Sharif is a New York-based photographer and director who works across print, digital and film media. Since shooting the October cover for Dazed and Confused in 2010, he has gained recognition for vibrant compositions and innovative use of light and movement. His subjects have included Halle Bailey for Vogue, Samuel L Jackson for Mr Porter, Michelle Yeoh for Elle, and he has collaborated with GQ, i-D, and Perfect Magazine. He has worked on advertising campaigns for Tiffany’s, Clinique and Nike.

At heart, Sharif considers himself a portrait photographer working in fashion. He is known for raw journalistic projects such as his 2018 New Yorker portraits of young gun owners. He is fascinated by faces and the stories they tell. Typically, his pictures create empowering imagery of men and women of colour. With a drive to represent his daughters’ mixed heritage, he highlights the background and culture of those in the margins. “I have a duty to make them seen by everyone in the most beautiful way,” says Hamza. Indeed, whether in his fashion or journalistic work, his overriding subject matter is people.