Q: Hello Fiona for those that don't know you please introduce yourself.

My name is Fiona Aboud. I am a Brazilian born photographer raised by Brazilian-Lebanese and Jewish parents in the US.

Q: I know you have recently given birth to TWINS. First how are you enjoying the wonders of motherhood? Second how has this affected the way you take photographs?

For the first week, I was trying to figure out how to put the babies back inside. No seriously it was really hard recovering from surgery, (I had a C-section because both babies were head up), breastfeeding and adjusting to motherhood. Now that I am in the 2nd month of this adventure I am better adjusted and I am really enjoying my identical twin girls. I marvel everyday at my girls and wonder how I was able to create such beautiful creatures. Motherhood is surreal and magical and a part of life that you cannot imagine until you have the privilege of experiencing it. To me having children is part of the experience of living life to the fullest.

I take pictures of the girls for very different reasons than my professional photographs. With them I take pictures to stop time. They change so quickly and I want to remember every stage, detail and expression. I am a lot more informal and impulsive with their pictures.

Q: I have a beautiful son Savion Alexander, what are the names of your twins and do you think that having them will make you work harder and why?

Gemma Querida Singer and Eliana Maravilla Singer. Their names put together roughly translates to "God answered us with a beloved miracle."

I think that your time expands to fit your life. You have certain goals, things you want to do and having kids makes these goals clearer. There is also the economic pressure of kids that I think can make one focused.

Q: It's 2007, a brand New Year. With a new year comes the chance to wipe the slate clean and start over so to speak. Change things that you think you need to change and keep doing those things that work for you. With all of that hot air being dispersed what would you like to focus on doing differently this year and what do you think you did well last year that you want to continue?

I have been fortunate to be able to sell people on a certain type of project about which I am very passionate -- found portraiture of real people in the midst of life-changing events shot within a portable photo studio. In short, I like to call what I do "Street Portraits." I’ve been published in outlets such as the New York Times, Time Magazine and Sports Illustrated. For the coming year, I would like to continue growing as a photographer both technically and emotionally. I would also like to continue to find publications and advertising clients that are interested in my kind of photography.

Q: As I was looking through your site I was really drawn to your street portraits and I found it interesting that all of them were taken on the street or on location. I was wondering if that was just how things turned out or did you purposely not want to shoot them in a studio and why?

The experience of meeting people from all walks of life inspires and motivates my photography. And I am very interested in the emotion of people as they experience defining cultural and social events in their lives. One cannot recreate this emotion and spontaneity in the studio no matter how much one tries. In addition, people tend to close down the minute the photo shoot becomes a lengthy and formal process.

This style of "Street Portraiture" started when I wanted to capture the emotions that people experienced getting ready to march through the Samba Stadium during carnival in Brazil. But to truly see into the mind of the subjects, I temporarily pulled them out of their samba groups to shoot them in my portable studio right before they danced in front of a televised audience of millions. I did a three-day project during Carnival and made a portfolio of these images. From there I was able to show this work around and photograph other stories where I pulled people aside during cultural or emotional moments, such as finishing the New York Marathon or emerging from a high energy gospel church in Harlem.

Q: I get inspiration in bursts and since having a son I find myself not working as much as I once did because I would much rather spend time with my son. Because of this I have been forced to heavily scrutinize my time and productivity. Hence I have had to learn how to work much faster and smarter. How and what do you get inspiration from, how does it come to you, and is there any one thing that you have had to change with the way you work since you have given birth to the lovely little ladies?

In photographing people in their emotional and cultural moments, an overall theme of my work is really to better understand and celebrate life. So the experience of motherhood has been such a deeper way of grasping some of the personal connections we all share. Thus, if anything, as I emerge from the sleepless nights I am definitely more inspired than ever to grow my work and continue to learn about people and their lives.

Q: I know getting ideas for personal projects is different for everyone. How do ideas come to you and how do you know it's good enough to take your time to go through with?

I love to pick personal projects where the story of the subjects fascinates or inspires me, or that the particular event they’re living through is one about which I have a passion for learning more. Usually there’s an element of the unknown, where I can’t imagine going through what they are going through, and, from shooting subject after subject, I can gain a better understanding.

Q: I noticed that most of your photos have a person as the main target or subject. Do you like potraits best and why?

I love portraits because I love people. I love hearing their stories, interacting with them and trying to capture their personalities in a photograph.

Q: I really like the Sikhs in America photos on your site. What was your inspiration for this project. What was your main focus or goal with these photos?

Since I traveled to India in 1994 I have always been fascinated with Sikhs and their generous spirit and prideful adherence to tradition. I also feel that they are misunderstood in this country. My goal in this project is to produce a body of work that illuminates the many different people who consider themselves Sikh in America, while studying ideals of tradition and assimilation through the lens of the America Sikhs.

Q: For all of those reading this right now could you let us in on what type of projects you are opened/opposed to? What personal projects you have coming up this year? Also, would you like send some love to anyone?

These days I’m pitching a story to magazines about Amputee Football in Sierra Leone. Besides exploring more about these inspiration athletes, I feel that stories of the bravery of amputees will unfortunately be more and more relevant to citizens of this country as our soldiers return from Iraq. I am also going to continue working on my Sikh project and, of course I’ll continue the lifetime project of photographing my identical twin girls. Oh yes – and I’d like to give much love the KDU!

INTERVIEW BY: DECHAZIER / BLACKMARMALADE