Bored Panda reached out to Md Enamul Kabir to gain insight into his creative process and background. The photographer revealed that he had never had an interest in photography. "Never have I ever imagined that I’ll be walking around with a camera, stopping at irregular intervals, snapping photos left and right.
At the end of 2012, I was unemployed and struggling to find a job. The local photography club used to make quite a lot of field trips. I'd tag along, visiting different places, mostly to pass the time. I was hoping someone would take a good portrait of me, and I could use that on my FB profile.
One fine evening on such a photo walk, I took a snap with my phone, just for fun. The scene was so serene and beautiful that it grabbed my senses entirely. Dr. Asim Saha, one of the nicest human beings I ever met, kept motivating me to take photos. Later, I met a photographer named Imtiaz Alam Beg, whose words inspired me to get behind the lens. Now, it seems I can't take my eye off the viewfinder."
Kabir often focuses on street photography, so we asked him what draws him to capture everyday moments in urban settings. "I think it is the uncertainty and the suspense derived from it that intrigues me most about street photography. You can't tell what is going to happen the next second. You can't control any of the elements that will be in the photograph.
Street photography is not like other forms of photography, where a photo can be staged and lit perfectly. I do not even have any preconceived idea of what the photo should look like. It is not making a pictorial photo, and there lies the challenge. Most days, I come home empty-handed from a street walk. Not even a single decent photo on the SD card to show for the effort. I have grown to like the feeling.
Street photography helps me learn how to be patient and positive and keep on smiling, not only when it comes to photography but also in real life. It helps me grow as a person."
When asked how he decides which moments or stories to capture, Kabir replied that he doesn't plan anything. "Probably, I am the laziest person when I am going to take photos. Truly speaking, I do not have any plans. Uniqueness is often referred to as style, which is something that comes naturally and cannot be forced. In photography, it is a personal statement. It is how one sees the world.
I strongly believe photos will come automatically because it is inside me. I just need to blend in and be ready to snap the photo when it comes. I feel the urgency to keep on learning and growing as a photographer."
About his upcoming book, Co-Existence, Kabir said it explores the delicate and often uneasy relationship between animals and urban environments. "I hope that viewers take away a deeper awareness of how these two worlds intersect. I am trying to capture moments where animals navigate human-dominated spaces—sometimes adapting, sometimes struggling—highlighting themes of survival, resilience, and displacement.
Ideally, my work encourages people to question the ways cities are designed and how urbanization affects non-human lives. Do we make space for animals, or do we push them to the fringes? Are we coexisting, or are they merely enduring our presence?
My images provoke these questions while also showcasing moments of unexpected beauty in the overlap between nature and concrete landscapes."
