National Geographic Photo Camp held in Cox’s Bazar

A total of 16 young men and women from Rohingya and host community in Cox’s Bazar were trained on photography and visual storytelling at a National Geographic Photo Camp which ended in Ukhiya on Saturday.

Internews in partnership with Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) organized the photo camp with support from the United States Agency for International Development. 

Four instructors from National Geographic trained the youths in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazaar at the camp, which was organized around a central theme of “peaceful coexistence” between host and Rohingya communities and explored issues of identity, tolerance, and diversity.

The training ended with a presentation of the pictures taken by the students at the photo camp which started April 29. The students have shot more than 40,000 photographs in the last five days under the watchful eyes of the Nat Geo instructors. 

Working around a central theme of peaceful coexistence, the students have photographed in diverse locations such hospitals, market places, madrasas, temples, water pumps, schools, and Child Friendly Space (CFS). They've also documented their own lives in the camps and host communities in detail.

“The objective of the Nat Geo Photo Camps is to give voice and agency to young people through the tools of photojournalism,” said Zain Mahmood, country director of Internews Bangladesh.

Selected participants have received classroom and field-based instruction in digital photojournalism and editing; worked in multi-ethnic teams to shoot and produce thematic photographs as part of a Camp competition; and have participated in photo exhibitions showcasing their work and the Photo Camp process.

A group of photographers and photo editors has worked in Bangladesh to provide the participants hands-on training in photography. Lead instructor Matt Moyer and William Daniels were accompanied by Nat Geo staff Jon Brack and Jessica Elfadl for the Photo Camp.