World Press Photo Foundation’s 6×6 talents from Asia

The World Press Photo Foundation has announced the six talents from Asia in its ongoing 6×6 Global Talent Program. Aimed at picking out under-recognised visual story-tellers from around the world, the 6×6 programme is now on its sixth and final region in its first cycle. The photographers picked out this time are: Amira Al-Sharif, Yemen; Azin Anvar Haghighi, Iran; Saumya Khandelwal, India; Senthil Kumaran Rajendran, India; Shahria Sharmin, Bangladesh; and Yan Cong, China.

The image-makers were recommended by an international group of over 100 nominators, and selected by a jury comprised of: Ammar Abd Rabbo (Syria), photographer and journalist; NayanTara Gurung Kakshapati (Nepal), photographer and curator; Claudia Hinterseer (Netherlands), senior video producer South China Morning Post; and Kazuma Obara (Japan), photographer.

The photographers’ work will be presented during Miami Photo Fest’s nightly multimedia presentations from 23 February – 03 March, and featured on World Press Photo Foundation’s online magazine Witness. The 6×6 Global Talent programme will continue, with the first edition in the next cycle focusing on visual story-tellers from Southeast Asia and Oceania.

www.worldpressphoto.org/programs/develop/6×6/28564

“I am given an exam, the result is unknown to me” – Tina (21) on 8 August 2013. From the series Call Me Heena (Part 1), which looks at the Hijra of South Asia – people designated male or intersex at birth who adopt a feminine gender identity © Shahria Sharmin
Untitled, 10 September 2017. From the series Call Me Heena (Part 2), which hopes to “amplify Hijra voices and inspire Hijras to open even more space for themselves within Bangladeshi society” © Shahria Sharmin
Basij pray to God during religious class before starting military training at the Afsariyeh military camp in Tehran, Iran on 4 April 2014. From the series Mentoring the future Basij, a study of the Basij – or ‘resistance force’ – of paramilitary militia in Iran © Azin Anvar Haghighi
A different aspect of military training for the teenager students in Afsariyeh military camp, Tehran, Iran on 24 April 2014. From the series Mentoring the future Basij, a study of the Basij – or ‘resistance force’ – of paramilitary militia in Iran © Azin Anvar Haghighi
A simulation of the Ramadan operation by Basij students in the Velayat park of Tehran, Iran on 25 September 2013. Basiji members annually recreate important missions and operations of Iran-Iraq war in memorial of these events. From the series Mentoring the future Basij, a study of the Basij – or ‘resistance force’ – of paramilitary militia in Iran © Azin Anvar Haghighi
In Ghosri Village, near Tadoba Tiger Reserve, the night watchman sits in the watchtower on his cotton farm to protect the crops from the wild boars and deer, 2015. Often big cats are found roaming around the farms for search of prey. From the series Boundaries: Human and Tiger Conflict, which considers the 48 tiger reserves in India – home to an estimated 2300 of the 4000 last surviving wild tigers on this planet © Senthil Kumaran Rajendran
A tiger in cage during translocation away from human settlement, 2013. It was rescued from the human settlement in Valparai, Ananmalai Tiger Reserve. From the series Boundaries: Human and Tiger Conflict, which considers the 48 tiger reserves in India – home to an estimated 2300 of the 4000 last surviving wild tigers on this planet © Senthil Kumaran Rajendran
Jumbu, a 32 year old Tusker captured from elephant conflict zone, 2016. From the series Tamed Tuskers, a study of the Kumkis and their work with wild elephants © Senthil Kumaran Rajendran
A construction worker takes a cigarette break at Genting Skiing Resort, Chongli, China in September 2015. From the series Chongli 2022, a look at the preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics in the previously modest skiing town 300km from Beijing © Yan Cong
Skiers in a gondola arrive at the top of a slope at Galaxy (Cuiyunshan) Ski Resort on 23 January 2018, with Chongli downtown visible in the background. From the series Chongli 2022, a look at the preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics in the previously modest skiing town 300km from Beijing © Yan Cong
An advertisement board covered by pictures of the world’s highest mountains in Chongli County, China, in September 2015. From the series Chongli 2022, a look at the preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics in the previously modest skiing town 300km from Beijing © Yan Cong
The effects of the bombardment from the morning of 19 September 2015 by the Saudi-led coalition aircraft in the area of the “Al-Falhi” area of the UNESCO World Heritage site, as part of the old city of Sana’a, North of Yemen on 30 December 2016. From the series Ambassadors of Yemen, which collects the stories of eight diverse Yemeni young leaders who are bringing about change for the better in Yemen © Amira Al-Sharif
Wafi and Mokhtar, young men in their twenties who are fighters in the southern resistance that defended Aden during the Houthi invasion in 2015, on 24 March 2017 in Aden, South of Yemen. They work for Coalition countries at one of the security checkpoints in Crater, Aden. Coalition countries pay the wages of all armed groups both regular or semi-regular in Aden. The security apparatus in Aden operates under the auspices and supervision of the coalition forces. From the series Ambassadors of Yemen, which collects the stories of eight diverse Yemeni young leaders who are bringing about change for the better in Yemen © Amira Al-Sharif
Ali Mohammed Salem Gora’a, a nomad who was mistakenly hit by the Emirates thermal defence system while he was walking to dumpster to collect food for his goats, on 11 February 2017 in AlBorigah, South of Yemen. The UAE forces in a camp near Qurei village shot Ali as a result of suspected trafficking near their camp following a series of terrorist bombings in Aden targeting UAE troops in Southern Yemen. From the series Ambassadors of Yemen, which collects the stories of eight diverse Yemeni young leaders who are bringing about change for the better in Yemen © Amira Al-Sharif
Muskaan is wrapped in a red cloth as part of the ceremonies on her wedding day in Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh, India on 29 April 2017. 14-year-old Muskaan was marrying 21-year-old Raju. Under pressure from her father, Muskaan discontinued her education after her marriage was fixed. From the series Child Brides of Shravasti © Saumya Khandelwal
Muskaan, followed by Raju, walks around the fire as part of the ceremonies on her wedding day in Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh, India on 29 April 2017. 14-year-old Muskaan was marrying 21-year-old Raju. Under pressure from her father, Muskaan discontinued her education after her marriage was fixed. From the series Child Brides of Shravasti © Saumya Khandelwal
Daily wage labourers carry the parts of a dismantled car at Mayapuri vehicular scrap market, believed to be Asia’s largest, in New Delhi, India on 3 December 2015. From the series A Biography of Scrap, a study of the Mayapuri junk market in New Delhi © Saumya Khandelwa
Diane Smyth

Diane Smyth is the editor of BJP, returning for a second stint on staff in 2023 - after 15 years on the team until 2019. As a freelancer, she has written for The Guardian, FT Weekend Magazine, Creative Review, Aperture, FOAM, Aesthetica and Apollo. She has also curated exhibitions for institutions such as The Photographers Gallery and Lianzhou Foto Festival. You can follow her on instagram @dismy