Chobi Mela was the first festival of photography in Asia, initiated in in December 2000-January 2001 by Drik Picture Library Ltd. and Pathshala South Asian Media Institute. It is one of the most demographically inclusive photo festivals in the world and has been the most significant photographic event in Asia, held every two years in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Tenth edition of Chobi Mela was held from February 28 to March 9, 2019.
Anush Babajanyan reviews a student’s work during a portfolio review. © Tanvir Murad Topu
Workshops
Your Photojournalism Survival Kit by Ron Haviv
March 4-5, 2019
Capturing a story demands an understanding of the issue at hand as well as the ability to condense, package, and pitch the story to a distributor. Successful photojournalists make a job of nailing down the details before a shoot and being prepared for anything.
One of most important things that we as photographers need to do, right from the beginning, is thinking outside the box; how to think about things differently in regards to the visual image and story is essential to success. In “Your Photojournalism Survival Kit”, Ron Haviv brought three decades of experience in building a photojournalism career on carefully laid groundwork to the classroom.
The workshop concentrated on the following:
- How to identify a captivating story and organize a plan to photograph it.
- How to market your work and build your career.
- How to create a budget and a pitch letter.
- How to plan for any eventuality during the shoot, and cope with setbacks when they strike.
Twenty-nine students received scholarships to attend this workshop.
Learning to See by Christopher Morris
March 1-4, 2019
How to create a personal style is one of the often talked about issues in contemporary photography. To define and separate your vision in a very crowded industry has always been extremely challenging. This workshop helped students set out on a path to help define their vision by exposing the group to what Christopher feels are the common mistakes that many working photographers are making today, highlighting the successes of what makes a photograph stand the test of time and finding the jewels and masterpieces in each student’s work. Christopher exposed the group to the different forms of photojournalism that are prevalent today and and led discussions about everything from ethics to creative photographic styles.
Ten students received scholarships to attend this workshop.
©Ron Haviv / VII Photo
