Each edition the AFF hosts portfolio reviews thanks to the participation of world-renowned photographers, photo editors, educators and curators who offer insight and create important networks for photographers in Africa. This edition, our aim is to select emerging talents from various parts of the continent to participate in this event. The portfolio review is an integral component of the festival that offers photographers feedback on their work and approach. By facilitating the formation of new networks we create opportunities for emerging talents across the continent to grow professionally and participate in the international market. This year, those chosen to participate in the portfolio review are automatically considered for the AFF Photography Awards. The winners of which will be determined by the reviewers and announced at end of the festival. The portfolio review is brought to you by National Geographic.
Portfolio Reviews
Shahidul Alam
Photographer/Educator/Activist
AFF is saddened that renowned Bangladeshi photographer and activist Shahidul Alam will not be joining us as originally planned for our Portfolio Review. A photographer for over 40 years whose images have been important documents of his times; an educator who has shaped many; and a tireless advocate for human rights, Shahidul was arrested in August of 2018 and is still in custody at the time of this writing.
AFF’s thoughts are with him and his family.
#freeshahidul
Dudley M. Brooks
Photography Director Washington Post magazine
Dudley M. Brooks is the Deputy Director of Photography at The Washington Post, where he manages the creative strategy and production of all photo content for the Features and Sports sections. He is also the Photo Editor for The Washington Post Magazine. Immediately prior, Brooks was the Director of Photography and Senior Photo Editor for the monthly magazine Ebony and its weekly sister periodical Jet – both published by Johnson Publishing Company in Chicago. These iconic publications have collectively chronicled the African-American experience for over 70-years and he was a key member of the senior staff responsible for enhancing the editorial approach of each.
A graduate of Morgan State University in Baltimore, Md.,Brooks began his journalism career in 1981 as a staff photographer for the Rockford Register Star newspaper in northern Illinois. He later joined the award-winning photo staff at The Washington Post and was employed there as a photographer from 1983-2005.
Before returning to the Post in 2014, Brooks also served as the Assistant Managing Editor of Photography at The Baltimore Sun newspaper. In addition, he was the co-creator of the landmark 1990 project Songs of my People: African Americans – A Self-Portrait. A best-selling book and internationally traveled exhibition, that undertaking showcased newly commissioned work by 53 African-American photographers and was sponsored by Time-Warner and the Smithsonian Institute.
Jennifer Pritheeva Samuel
Photo Editor National Geographic
Jennifer Pritheeva Samuel is a photo editor at National Geographic where she edited many of the stories in the magazine’s 2018 series on race and diversity. She has worked on visual media and fine art projects that probe socio-political issues for over fifteen years. Prior to National Geographic, she worked with Photoville, Anastasia Photo, Hank Willis Thomas and was a co-founder and curator of the Brooklyn Photo Salon.
Before returning to documentary photography, Jennifer worked in documentary film and was an Associate Producer on several films that aired on PBS Frontline, Independent Lens, POV, and BBC, covering a wide range of topics including climate change, race and education, and Hurricane Katrina.
Jennifer studied Anthropology and Photography at New York University and was subsequently a Peace Corps volunteer on the island of Dominica. She received her Master of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs with a focus on Economic Development and Media.
Illa Donwahi
President of the Donwahi Foundation for Contemporary Art
Born on April 25, 1959, Illa Ginette Donwahi grew up in Côte d’Ivoire before pursuing her studies in France and in the United States (Claremont Colleges, California) where she graduated in Economics.
Art collector, I. G. Donwahi started in 2008 In Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the Fondation Donwahi for Contemporary Art, a non-profit cultural center, to promote and support contemporary creativity at home and abroad.
Through various programs the Fondation Donwahi creates conditions and activities to give an intelligent and sensible perspective of the African continent by opening its residency programs to all artists, and collaborating to panafrican and international cultural initiatives. (Past collaborations includes, the program AtWork_Abidjan 02 with the Moleskine Foundation, African Spirits with the Dokolo Foundation, Illa G. Donwahi has been invited as a curator or speaker on different programs at the Dakar Biennial, the Art Paris Art Fair, and AKAA Art Fair in Paris, and as a key speaker at the opening of the 2018 Cape Town Art Fair.
Grace Aneiza Ali
Curator/Editor/Educator
Grace Aneiza Ali is an Assistant Professor/Faculty Fellow in the Department of Art & Public Policy, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU and a Curator. Ali’s curatorial research practice and exhibitions center socially engaged art practices and contemporary art of the Caribbean and its diaspora, with a focus on her homeland Guyana. She is the founder andcurator of Guyana Modern, an online platform for the contemporary arts and culture of Guyana and its diaspora. Ali is the recipient of the following awards that have generously supported her work: NYU Provost Faculty Fellowship, Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art Grant, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Curatorial Fellowship, Fulbright Fellowship, NYU Henry M. MacCracken Fellowship and is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper. Her essays have been published in Nueva Luz Journal, Small Axe Journal, Harvard’s Transition Magazine, and Wasafiri Journal (London) among others
M.D. Shahnewaz Khan
Journalist/Curator
The
son of a freedom fighter, Md Shahnewaz Khan is a Documentary Photographer and
Founder Director of VOHH Photography Institute, VOHH Foundation and VOHH FOTO
FEST based Chittagong, Bangladesh. Having dreamed in his youth of becoming a
writer, photography instead managed to became his muse and mode of
expression.
In his words:
“I always want to know about people, their
life, their culture and their fight to survive. I believe photography is such a
great option for telling the truth to change the world.”
He won nearly 100 International awards in the
field of photojournalism and documentary photography, Including Ian Parry
Scholarship, Alexia Grant, Andrei Stenin Press Award (Twice), International
Photographer of the Year Award, Life Press Photo Award, Siena International
Photo Awards, Photoshare award (Twice), Al Mayadeen TV award, Professional
shortlisted at Sony World Photography Awards, Shortlisted Lucie Foundation
Emerging Scholarship, “Future Voices Jury Winner” by Eye Time, . Nominated –
World Press Photo Joop Swart masterclass (Three times) and UNICEF photo of the
year (Twice), Magnum EF Grant.
His works published over 100 International
journals like: CNN, Sunday Times, Amnesty International, The Guardian, National
Geography, Al Jazeera, FotoEvidence, British Journal of Photography, Eye of
photography, TIME Lightbox, P3, EyesOpen, EBS, Smithsonian Magazine, WHAT
Magazine, The Quiet American, ViewFind, Resource Magazine, Dhaka Tribune and
Photographic Museum of Humanity, Russia Today, Al Mayadeen TV, Phosmag
Magazine, Lensculture, Lucie Foundation, Resource Magazine, Dhaka Tribune,
etc.
He was interviewed at CNN, Sputnik, P3, Alexia,
Kaler Kantho, EBS, Al Mayadeen TV, Maasranga Television, ATN News etc.
His assignment experience includes: CNN, Sputnik
News, Al Mayadeen Tv, Alexia Foundation, P3, Rossiya Segodnya and many
National-International NGOs and Magazines.
His works exhibited over 40 countries around the
world. Including: Somerset House in London, House of Lords in London, Royal
Geographical Society in London, UN HQ in New York, City Center in Frankfurt,
Germany, Norma – Aeroporto di Catania in Italy, Lumiere brothers center of
photography Moscow, Just another photo festival, Sony Square NYC, Addis Foto
Fest in Ethiopia, Bursa PhotoFest, Pingyao China: Pip Festival, Beijing World
Art Museum, PARIS PHOTO VIA ALIX, AFRICAN ART FAIR, Sputnik, Bustler. The
Phoblographer, interaction, International Center of Photography (ICP), EyeTime,
Monovisions, BANGKOK POST, CHINA DAILY etc.
His long term project is selected and used as a
“Teaching and Research Material” to all over the world. Here is the
list below:
#”East Carolina University (ECU)” in
USA (Education)
#Duke University – Durham, NC, USA
(Education)
#University of Washington – Washington, USA
(Education)
#London School of Economics and Political
Science – UK (Education and Research)
#Johns Hopkins University – Baltimore, MD, USA
(Education)
#JohnsHopkins School of Public Health –
Baltimore, MD, USA (Education)
#University of Roehampton – London, UK
(Education)
#CARE (International Humanitarian Agency) –
Geneva, Switzerland (Research)
#Population Council – New York, USA (Research)
#World Health Organization – Geneva, Switzerland
((Research Report)
#International Executive Resources Group – New
York, USA (Annual Report)
#The Heller School, Brandeis University –
Waltham, MA, USA (Education)
#Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) – Seoul,
South Korea (Education)
# “London School of Hygiene & Tropical
Medicine” (Research)
The Addis Foto Fest (AFF) was established in 2010 by award-winning photographer and cultural entrepreneur, Aida Muluneh. The festival is organized by Desta for Africa Creative Consulting PLC. AFF is a biennial international photography festival held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It has previously featured exhibitions, portfolio reviews, conferences, projections and film screenings in many different renowned venues. It is also the first and only international photography festival in East Africa.