Profile

” Today, I count myself blessed, having become a photographer. To be able  to articulate the experiences of  the voiceless,   to bring their identity to the forefront, gives meaning and purpose to my own life ” – Gmb Akash

GMB Akash is a compassionate and award-winning photographer from Bangladesh, who dedicates his life to capturing the essence of people living on the edge of society all over the world. With his lens, He has the unique ability to translate the raw emotions and human experiences of marginalized and vulnerable communities into breathtaking visuals.

His photography goes beyond being just a visual representation of poverty, oppression, and social injustice. His work serves as a powerful tool to raise awareness and bring about social change. Through his lens, he captures the beauty and dignity of people who are often ignored or forgotten by society, inspiring us to create a more just and equitable world.

GMB Akash’s photography is not just soulful and stirring, but it is also a testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

His work has been featured in over 100 major publications including Vogue, Time, Sunday Times, Newsweek, Geo, Stern, Der Spiegel, The Fader, Brand Ein, The Guardian, Marie Claire, Colors, The Economist, The New Internationalist, Kontinente, Amnesty Journal, Courier International, PDN, Die Zeit, Days Japan, Hello, and the Sunday Telegraph of London.

The photographs of GMB Akash have been exhibited all over the world with solo exhibitions in Bangladesh, Laos, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, USA New York, Charleston, S.C., Qatar, Maldives, Finland, as well as in the Czech Republic and Greece.

He has received more than 100 international photography awards and recognition starting in 2002 when he became the first Bangladeshi selected for the World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass in the Netherlands. He was the first Bangladeshi to receive the Young Reporters Award 2004 at the Scope Photo Festival in Paris. In 2005 he was awarded ‘Best of Show’ at the Center for Fine Art Photography’s international competition in Colorado, USA. He won the 2006 World Press Photo award and released his first book ‘FIRST LIGHT’ that same year. Again, he became the first Bangladeshi to be selected for the 30 Emerging Photographers (PDN 30), sponsored by Photo District News Magazine, USA. In Switzerland he won the 7th Vevey International Photography 2009 Grant. He took home the international ‘Travel photographer of the Year’ 2009 (TPOY 2009) in the UK, the most prestigious award in travel photography. Nikon selected GMB Akash in 2011 as one of the 8 ‘influencers’ in Asia Pacific.

In 2012 he presented the results of his 10-year project “Survivors”, with proceeds from the resulting publication going towards helping the subjects of the book establish their own small businesses and become self-sufficient.

He founded the GMB Akash Institute of Photography in 2013 in Bangladesh teaching students from all over the world. The proceeds from his photography workshops go towards the provision of basic education for street children, underprivileged talented students and child labourers.

GMB Akash has been invited to speak and present his work at the 2008 Fifth Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Norway, at the TEDxOporto 2011 in Portugal as the first Bangaldeshi to speak at a TEDx event subsequently invited to TEDxHyderabad 2017 as well as the TedxYouth 2019 at Sir John Wilson School in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He was also invited to the ‘7th Forum of Emerging Leaders in Asian Journalism’ in 2017, Indonesia. At the National Geographic Exodus Fest in Portugal spoke, exhibited and gave a master class. He was the featured speaker at FINE ART TALKS in Malé, Republic of Maldives in the FE AUDITORIUM at The Maldives National University (MNU) 2019. He was a plenary session speaker at the QATAR LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, October 2019 in Doha as well as giving a workshop.

Various international photography contests have selected GMB Akash to be on the jury including Friends of the Earth International Photo Competition (The Netherlands), Fine art photography awards 2017(UK), The Worldwide Photography Gala award (UK), the UNESCO Silk Road Photography Contest 2021, 2022 (France), The Siena 2015 International Photography Awards (Italy), Urban photo award 2015, 2023 (Italy), VOUBS INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS  2016 (Italy), Humanity photo award 2017 (China), Visions international photo awards 2021 (France), World Water day photo contest 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 (Italy), The Al-Hawar photography award 2022(Iraq), and many more.

In addition to his accomplished photography career, GMB Akash has made a significant impact on his community in Bangladesh by providing educational opportunities to over 100 children and other forms of support to over 300 underprivileged individuals with different businesses in Bangladesh. Through scholarships, school supplies, and other resources, GMB Akash has helped more than 500 children achieve their full potential.