Photojournalism exhibition held by Mass Comm Dept & FJS
A photojournalism exhibition was held by Mass Communication Department and the Formanite Journalism Society on 23 May 2013. The exhibition showcased the work of journalism students through 80 photographs of famous landmarks in Lahore taken during a two-week workshop. The free workshop was conducted by the Mass Communication Department and the Forman Journalism Society in collaboration with the Nikon and Comtronix. In the workshop, students were guided by Agha Rizwan, a renowned photographer and UNDP award winner.
FCC Rector Dr James Tebbe, Mass Communication Department Chairperson Dr Hannan Mian, Country head of Nikon Nasir Saeed, FJS advisor Professor Fahad Mehmood, other faculty members and a large number of students attended the event.
Dr Tebbe inaugurated the exhibition and spoke about the importance of hands-on training of journalism and communication students. He said it was the need of the hour that the students of Mass Communication acquire skills related to the field as the media industry continues to grow in Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Dr Hanan Mian said the purpose of the workshop was to give students a chance to learn about the camera techniques and demonstrate their theoretical learning through the lens. He said the themes of the workshop were geometric patterns of buildings in different areas of the city, including the Walled City. Students also focused on architectural masterpieces such as the Badshahi Mosque, the Lahore Fort and the Food Street, he added.
Prof Fahad said that journalism in Pakistan needs fresh talent, and that it was particularly true for photojournalism. “It is my observation that newsrooms in Pakistan at times to struggle to get a full caption to a picture photographers provide, primarily because mainstream newspapers may have several photographers, but hardly a few photojournalists. The workshop and the exhibition is a step towards that larger goal.”
Mr Nasir Saeed appreciated the efforts of the FCC faculty and students and expressed hope for future collaboration. Mr Agha Rizwan said that FCC students are gifted with the eye to click at the right time. He thanked the Mass Communication department and FJS for facilitating the organization of this workshop.
The photographs displayed at the exhibition reflected the expertise students can gain once they are given training by an expert. The students whose photos were on display expressed their pride in their work and a motivation to carry on. “I had not realized at the start of the workshop that I would be able to come up with such professional photographs. I look forward to taking these skills into my journalistic career once I graduate,” said Sara Malik, a student whose work was on display. M Hasan Aslam, another student, said that it was a great opportunity for him to learn how to handle the camera.
The exhibition ended with certificates distributed among the participants. Dr Hanan presented a photograph by Agha Rizwan from his series ‘Lahore Lahore Ae’ as a souvenir to Dr Tebbe. Mr Nasir Saeed of Nikon also presented a souvenir to Dr Hanan Mian.