Photography came naturally to Umar Khalid Rumi. As a child he has travelled through the length and breadth of Bangladesh with his police officer father. He was drawn by the mysteries of nature, which he wanted to freeze in his lens for all time. He began taking pictures when he was a student of class VII, with a box camera, Yashika, in the '60s. Rumi, combined his other interests, for which he is better known, such as his cricket, music and painting along with this urge for shutter clicking.

'As a cricketer for the national team since 1979, my photo albums speak for my interest in photography in places like Europe, USA, India and places in the Far East with my family,' Rumi said. The focus remains nature, with people included in the frame. In 2001, his solo painting exhibition in Gallery 21 had been based on his photography in some respects.

Laura said that a few months back, looking at the quality of her photos, her teachers and some other professional photographers egged her on to go into photography in a big way. 'From then on I always keep a film in my Yashika FX3 camera, which, incidentally, is my father Rumi's first camera too.'

Naser Ahmed, another member of the group, had earlier mostly aimed his camera at subjects in Sylhet and other places that he visited. Like Rumi, he took a lot of photographs wherever his work and leisure time took him. St Martin's has been a unique experience for him because of the new atmosphere and the people. 'The most striking parts were the element of joie de vivre that came with being so close to the sound of wind and waves, the gilded clouds in the sky, the sea birds, the standing and sailing boats, the local people, and even the tourists.

Shah Mushtaque Ahmed, last but certainly not the least in the group, has always been eager to experiment with the camera. Mushtaque said, 'I was introduced to still photography in the 1960s, as a child, through a Tk 10 Japanese contraption. Later, I went to places like Darjeeling, Bhutan and Nepal, where the compelling beauty of nature lured me to take pictures, as also at St Martin's Island.'

The group presented 'the call of the wild' as well as the calm scenic alluring images to the viewer. The exhibition whisked one away to a fascinating place of peace and harmony. The sharp lens of these four intrepid photographers brought St Martin alive for the discerning viewer.