The New Normal through My Eyes: Celebrating World Photography Day 2021

Like every year, World Photography Day has been celebrated across the globe on 19 August. It has been taken up a notch by KrayonMag, which organised a two-week-long photography exhibition, "New Normal Through My Eyes", from 1 September 2021. It goes without saying that this exhibition, with students participating from several prominent institutions' Photography Clubs around the country, has been a much-awaited event for photographers and photography-enthusiasts alike.

Photo: Saba Raida Faruqee

Eight clubs — Shahjalal University Photographers Association (SUPA), North South University Art and Photography Club (NSUAPC), Army IBA Film and Photography Society, Gono Bishwabidyalay Photo Library, Institute of Science and Technology Photography Club (ISTPC), American International University Bangladesh Photography Club (AIUBPC), Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Photography Club (AUSTPC), Shutterbugs ULAB — from leading institutions across the country participated in this event.

The best photograph submissions, selected by a panel of notable personalities from the field of photography, are currently on display in this online exhibition. Each photograph has a wonderful untold story to tell through visuals, while each participant has their own inspiring journey to share in words.

Photo: Radia Islam

Radia Islam from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology is one of the selected participants. She mentioned that her simple childhood game of "Do You See What I See?" was what turned out to be the root of her journey of photography as it taught her to capture elements in her mind. Her photo, consisting of nature and flora against a contrasting background, seems to illustrate the beauty that grows even in dark times. 

Another participant, Mehedi Amin, from AIUB, started photography from his early teens and has now turned it into a passion. His photo represents the crude, but colourful reality of the pandemic, a cynical yet mesmerising narrative. 

Photo: Zihad Mehedi

For almost two centuries, since 1839, 19 August has been observed as World Photography Day and today, it is recognised and celebrated in more than 170 countries across the globe to commemorate those who have worked relentlessly for the advancement of this medium. The closing ceremony of the exhibition has been held on September 14. Visit the online exhibition, by clicking on https://www.emkcenter.org/exhibition. And if you do take an online walk through, you will surely agree the magnificent photos on display, each more breath-taking than the other, indeed capture the most intricate yet beautiful stories that words fail to tell.