Andrew Biraj

Andrew Biraj (এন্ড্রু বিরাজ; born 1982) is a Bangladeshi photojournalist.

Biography

Biraj holds an advanced diploma in photography from the South Asian Institute of Photography and a BA in photography from the University of Bolton, UK. He is the cofounder and a lifetime member of Counter Foto Photography Department in Bangladesh, which has established in 2012. He has been a teacher of photojournalism in Pathshala since 2007 and has also been on the jury boards of numerous photography contests in Bangladesh. Inequality, conflict, locality and struggle are among his interests. His news-based photojournalism has a positive impact on the country’s photography landscape.

His work has been featured in the exhibitions and screenings worldwide, including Visa Pour l'Image, in Perpignan, the Angkor Photo Festival in Cambodia, Yangon Photo Festival in Myanmar, the International Photography Biennial of the Islamic World in Iran, Noorderlicht Photo Festival in the Netherlands, the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts in Japan, the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà in Venice, the National Art Gallery in Malaysia and Drik Gallery in Bangladesh.^[1]

He self-published his first book Insight in 2011. Counter Foto also published his second book Bonded Stitches & Struggle; Testimony of Life in Bangladesh's Garment Industry (Bengali Version) in April 2014. He has been working with Reuters since 2008.^[1]

Awards

World Press Photo

• Selected for 18th Joop Swart Masterclass, 2008
• 3rd Prize in Daily Life Category in World Press Photo contest, 2011

Pictures of the Year (POYi)

• 2nd Prize in Feature Category, 2013

Best of Photojournalism (BOP) by National Press Photographer’s Association of America, NPPA

• 3rd Prize in the Enterprise Category, 2010
• 1st Prize in the Environmental Picture Story Category, 2008

Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar Contest

• Best Portfolio, 2013
• 2nd Prize in the News Picture story Category, 2013
• 2nd Prize in the Feature Category, 2009

China International Press Photo Contest (CHIPP)

• Gold Prize in the Daily Life Category, 2013
• Bronze Prize in the War & Disaster Category, 2011
• Silver Prize in the Daily Life Category, 2010
• Bronze Prize in the War & Disaster Category, 2007

Others

• Award of Excellence in Feature photography in Society of Publisher's in Asia (SOPA) Award; 2010
• South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) award for outstanding photograph about South Asia; 2010
• 1st prize in FCCT/OnAsia Photo Contest; 2009
• Runner UP in the Photojournalism category of American Photo- Images of the Year; 2009
• Press Award in One world Media Award, UK; 2008
• Nominated for Reuters Photo of the Year; 2009
• Honourable Mention in Asahi Shimbun- International Photographic Salon of Japan, 2011
• Honourable Mention in Asahi Shimbun- International Photographic Salon of Japan, 2012
• Honourable Mention in the International Photography Awards, IPA; 2010
• Honourable Mention in The 4th Photography Masters Cup; 2010
• Honourable Mention in PX3 Prix De La Photographie Paris; 2010
• Silver Award in the International Aperture Awards; 2009
• Two Honourable Mentions in the Worldwide Photography Gala Awards in 2009
• 2nd Prize in the Venice International Photo Contest; 2007
• 3rd prize in Al-Falah Bangladesh Photo Competition; 2010
• Honourable Mention in World Food Program (WFP) Photography Awards, 2009

Exhibitions and screenings

• Visa Pour l'Image, Perpignan, France.
• Open exhibition near collapsed Rana Plaza building site and University of Dhaka campus.
• Angkor photo festival in Cambodia.
• Yangon Photo Festival in Myanmar.
• International Photography Biennial of the Islamic World in Iran.
• Noorderlicht photo festival ‘Act of Faith’ in The Netherlands.
• Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts in Japan
• National Art Gallery in Malaysia.
• Drik Gallery in Bangladesh and University of Bolton in UK.

Bibliography

• INSIGHT. , May 2011
• BONDED STITCHES & STRUGGLE. Testimony of Life in Bangladesh’s Garment Industry, April 2014
• Under the Banyan Tree. Pathshala, Bangladesh 2010
• Our world Now. Reuters, 2010,2011, 2013

References

• Andrew Biraj Website
• Co Founder & Lifetime member, Counter Foto Photography Department
• Reuters Wider Image
• World Press Photo
• National Geographic
• Best Portfolio- Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar Contest
• Noorderlicht; Act Of Faith 2007
• Boston Globe- The Big Picture
• Andrew Biraj in New Age
• Profile in Lightstalkers
• Bangladesh Dreams- Vogue Italy

Footnotes