Visual document of a ravaged planet

The Prix Pictet is the world's first award for photography dedicated to sustainability. Works from about 300 photographers were received for the last edition of the awards, to which entry is by nomination only. More than 70 nominators from five continents chose the series of images that, in the opinion of the jury, have the power and artistic quality demanded by the Prix Pictet.

The aim of the initiative is to address socio-environmental issues by using photography to make people see, believe and feel and get a response.

Some of the images nominated for the Prix Pictet are on display at an exhibition. The show comprises photos by 12 photographers whose works were shortlisted for the award. The photos narrate the harmful effects of unsustainable exploitation of natural resources and mirror the results of unsustainable development. The photographers are Darren Almond, Nadav Kander and Chris Steele-Perkins from the United Kingdom, Christopher Anderson and Edward Burtynsky from Canada, Sammy Baloji from Congo, Andreas Gursky from Germany, Naoya Hatakeyama from Japan, Ed Kashi from the United States, Abbas Kowsari from Iran, Yao Lu from China and Edgar Martins from Portugal.

Kashi, the Prix Pictet commission winner for 2009, was born in New York City in 1957. The images of this photojournalist, filmmaker and educator are devoted to documenting social and political issues. Kashi's work has been recognised across the world, with his imagery noted for its compelling rendering of the human condition.

Lyrical essays of life

Photography in the eye of Kashi goes beyond the mere zoom-and-capture of landscapes — it is a process of documenting life packed with issues. "My photography is essay-driven, realistic and complex, and sometimes lyrical and intimate."

Asked why he was attracted to photography, the New Jersey-based Kashi says: "Perhaps the opportunity to tell stories, make images of people and the world, make a difference and be able to do new things for the rest of my life. ... I wanted to be a writer. Prior to university I had never considered photography. But then I studied photojournalism at Syracuse University in New York."

Asked about the message that he would like to convey through his photographs, he replies: "I strive to humanise people in my stories, deal with pressing social and political issues of my time and create images that will make people stop, think, look, care and act."

In the long term, he says he wants to see his work as a historical record and also contribute to our collective memories. "I want to immortalise issues of importance and ordinary people doing extraordinary things or living through extraordinary circumstances. My images should live on as a document of my times. ... Along the way, hopefully, I will be able make a few images that live on in the field of photography and art."

Kashi's work revolves around people. "Indeed, I concentrate on images of people, moments and what I call candid intimacy. But in the course of my work, I must do everything to help create the visual narratives that drive my storytelling."

Does he prefer to take photographs at a specific time? "Not really, but early mornings and late afternoons offer the most beautiful light."

Is there any moment he thinks his lens missed to document? If so, what and where? "There are too many to recount. But that is part of this work. We cannot possibly capture everything we witness and observe, so I don't dwell on what I didn't get. Life and photography are reductive by nature, with unlimited possibilities and limited abilities."

Icons admired

The photographers Kashi admires are: "Sebastiao Salgado for his epic visual narratives, Gilles Peress for his incisive eye and keen intelligence, Eugene Richards for his visual drama and social conscience and James Nachtwey for his visual power and knack for being in the heart of the action."

Kashi took his first photo when he was 17. "It was a can of beverage lying on grass and I thought it was high art!" he says.

Now that digital camera technology has made photography easier, does he think just about anybody can become a good photographer? "I believe anybody can make a good photographer," says Kashi, who uses a Canon 5D Mark II, and is keen on capturing "the modernity and vitality" of the UAE.

And what would he like photography lovers in Dubai to shoot? "Make images of your lives, your communities and the issues of importance to you. Capture the beauty and humanity of your world and share these images with others," says the photographer who would like to be remembered "as a master visual storyteller who tried to bridge the gaps between people and create more understanding and empathy".

Edgar Martins grew up in China and moved to the UK in 1996. He has a masters in photography and fine arts and is known for his images of nightscapes. He recently won the Sony World Photography Award in the landscape category.

The "insufficiencies [of photography] as a communication tool" captured his attention in the first place. "My work deals with photography's inability to register time," he says by way of elaboration. "I do not see the objects and landscapes portrayed in my images for what they are. I see them as ‘events'. My images offer encounters with a time suspended before or after an event. They represent the memory of an event. They portray a wider temporal reality which cannot be identified or denied."

Benefits of technology

Martins is inspired mainly by all that lies outside the field of photography. He believes digital technology has enabled those with a passion for photography to go ahead and work with images. "It has democratised photography but I use a 8x10 Toyo."

A retrospective of Martin's work is to be held at the Centre Cultural Caloust Gulbenkian Paris in November.

British photographer Chris Steele-Perkins was born in Burma in 1947. At the age of 2 he moved to England with his father.

He studied psychology at Newcastle University and worked for a student newspaper. After graduating with an honours degree in 1970, he became a freelance photographer and also worked on issues concerning urban poverty.

In 1975 he worked with Exit, a collective dealing with social problems in Britain. "I was drawn to photography because of the freedom it offered as a means of expression. I also practised it as a hobby."

Steele-Perkins would like his work to reflect his experiences and have value for future generations. "In other words, I like to document the way we live," he says.

He believes advanced camera technology can help one become a competent photographer. "But the extra that makes them good comes from the mind, not the equipment."

Steele-Perkins is a recipient of many awards, the latest one being the 2008 Royal Photographic Society Terrence Donovan Award.

To all those who are interested in photography, his advice is to "photograph what you think is important, not what others tell you is the latest fashion".

The Prix Pictet exhibition is on at The Empty Quarter Fine Art Photography Gallery at the Dubai International Financial Centre until March 6.