_ My grandfather’s elder brother, Rois Uddin Mandal, was a pundit
in Bogra. He taught art at “Guru Training” school around 1917. He was very
enthusiastic about photography - a nascent science and art at that time. In mid
30s he started practising photography, developing and printing photos at his
home. My father and all three of his brothers were inspired in photography from
him in their childhood and became serious amateur photographers later in their
life. When my father went to America in 1958 for a Hydro Electric engineering
Diploma, he bought his first twin lens reflex Roliecord camera. He also bought
a Tower 8mm movie camera at that time. My father also used to make contact
prints from 6X6 negatives at home. I saw all these from childhood. When I
became seven, I used to show my friends the movies my father made in different
places in America. Using his cameras at that time remained a only a dream. One
day I got a cheap camera (Kodak Clack) from one of my uncles and my father
loaded a film in that. I was overwhelmed and started shooting pictures of my
surroundings. None of those negatives are with me now. I can remember that I
didn’t take pictures only of my friends but of the landscapes of Kaptai
hydro-electric project and its beautiful landscapes.
After processing and printing of that film my father was quite convinced of my hand in photography. One day he gave me his second twin lens camera Minolta Autocord - a professional camera, along with a bulb flash gun. He taught me a few techniques of achieving correct exposure - the EV system. I took lots of photos after that including my tenth birthday in 1970.
My father embraced martyrdom in 15th April 1971. I grew up with the knowledge he gave me about photography and his cameras. I kept exploring photography since then with tips from my uncles till 1981.
In 1981, I found a child’s portrait taken by me, exhibiting in the first national exhibition organized by The Bangladesh Photographic Society (BPS), credited in the name of the printer of the studio where I gave the negative for printing. I reported the incident to the then president of BPS, Mr. Manzur Alam Beg. After listening to the background and my interest in photography, he admitted me, in September ‘82, in Begart Institute of Photography - the first photography institute in Bangladesh established in 1960. I became a member of BPS in 1982 and won the first prize of the monthly photo contest that month. Few months later another senior photographer Dr. Ansaruddin Ahmed in ICDDRB, having seen two of my photos told my mother, “your son has got eyes.” His appreciation added fuel to the fire that had already been kindling within me and ushered me into photography with added zeal resulting into bagging quite a few number of prizes in BPS monthly contests till 1993. He was also my mentor in black and white printing and developing.
Became Photographer of The Year (BPS) in 1986 winning three prizes, 1st, 2nd and Honorable Mention out of six awards. National awards from different Photographic societies around the country just poured in to my hand. Among 17 international awards, I got the first FIAP (International Federation of Art Photography) Gold Medal in Bangladesh, in an international photo contest in Spain. Won the grand prize in ACCU (Asian Cultural Centre for Unesco), Japan. Also availed an Honorable Mention in NIKON Photo Contest 1986 and 3rd prize in 1991.
I started my free lance photographic career from 1985. Worked for UNICEF, many other NGOs, Container TV, Film and Television Production Inc., Switzerland, and many advertising agencies professionally till 1989. Worked as official photographer for Bangladesh National Museum in 1988. Joined several workshops on photography, journalism, documentary and architecture, conducted by both Bangladeshi and foreign trainers from Germany, U.S.A. and England. Got the distinction ‘Artist’ from FIAP in 1991.
Makin Agency of Photography was born, in 1990 in a storeroom at my home, to accommodate my increasing photographic activities including black and white printing. Some friends joined this home based organisation gradually and the agency turned in to Map Photo Agency – the first cooperative photo agency in Bangaldesh.
In 1995, I was invited by the French Photographic Federation in an author’s exhibition. Ten photos from this book were exhibited in Pablo Piccaso Museum and Victor Hugo Museum for one month. There I got the FIAP and French Photographic Federation Silver Medal. FIAP awarded me with the “Excellence” distinction in 1996. Participated as a Jury member in many national and international photography competitions organized in Bangladesh.
Many photos were published in local and international newspapers including The New York Times, Rheinisch Post, Germany. Since 1991 I am teaching photography and lecturing in workshops, conducting basic courses in Bangladesh Photographic Institute. Served as the course coordinator and lecturer for a course conducted by Begart Institute of Photography. At present I am working on other documentary projects and architectural photography including teaching photography at Architecture Department of University of Asia Pacific.
After processing and printing of that film my father was quite convinced of my hand in photography. One day he gave me his second twin lens camera Minolta Autocord - a professional camera, along with a bulb flash gun. He taught me a few techniques of achieving correct exposure - the EV system. I took lots of photos after that including my tenth birthday in 1970.
My father embraced martyrdom in 15th April 1971. I grew up with the knowledge he gave me about photography and his cameras. I kept exploring photography since then with tips from my uncles till 1981.
In 1981, I found a child’s portrait taken by me, exhibiting in the first national exhibition organized by The Bangladesh Photographic Society (BPS), credited in the name of the printer of the studio where I gave the negative for printing. I reported the incident to the then president of BPS, Mr. Manzur Alam Beg. After listening to the background and my interest in photography, he admitted me, in September ‘82, in Begart Institute of Photography - the first photography institute in Bangladesh established in 1960. I became a member of BPS in 1982 and won the first prize of the monthly photo contest that month. Few months later another senior photographer Dr. Ansaruddin Ahmed in ICDDRB, having seen two of my photos told my mother, “your son has got eyes.” His appreciation added fuel to the fire that had already been kindling within me and ushered me into photography with added zeal resulting into bagging quite a few number of prizes in BPS monthly contests till 1993. He was also my mentor in black and white printing and developing.
Became Photographer of The Year (BPS) in 1986 winning three prizes, 1st, 2nd and Honorable Mention out of six awards. National awards from different Photographic societies around the country just poured in to my hand. Among 17 international awards, I got the first FIAP (International Federation of Art Photography) Gold Medal in Bangladesh, in an international photo contest in Spain. Won the grand prize in ACCU (Asian Cultural Centre for Unesco), Japan. Also availed an Honorable Mention in NIKON Photo Contest 1986 and 3rd prize in 1991.
I started my free lance photographic career from 1985. Worked for UNICEF, many other NGOs, Container TV, Film and Television Production Inc., Switzerland, and many advertising agencies professionally till 1989. Worked as official photographer for Bangladesh National Museum in 1988. Joined several workshops on photography, journalism, documentary and architecture, conducted by both Bangladeshi and foreign trainers from Germany, U.S.A. and England. Got the distinction ‘Artist’ from FIAP in 1991.
Makin Agency of Photography was born, in 1990 in a storeroom at my home, to accommodate my increasing photographic activities including black and white printing. Some friends joined this home based organisation gradually and the agency turned in to Map Photo Agency – the first cooperative photo agency in Bangaldesh.
In 1995, I was invited by the French Photographic Federation in an author’s exhibition. Ten photos from this book were exhibited in Pablo Piccaso Museum and Victor Hugo Museum for one month. There I got the FIAP and French Photographic Federation Silver Medal. FIAP awarded me with the “Excellence” distinction in 1996. Participated as a Jury member in many national and international photography competitions organized in Bangladesh.
Many photos were published in local and international newspapers including The New York Times, Rheinisch Post, Germany. Since 1991 I am teaching photography and lecturing in workshops, conducting basic courses in Bangladesh Photographic Institute. Served as the course coordinator and lecturer for a course conducted by Begart Institute of Photography. At present I am working on other documentary projects and architectural photography including teaching photography at Architecture Department of University of Asia Pacific.