For shooting subjects that matter to shining a much-needed light on human rights issues, get to know these photographers from our Gen.T list
Following the unveiling of the 400 honourees of the Gen.T List 2020, we're profiling five photographers in the region who are making a difference through the images that they create and capture.
A picture paints a thousand words––a phrase that we've often heard. Thanks to globalisation and the power of social media, we're able to see the world through someone else's lens. At the forefront of delivering these undiscovered stories are photographers. Armed with their cameras, these visual storytellers shine a light into stories, places and issues that we cannot personally see and experience.
Their images serve as a conduit for unheard voices and provide a platform to spark conversations about the most pressing issues that shape our region––from human rights issues, climate crisis, connections between diverse cultures, and underreported news that amplify real-life experiences.
Given the need to further document what's happening in our current landscape especially with an ongoing pandemic, the works of these photographers are more important than ever, so we're giving you more insight into the leaders who are shaping the way we see the world.
See also: Hong Kong Photographer Stanley Chung On Tracing The Steps Of His Father, James Chung
Nadirah Zakariya
Often photographers shy away from the camera, opting to be behind the lens rather than in front of it, but Nadirah Zakariya breaks the norm. This visual artist's powerful photographs focus on a range of subjects—including herself––creating captivating self-portraits that hightlight her own skin condition, vitiligo which causes patches of pigment loss.
Hailing from Malaysia, she first discovered photography when she was 17 years old in a small town in Japan. Now forging an impressive career in New York, Zakariya's photographs speak of her upbringing as a multicultural creative, flauting images that are as eclectic as her diverse geographical background.
More than just capturing subjects that matter, she also encourages others to do the same through projects like the Two Mountains Photography series and hosting masterclasses that help budding photographers. With such a portfolio, her photographs have been published in Vice, Vogue Italia and The New York Times. Her work reminds us not only to love ourselves but also bring the need for skin positivity to the global community.
See also: Artist Jenny Saville Takes Us Inside Her Studio And Reveals Insights Into Gender Equality
