An interview with Shahriar Farzana

Shahriar Farzana won 1st Prize in our recent Youth competition with an image judge Pipo Nguyen-Duy praised as “exceptional in both form and content”. Capturing a female teacher photographing her students on a beach in Chattogram, Bangladesh, it documents not only a beautiful moment, but also a changing perception of the role of women in this society. It’s a subject central to Shahriar’s photographic practice, and also to her broader work – running the magazine Nairkantho which offers a “vivid voice of women with progressive thoughts and attitudes”, and receiving the Mother Teresa Shining Personality Award in 2017.

Here we put some questions to Shahriar, asking her about her route into photography and her creative approach…

Dear Shahriar, congratulations on winning our Youth competition. What did you make of the judges’ comments?

Reviewing the comments, I understood what level of technical knowledge that the judges have and their expertise on judging in a big platform like this. I am happy to see that they covered every part of my photograph and gave their valuable comments on it.

Can you tell us a little more about the image itself and the circumstances behind it?

This image was taken at the Patenga Seabeach, Chattogram, Bangladesh. I consider this image a sign of positive movement and a change in our traditional way of thinking. In an Islamic environment, it’s not easy for a female teacher to take her students to the seashore as recreation and to take selfies with them, but time changes as well as people’s acceptance level. At times, lot of restrictions were put on the movement of women, but nowadays we see brave women are going out for work, respecting all customs. Things are changing day by day including our thought processes, and this can have a directly positive impact on society.

Would you say this sort of social documentation, or social activism even given the title “Change the Thought”, is important in your practise? What topics or themes interest you the most in your work?

It’s not easy to change a thought process that has been in place for many centuries. It needs patience, needs more participation and mostly, needs support from society. Even a little positive change needs to be highlighted to encourage others who are also working from their end to make positive changes in this society.

I am a versatile photographer but if I ask myself what types of photography attract me most – the answer would be “photojournalism”. I love to shoot photos of any situation that can give a positive message to the viewer and at least make them think about how we can make our society better. I love to capture moments to create documentation as a reference for future. In short, anything that helps people to change their thought process, I work hard to capture that moment.

FESTIVAL MOMENT

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I can’t take humans suffering, especially for what they are not really responsible for. So, when I see injustice in our society, when I see people are struggling, or humanity is not being respected, I feel that I need to work for them with my limited ability. I consider it my social responsibility.

Tell us a little bit about your route into photography – where did it all begin, and at what point did it become a serious passion of yours?

My first job at a young age was with a newspaper, and I was given a small camera to capture photos after taking interview of famous people. It was here that I discovered a love of photography. So, at my first chance, after I’d saved enough money, I went to “Photo Art Institute”, the most renowned Photography school in Chattogram and met Mr. Shoeb Faruquee, the most famous photographer in Bangladesh. I got myself admitted there and after finishing a basic photography course, I took a professional course from same institute under the same guru. In between, I bought professional cameras with a cou-ple of lenses as by then I had learnt the basics of photography.

When the time came to choose my profession, I realized that I love photography more than any other activity in my life. Even knowing the fact that photography is always a risky profession, I decided to take photography as my profession and yes, now it’s my passion, profession, and my love.

Can you show us and tell us about one or two shots you’re particularly proud of?

Here I am sharing two of my photos that I really love. You will find limitless joy and indescribable poverty in these two photos, side by side. The reason I love them is because I know that both aspects are part of our lives and that we can’t avoid them. I will work hard until my last breath to see these beautiful smiles even in hard times.

I believe you still live in Chattogram in Bangladesh, where you first studied photography. How is the photography scene there? Is it something you feel a part of?

Chattogram is the port city in Bangladesh. It’s a beautiful city that has the sea on one side and mountains on the others. People of various cultures, religions and ethnic groups live together in the city and its out-skirts, and so for a photo lover, Chattogram is an excellent place to live.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?

Be respectful to be respected.

And finally, what are your plans for the rest of 2023?

Apart from my photography, I am the chief editor and publisher of a monthly magazine called “Narikantho”. This magazine mainly focuses on women who are neglected in society and need assistance to come up to join the mainstream. The pandemic in last couple of years caused a lot of suffering and so in this year, 2023, I have to take care of both my photography and my “Narikantho” together.

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