Shezad Noorani

Though Shehzad Noorani never formally studied photography, his work proves that one need not be formally educated in photography to be a top photographer---one need only be talented. A freelance documentary photographer and a consultant with a special focus on social issues for several national and international organizations since 1987, Noorani's focus has been to visually capture the existence of those who are on the lowest rungs of South Asia's social, political, and economic ladder. Noorani's genius is evident in his ability to reveal the subtle emotions and alternate shades of reality in the life he photographs---life which might otherwise be dismissed and overlooked as ordinary and unworthy by others.

Noorani's work has been published in both in various forms of journalism, including the British Journal of Photography, The NI Internationalist, The Asia Week, television's broadcast magazine, Dateline, and Thailand Magazine. In addition, Noorani has edited photographs for numerous publications and multi-media presentation and has created picture libraries for UNICEF and Map Photo Agency, Dhaka. His clients include The New York Times, Le Monde, Independent (UK), Guardian (UK), Internazionale (Italy), UNICEF, UNFPA, UNAIDS, WHO, Johns Hopkins University, Aga Khan Foundation, Aga Khan University, and the Safe the Children Fund.

Noorani's work has been exhibited all over the world, namely in Bangladesh, Denmark, France, India, Nepal, and United States. His most recent exhibit, The Daughters of Darkness, took place at The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, as part of the Foreign Correspondent's Club, Thailand, 1999. Daughters of Darkness focuses on commercial sex workers of the Kandupatti Brothel in Bangladesh, entertainers through sex peddlers in the Bedi Community of Nepal, and child prostitution in Philippines.