposure to make sure the image has a solid base to build on. When shooting fast-moving moments, some settings may not be perfectly dialled in, so this step ensures everything is balanced before moving further into the creative process.
After, I apply my own crafted preset. This shifts the image from a neutral color scheme to my liking. The preset subtly adjusts several primary hues, saturation, and luminance values, along with gentle tone curve modifications that help shape the overall mood of the photograph.
For this image, I leaned into a warm, monochromatic palette, emphasizing the amber and burnt orange tones of the desert atmosphere. These colours felt true to the environment and helped reinforce the sense of heat, vastness, and stillness. Instead of introducing contrast through complementary colors, I kept everything within the warm spectrum to maintain visual cohesion.
I also deepened the silhouettes to near-black to strengthen the graphic quality of the composition. This creates a strong value contrast against the glowing sun while preserving the minimalism of the scene. I intentionally avoided lifting the shadows, as maintaining that solid silhouette was essential to the mood and storytelling.
The final – and most crucial – step is light shaping. Here I focus on guiding the viewer’s eye through the image, either toward the main subject or gradually across different elements of the frame. I achieve this through a combination of masks, dodging and burning, and subtle atmospheric adjustments that add depth and dimension. I also pay close attention to the gradient in the sky, carefully controlling highlights and midtones so the transition from the bright sun to the darker edges feels smooth and natural.
In the end, the entire editing process is guided by restraint. The goal is not to dramatically alter the scene, but to refine it – allowing light, color, contrast, and negative space to work together and create a calm, powerful image.
As a VFX artist and Head of the Camera Department, travelling to many countries to work on movie sets has been one of the most important parts of my career.
Working closely with many creatives in the same space is incredibly inspiring. On set, we constantly find solutions on the fly to the challenges we face every day. We collaborate together with one goal: to produce the best movie images possible.
Another rewarding part of the experience is the exchange of knowledge. I get to share what I know, while also learning from some of the best DoPs, directors, and department heads in the industry.
These experiences constantly give me a fresh perspective on how to approach my own personal projects. They push me to keep searching for new ways of seeing, new light, and new perspectives. It’s what keeps my love for photography and videography alive.
Mehdi Tadlaoui is a visual storyteller blending cinematic precision with a refined sense of composition and emotion. Shaped by art, film, and a background in 3D and VFX, he uses photography to explore atmosphere and narrative. This foundation guides his fieldwork, where fleeting moments become carefully composed visual stories.
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