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Bangladesh’s photography industry is growing as the demand for goods and services related to photographs, images, and films becomes more ubiquitous.
Photography became popular after the 1960s, when taking portraits and preserving people on paper became fashionable. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that photography became more accessible to the masses.
Nowadays, from important social events like weddings to commercial needs like professional headshots, company marketing, and product advertising, photography services are in high demand.
Online platforms have become a boon for the photography industry as more and more companies are shifting to digital marketing for advertising.
The industry is becoming more formalized in Bangladesh, and the market is growing at a rate of 10–15 per cent per year, according to the Bangladesh Photographic Association.
The annual turnover of the photography industry is more than Tk 1,000 crore, said the same organisation.
Speaking to The Business Post, Abu Naser, a commercial and fashion photographer, said that at the start of his career he used to cover an assignment for Tk 10,000. But now, for his photo quality and professionalism, he can earn up to Tk 3 lakh per assignment.
When contacted, Abu Sufian Nilove, the CEO of NijolCreative Photography, said that photography is no longer restricted to the formal sector.
Commercial photography has become a common medium of entertainment, he added.
He also stated that they are well-known for commercial photography and professional headshots, with monthly turnovers of up to Tk 50 lakh.
Also speaking to the newspaper, Sajib Paul, a managing partner of Wedding Diary, said that the photography industry is expanding thanks to the growing tendency to preserve memories, behind which social media has played a key factor.
“Now, social media has become a part of life, and people like to share photos with friends. When sharing photographs of special events like weddings, everyone wants quality and wonderful photos. This is why they are seeking professional photographers,” he added.
He claimed they had to cover 15-20 events in a single day because they had the best photographers in the country in terms of quality and professionalism.
Local photographers earning global recognition
In 2022, Bangladeshi photographers won several international awards, successfully portraying the country in a positive light.
Bangladeshi photographer Utsab Ahamed Akash won the best single photograph from the Lifestyle category in the Sony World Photography Awards 2022’s Open Competition.
His black-and-white portrait of a beekeeper competed with more than 170,000 entries submitted from all over the world for the World Photography Organisation’s contest.
In the same competition, Kazi Arifuzzaman won the national award for Bangladesh for his photo depicting men and women working together in a brick kiln in the Brahmanbaria district.
Meanwhile, a number of other Bangladeshi photographers won awards in four categories at this year’s Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year competition.
The contest, organised by The Food Awards Company of England, has become the largest food photography competition in the world.
Ashfaque Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Photographic Society, said Bangladeshi photographers were well known in the international market for their acute talent in the field.
“Although the commercial photography industry opened up a new source of foreign income, we still have a long way to go,” he added.
Fresh source of employment
The growing popularity of photography culture has provided the country with a new source of employment opportunities.
According to the Bangladesh Photographic Association, around 100,000 people in the country work as photographers, including both professionals and freelancers.
Meanwhile, the overall industry employs some 500,000 people directly and indirectly at a number of sectors including photo studios and photo labs.
Many young people have become entrepreneurs, and unemployed people have found work in the growing photography industry.
Furthermore, photography students benefit greatly from their work as part-time photographers in the industry, which allows them to cover their own costs.
The sector is generating entrepreneurs all over the country, including in rural areas.
Hanif Mahmud, an entrepreneur from Shariatpur, said he was unemployed after graduation and, at that time, he bought a camera as he was fond of photography.
“Now I make more than Tk 30,000 a month working at various events, including weddings,” he added.
Industry not fully explored
Bangladesh’s commercial photography industry has yet to be fully explored.
Wedding, fashion, event, travel, birthday, anniversary, food, and product are the most popular types of photography services offered in the country.
Meanwhile, most other commercial photography genres, such as underwater, adventure, architectural, wildlife, and astrophotography, are not growing at the same rate as the rest of the world.
According to Prito Reza, a well-known photographer, the industry is gradually growing, but there is still a long way to go.
“We have made significant progress in the wedding photography genre, but we have yet to explore every possible aspect of the industry,” he said.
Downfall of photo studio businesses
Back in the day, owning a personal camera was considered a luxury. As such, photographs were only taken of the most significant or memorable events. And the only way to store those photos was to print them.
As a result, the business of photo studios was at its peak.
However, with the advent of digital photography, the days of going to a studio to have portraits taken are long gone.
With the rapid adoption of smartphones with decent cameras, technology, and social media over the last decade, there is little enthusiasm left for a trip to the studio with one’s loved ones to have portraits taken for posterity.
Thus came the downfall of photo studio businesses.
Akkash Mahmood, chief adviser of the Bangladesh Photographic Association (BPA) said after the rise of smartphones, once busy studios and colour labs are now struggling to survive.
“Rather than going to the studio, they’re opting for the more convenient option of printing photos at local copy and print shops, which is hurting the industry,” he added.
Industry hurdles
Despite the country’s growing industry, there are concerns about poor job quality, tax avoidance from active businesses, and lack of loan and training facilities necessary for the expansion of the sector, according to industry insider.
Although some businesses provide excellent service, the majority of businesses fail to do so due to a lack of knowledge of basic photography.
The industry is suffering from a lack of loan facilities and proper training in line with technological demands.
Meanwhile, although many businesses paid taxes, the vast majority did not, and many do not have a trade license.
According to Prito Reza, the industry lacks professionalism and quality. “We are about to enter the fourth industrial revolution era, and we must prepare the photographers with appropriate policy support.”
He also added that the industry should be organised to follow the law and that training should be provided to help the industry grow.
Prof AJM Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan, founder chair of the Television, Film and Photography department at Dhaka University, said that a picture can convey a multitude of messages and is the most effective means of archiving memories and documents.
“To turn the industry into a formal sector, institutional education and professional engagement are required,” the professor added.
