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 PHOTOGRAPHY & PRINT THE FAIR

In celebration of Women’s History Month,
Cluster is proud to interview Bangladeshi photographer Mou Aysha .

Her striking work features raw and beautifully soulful female portraiture. Here we discuss wonder women, bravery and the inner magic within all woman-kind.

Hello Mou, what does it mean
to be a professional female photographer
in your country?

I love to travel and seek to discover the unseen! I am on a journey to capture what I really love. As a female photographer, I have the privilege to go places that my male colleagues may find difficult. On the other hand,
as a woman it is more difficult here in Bangladesh to go out or visit certain sites alone to take photos. I always find it harder to work at night, it can feel unsafe sometimes and I feel afraid. This is one of the biggest challenges
I face. Working professionally as a visual female photographer is an everyday battle.

You were a former pupil of the award-winning Bangladeshi photographer G.M.B. Akash. What lessons did you learn?

Akash was the first master photographer with whom I studied. His expertise and outstanding work have had a massive influence on my desire to continue with photography. He says to be a good photographer first of all you have to be a good human being. What impresses me most about Akash’s work is that he goes beyond the art and actually helps the people he photographs through his humanitarian activities.

“Photography has given me the opportunity to capture incredible faces, expressing their feelings and sharing them with the world.”

We admire courage with compassion and your work definitely fits into that category. Do you also sense this powerful mixture of strength and subtlety within your subjects?

Every woman I have ever met and photographed is a hero to me. Women are incredibly courageous and brave souls. Photography gives me the opportunity to go and learn from women of all backgrounds and hear about their journey. Their faces and their stories motivate me a great deal. Every face I encounter inspires me. Photography has given me the opportunity to capture those incredible faces, express their feelings and to share this with the world.

Favourite female portrait artist and image?

My favorite female photographer is Dorothea Lange, an American documentary photographer and photojournalist. I love her photography as much as her philosophy; she says that a camera teaches you how to see without a camera. Her picture Migrant Mother is one of the most brilliant shots that I’ve ever seen. It never fails to move me.

Besides that Afghan Girl by Steve McCurry always inspires me to take beautiful portraits.

Your humanitarian work deals with difficult social issues. How do you approach people with your camera when it comes to photographing a sensitive situation?

Before every single photo I take I spend a good amount of time with the person. I try to get as close as possible to them. I try to immerse myself among them or at least become accepted in their presence.
Only then do I start taking photos. My subjects can see my compassion, honest approach and tireless application in everything I do. They trust me and allow me into their life.  They get to know me; they see what I am doing, my personality and attentiveness.
For me photography is more of a passion than a profession.

The Power of Portraits is the title of your incredibly successful project. What is the secret to a powerful portrait?

For me a great portrait is one that you never can forget! A good portrait has to be technically sound and soul grabbing. As soon as you see the picture you think that
you know the person very well. You even understand the emotions and the feelings of
the portrait, feelings that can stay with you for the rest of your life. For a great portrait you need a great character with very unique features. To coin a cliché, a great portrait is worth a thousand words.

Gender inequality in Bangladesh has improved since the country’s independence in 1971. Still, women continue to struggle to achieve equal status to men. Are you optimistic for the future?

I would like to be optimistic but it is hard given the circumstances. Bangladesh and the rest of the world are still a long way behind. However, I think having men as allies would make a big difference. Gender equality cannot be enforced, it needs to be embraced. And to create allies we need all the women, mothers & sisters, and the men who are already with us to come forward and educate and advocate for gender equality.
It’s about working together towards a better future for all.

Do you have a positive message for all the women and girls out there…

A woman can be a mother, a sister, wife, daughter and friend among the many roles she may play in her life. These myriad personalities have taught me that nothing can kill the spirit of women and that is what makes us so incredibly beautiful! I believe every woman has magic. We can do or we can be anything that we want, we just have to dream big and work hard to achieve our dreams.  Every woman is a Wonder Woman! We only need to believe in our magic!