Hi
There
It’s Firoz
#Based in Bengaluru
#Human
#Friend
#JNU Alumni
#Photographer
#Fimmaker
#Lyricist/Writer
The Journey of a Storyteller
Photography, filmmaking, and lyricism are my tools to narrate tales that motivate and move.
Four decades. A lifetime of stolen moments. My camera, a faithful confidant, has borne witness to it all. I was born in the Indo-Gangetic Plain of Bihar, a very fertile and densely populated area in India. My academic years spent in the hallowed halls of Jawaharlal Nehru University (MA) and Delhi University (M Phil). There, amidst dusty tomes and fervent debates, a spark of Intellectual humility flared up, giving birth to a passion—to reveal the world’s stories through the lens of the camera. With over five thousand mesmerizing photo stories and an array of evocative films, my lens has elegantly immortalized the vivid mosaic of life, from the serene rhythms of rural tribal India to the bustling energy of urban landscapes.
Film was my first love, a mistress of ethereal hues and timeless beauty. Ektachrome and Velvia were my palettes, Pentax 645 and LX my brushes. With them, I painted dreams on celluloid, soaring through the skies with UNESCO’s “Taking Flights“. Then came the digital dawn. The Sony A7r4 and A7s, with their electronic eyes, replaced the magic of film. Yet, the essence remained the same – the hunt for the extraordinary in the ordinary. UNICEF and West Bengal Government’s “The Future is Ours” became my new canvas, a testament to the evolving storyteller in me. I’ve learned that a camera is merely a tool, an extension of the heart. It’s in the crinkles of a grandmother’s smile, the laughter of children, the stolen glances of strangers that true stories reside. These are the moments I chase, the ones that transcend time and space.
Now, a new chapter unfolds. Generative AI, a digital alchemist, stands as my partner. It’s a potent force, capable of conjuring dreams from data. But like any tool, it needs a human touch, a guiding spirit. For it is the artist’s soul, the dreamer’s vision that truly breathes life into creation. Together, human and machine, we embark on a journey to redefine beauty, to craft narratives that resonate on a personal level. The future is a canvas yet to be painted, and I, with my camera and my AI companion, am ready to add my strokes.
Collaborations for Impact
My notable photographic and cinematographic collaborations have been predominantly with nonprofit organizations, as evidenced by the following list of clients:
UNESCO Asia-Pacific Office, Bangkok
William J. Clinton Foundation
UNICEF
UNDP
Management Sciences for Health (MSH)
DFID funded PACS project in India
Tata Trusts CInI project
Tata Trusts CmF project
Water Aid
Action Aid India
Smile Foundation
Room to Read
Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS)
Doosra Dashak
V.V. Giri National Labour Institute
CYSD
Lok Jumbish Parishad
MHRD Govt. of India
The Hunger Project (THP)
United Way Delhi
Social Watch India
SOS Children villages International, Vienna
Karuna Trust (London, UK)
West Bengal Government’s Kanyashree project and
Tech Mahindra Foundation (TMF) etc.
Publications:
Recognition and Reach
My “Social Geographic” collection on Flickr has garnered over 18 million views, a testament to the impact of my work. (Link: https://www.flickr.com/people/social_geographic/)
Testimonial