By Amanda Frankel | Project Leader
“It is not often that we see positive stories – stories of courage, stories of promise, stories of hope – coming from FATA, but perhaps you all will be the ones to tell them. I certainly have every confidence that you can,” USAID Acting Mission Director Rodger Garner at an Internews and National Geographic photography exhibit in Islamabad.
Looking back on 2013, it was impossible to achieve the kind of success we saw with our InternewsNext project without your support. It is because of donors like you that we can continue to encourage and enable youth voices from all over the globe, and to ensure that news and information are readily accessible even in the most remote regions of the world.
One of our proudest achievements in 2013 was the production of Internews and National Geographic’s exhibition “Pakistan Through Our Eyes: Emerging Photographers from the Tribal Areas”
Over 300 guests attended the photojournalism exhibit in Washington, D.C. on June 12 that offered a rare glimpse into an area of Pakistan little known for its media vibrancy.
The exhibit, "Pakistan Through Our Eyes," showcased the work of 17 young local photographers from the country's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), a rural and geographically isolated region hemmed in by mountains in the northern part of the country. The tribal region is home to some three million people, yet is rarely traveled by international or Pakistani visitors.
Seventeen aspiring photographers, most in their 20s, hailing from varied socio-economic backgrounds and representing the multiple regions of the FATA took part in an intensive Photo Camp organized by the National Geographic Society and Internews, and sponsored by the US Agency for International Development.
Watch a short video of the camp.
“This camp polished my photographic skills and enabled me to see the world through new dimensions,” said student Seema Gul, 23. “My trainers are an inspiration for me, and after completing my education I want to pursue a career as a photojournalist.” View a slideshow of the student’s photos. See the photos on the National Georgraphic web site.
The young photographers, selected from more than 250 who applied for the six-day camp, were mentored and trained by National Geographic contributing photographers Amy Toensing, Tyrone Turner and Matt Moyer. The students learned the basics of photography as well as photographic vision, equipment and technique, and were guided through the process of creating a story through photography and writing. In this video, the mentors share their experiences.
The camp began in Islamabad, where the participants met the National Geographic photographers and staff, and began an intensive course in photojournalism, involving a combination of classroom instruction and applied skills development in the field. At Rawal Lake, the students had the opportunity to photograph families enjoying the weekend, where they experimented with capturing the subtle interactions of people in public and photographing them. Next, the students explored historic Said Pur Village in parallel with the Truck Art Market in Rawalpindi, capturing people at work in a variety of everyday situations. Finally, in Murree, the students had an opportunity to combine and practice all their new skills, capturing grand panoramic views as well as intimate moments between individuals.
“I love photography and I’m lucky to attend Nat Geo Photo Camp with the collaboration of Internews,” said Faryal Mohman, 23. “Every day I enjoy taking photos from different angles.”
The young photographers later travelled to Washington D.C. to exhibit their work to over 300 guests at the United States Institute of Peace.
National Geographic Photo Camp has provided programs for more than 1,000 young people in over 60 locations since 2003. Photo Camp venues from earlier this year included Baltimore, Md., and Haiti. Internews co-sponsored a previous camp for youth in Crimea in 2010, which were showcased in a gallery at the Paley Center for Media in New York. The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. National Geographic has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.
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