J Mumu. Photos: Courtesy

Owing to a globally challenging year, the aim was to inspire people to capture moments that reflect unity and resilience. The judges sifted through over 700 photos by 200 photographers from 74 countries. As the event is one of the most coveted competitions in the global photography space, the win is a towering achievement for Mumu.

Her photo was also nominated in the Sapixel International Photo Contest 2020 in Romania and the Huntington Beach Cultural Cinema Showcase in the United Kingdom.

Bathed in natural light, the outstanding shot is imbued with atmospheric details, and acute in social observation. Mumu captured the picture with her phone during lockdown last year when she went to visit her village.

‘Shotoborshi Ananda’ by J Mumu.

 "Despite her age and increasing frailty, the woman in the photo still has a sweet smile on her face and a strong desire to keep living even in the face of adversity. The photo spoke to me, and I believe that there is a lot to learn from people's struggle for survival," she explained.

Mumu always had a knack for photography – winning prizes at many weekly and monthly competitions by various photography pages and groups on Facebook. A photo she clicked made it to the the top 10 in the ISABELLA prize in Canada. She is deeply inspired by impoverished lowland landscapes, vulnerability on the streets, and authenticity among people.

Currently, Mumu is busy with her university admissions exams. As soon as she is done with them, she wants to buy a good quality camera and sign up for photography courses to hone her skills.

"Since photography is still not taken seriously in this side of the world, it is very easy for aspiring photographers to be discouraged. My advice to them is to be mentally strong. Practice and hard work will take them to newer heights," concluded Mumu.

The author is a student of BRAC University, and a freelance journalist. Email: shanzaychowdhury@gmail.com.