Photo and video storytelling in Baku. Photo: Mehman Huseynov, Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Safety

Azerbaijan Media Center is exhibiting some of the world's best photographs as part of the Media Center's photo and video story-telling event series. Gulnara Akhundova, IMS, reports from Baku

Backroom scenes of President Barrack Obama’s campaign, an albino schoolgirl in Africa, mysteries of the ocean—all stories reflected in photographs on the walls of the IMS-funded Azerbaijan Media Center.  The 2009 Picture of the Year (POY) Exhibit winners visit Azerbaijan, thanks to the initiative of the U.S. Embassy in Baku with organisational support of the Media Center.

Picture of the Year 2009
The exhibition POY is one of the oldest, largest and most highly respected photo journalism competitions in the world. Some eighty representatives of media, government, civil society, international community as well as artists, photographers and  students packed into the Media Center to enjoy best the world’s best photographs.

- As we say in America, a picture is worth a thousand words, and many of the photographs in this exhibit tell stories that simply cannot be told with mere words, said Terry Davidson, U.S. Embassy spokesman.

Photos to save print media from crisis

In March, Kent Kobersteen, retired Director of Photography and Senior Editor at National Geographic arrived at the Azerbaijan Media Center to facilitate a master class photo workshop.

Guided by Kent Kobersteen, local photographer talents worked hard over five days to capture Baku in photos later shown to senior editors during the visual journalism workshop. The 15 editors from local print media were impressed with the work of the local photographers. In Azerbaijan, where little attention is paid to print layout and most photos are placed without captions, the workshop signaled for immediate steps to boost visual journalism.

- Now, when print is in crisis almost everywhere in the world we need to add value to the words by true and powerful photos, the editors attending the workshop, agreed.

A piece of Hollywood at Azerbaijan Media Center

For one day, the conference room at the Media Center turned into a real Hollywood-like studio equipped with all the tools needed to shoot the powerful interview.

Dozens applied to participate in the workshop “Shooting Documentary Video Interview” organised  with Thomas Burns, Fulbright student and professional cinematographer from the U.S. The workshop brought together a talented group of young filmmakers, operators and civil journalists and combined theory, history and practice. 

-  Practice was the main focus and this is what I especially loved about this workshop, said Ali Mammadov, civil journalist and professional cameraman who took part in the event.

- Thanks to the Media Center initiative and Thomas Burns’ teaching input, we now one step closer to Dreams Factory, he concluded.