The display comprises a group exhibition of the photographic agency, Prism's current and former students and a solo exhibition by its director Rafiqul Islam.

With 56 impressive photographs on display, the show exemplified the creative efforts of 18 photographers. The people behind the camera come from various professions, such as students, teachers, businesspeople and government officials. The photographers had the freedom to choose their own theme. As a result the viewers were greeted with a melange of photographs -- from portrait to lifestyle, black and white to colours.

For instance, there were different tales behind the seven photographs by Dilip Kumar Das. His creations take one to a diverse journey: in one of the photographs, an innocent village girl is seen sitting and trying to cover her mischievous smile with her hands. The others focussed on often unnoticed aspects of life -- a mother and child seen through a hole in a dark mud hut, an unfinished idol seen from a different angle, the portrait of an old man, and a village path, or the array of birds sitting on electric poles.

Abdul Qayyum's portrait of a typical slum area in Dhaka and his shot of a rickshaw-puller sleeping on his rickshaw delineate the city's lazy late-night hours. Another evocative visual captures a bunch of children rushing to jump into the water. Other works depict the white clouds of autumn reflected on the water body of a village and the lyrical, serene scenarios of the countryside of Bangladesh.

Mahbubur Rahman captured the joy of a pre-teen girl while whirling on a merry go round at a village fair. A black and white photograph of six Hindu widows squatting on a roadside, is a study in contrasts. This work stands out from others -- only one image appears brighter and clearly defined than the others, giving it a feeling of isolation. Apart from these, Rahman's compositions on a circus were appealing.

Mohammed Nayeem's photographs capture various moods. Mohammed Shahidullah's photograph of an infant sitting inside a red tub of water, with blue and green buckets behind it, is an example of artistic colour composition.

Gulam Sarowar's photograph depicts a cyclist on a winding dirt track. This work is set against sunlight penetrating through the dense bamboo bushes.

The angel-rays on Jesus, a dried leaf on a green mold, the scattered car lights on a busy street at night, and even the shadow of a clear sky seen through the branches of Krishnachura made for beautiful shots.

All told, the exhibition was worth a saunter. For the visitor it was truly a magical experience of lights and shadows.