My interest in film was born out of my interest in comic books and animation that I absorbed as a child. Throughout high school I made films and produced artwork that won national and regional awards. I received my degree in filmmaking from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema-Television, as well as a minor in the Fine Arts, with an emphasis in drawing and painting.

Upon graduation, I pursued both disciplines; I worked as a camera assistant, operator, gaffer and ultimately Director of Photography. I would occasionally take jobs as an illustrator or storyboard artist for features and commercials. One job led me to Paris, France for nearly a year where I sharpened my skills as a street photographer. I drew upon that style when I shot my first feature film The Natural History of Parking Lots, which made the Los Angeles Times Film Critic’s Top Ten List. I’ve continued to D.P. several other independent films, including the Columbia Tri-Star release, The Debut, which Roger Ebert gave a “Big thumbs up”.

When I turned my eye towards the challenge of shooting a reality show that eschews the conventions of the genre and simulates the look of a scripted series the results led The New York Times to say "Laguna Beach is ingeniously shot. With photography by Hisham Abed, this reality series looks like no other; it is the best-looking show on television.” The bar was then raised when The Hills was created and again the visual style was met with praise as Time Magazine says it’s “Gorgeously shot”, and “…it looks like a movie” as Rolling Stone puts it.

The success of these shows has led to many offers to both shoot and direct a number of shows and pilots for television.