Ismail Ferdous (b. 1989), is a Bangladeshi photographer based in New York City. He is a member of Agence VU’ in Paris and a faculty member at ICP in New York. Raised in Dhaka, Ferdous is a self-taught photographer who cultivated his passion for photography while attending business school. He is deeply interested in human interest stories that resonate with the nuances of the contemporary world.
Some of his most influential works include a multidisciplinary project that addresses the devastating effects of the “fast fashion” industry on Bangladeshi workers through his documentary photos and films. His extensive work on migrations and refugees, spanning four continents, weaves narratives from Syria, Ukraine, Mexico, France, and Bangladesh. His work has also focused on the topic of race and diversity through the stories of South Asians and a portrait essay on immigrants working in the meat industry in the US.
Ferdous has participated in over 30 exhibitions at esteemed galleries, festivals, and museums, including Les Rencontres d’Arles. His work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post, Geo, National Geographic, and M Le magazine du Monde, among others. Ismail has received numerous awards for his work, including the World Press Photo Award, Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2023, POYi, and the Getty Instagram Grant.
SEA BEACH at Cox’s Bazar, woven from threads of childhood, family, and heritage, has been a constant presence in Ismail Ferdous’s life, embodying the rich cultural diversity of Bangladesh and serving as a gateway to both personal and communal introspection.
Learn MoreDiscover The Intent vs. The Effect with Ismail Ferdous, a discussion that takes an inquiry into how an artist shapes a project to convey their story vs. how an audience then perceives the work once it is released to the world.
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