::: Star Insight :::

Photography Contest Winners

Among the award winners, in the Celebrating Life 2010 Competition,
that Star Insight could get a hold of, were asked a few questions about
their views on the competition, about the categories they were
awarded in, their sources of inspiration
and their future plans.

“Spreading awareness on photography is vital”

Kazi Golam Quddus
1st Position, Photography Contest

Being awarded is a matter of immense joy. More so when the matter is as great: receiving the award from the Honorable President. The circumstance is a very happy one for me.

I have been affiliated with photography since child hood through my family. It has been nearly 15 years that I have taken this as my profession. I have earned 31 international Awards so far, yet this is not my real profession.

Actually, I am an engineer and am employed at BTCL.

I am fond of works by many in this profession. If I had to choose, then the works of Shoaib Faruki, Monawem Wakib and Dr. Shahidul Alam are best to my likings from Bangladesh.

The competition has truly been very good, and I thank those people who have organized such an event. I especially liked the Daily Star's Editor, Mahfuz Anam sir's speech, which highlighted the positive sides. I liked the President's speech a lot as well.

I think that the number of awards brought in because of photography from Bangladesh cannot be matched, and is not possible by any other profession. Let me exemplify by using the case of Cricket. We are very passionate about the sport. Yet, the popularity that Cricket has earned in our country is far greater than the popularity that we have achieved in Cricket. But many of us are not aware of this. That's the reason why I want to extend a lot of thanks to the Daily Star and Standard Chartered bank to have spread the awareness on photography to the people.

I want to make photography my profession in the future.

“Use photography to steer youth away from drugs”

Mohammad Moniruzzaman
2nd Position, Photography Contest

I felt really well. I didn't expect to receive an award. I wasn't chosen the last time and I had placed fourth the first time, so I am very happy to have received an award this time. I think this is the most popular of awards in Bangladesh.

I have been in this field for nearly four years now. My affiliation with photography dates back to 2006. Photography is something that I do out of interest for it, and thus it can be called my passion.

Photography is not my real profession. I am an Academician by profession. I am a lecturer of Microbiology at the University of Dhaka, and have been in this profession for nearly one year.

I am fond of works by a lot of people. Among the list of many, I like the works of Abir Abdullah and Rashid Talukder from our country. Henry Cartier Bresson and Steve McCurry are among the ones whose works I like from abroad.

The competition is actually very good. I think it should be advertised more and more. But there are problems. Too many protocols have to be maintained in the awards giving ceremony. I think it should be a bit friendlier. But, overall, it is very good.

Plans for the future are many. Currently I am an administrator of “Bangladeshi photographers”, the pioneer online photography community in Bangladesh. The youth of our nation are entwined with many different drug addictions. I want to steer them away from these bad addictions through the use of photography. If the boys of our nation stay away from these things and dedicate themselves to photography, then the drug problems in our country will diminish hugely. I think photography in itself is an addiction, and photography is much easier to start compared to other arts. That's why I want to popularize photography amongst the youth.

“Expressing one’s self through a competition”

J. A. Akash
3rd Position, Photography Contest

The feeling is undoubtedly very good. I had taken part in this competition the last year as well. I placed first the last time, and third this time around, but still am feeling very well about it.

I have been beside photography for the past 10 years. But if it is a question of being a professional, then i will have to say that i have been a professional photographer for the last seven years.

Photography is my profession.

Whose names to take? I like everyone's work in the country. I like works from abroad as well, from countries like England and USA.

The event for the competition that the Daily Star organizes every year is really commendable. There were no such contests before. And it gives a good feeling that they have started it. A platform has been provided to express one's self through this competition. A scope has been created to judge one's abilities as well.

The future plans all surround photography. But I am personally devastated, as photographers in Chittagong are not given their worth. There is very little value for photography here. And that's why fears arise time to time in taking up photography as a profession as it is very tough. That's why I would insist the organizers to include us in works, and extend such events even more so that we can share our works and our talents with the people of the country.