Wanting to document the lives and personalities of the displaced Syrians that have fled to the Zaatari Refugee Camp, London photographer Kalpesh Lathigra decided to do so through passport-styled images of individuals.
The passport document is a significant factor in the lives of these people as it defines their identity and thus determines where they are able to travel to and where they will find closed borders and red tape. Lathigra explains, “in regards to refugees, people leave with their absolute basics and arrive in a camp, and have to get a new ID document. How much we rely upon that basic image of us in many ways, binds us across the world.”
The passport photography of individuals in the Zaatari Refugee Camp symbolize identity.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Passport-styled Photography
- Exploring new ways of capturing identity through passport-styled images.
- Documenting Displaced Communities
- Using photography to shed light on the lives of displaced individuals and their struggles.
- Identity and Travel Restrictions
- Examining the impact of passports on an individual's identity and their ability to travel.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Photography
- Opportunity for photographers to innovate by adopting the passport photography style for various projects.
- Refugee Support and Advocacy
- Addressing the challenges faced by displaced communities and promoting awareness through visual storytelling.
- Travel and Immigration
- Identifying opportunities to improve the processes and experiences related to passport documentation and travel restrictions.
