"The work I do prioritizes time, attention and consent… and printing it brings it to life", says photographer and artist Aneesa Dawoojee

I will explore how photography can be used to preserve lives and experiences that aren't often kept in formal archives. I'll discuss how everyday lives can easily be forgotten.

Central to the talk is my approach to ethical, long-term engagement and why print is integral to this as a way of creating tangible records that carry weight and responsibility beyond the digital moment.

Print allows these lives to exist beyond visibility; it cements their existence.

Before photography, I worked in corporate environments and the youth homelessness sector. I became acutely aware of young homeless people being photographed without care, context or dignity.

I found this upsetting and degrading. Photography became a way for me to respond to that and create work rooted in respect, presence and responsibility.

I came to photography through witnessing what felt wrong. Over time, it became less about the camera and more about relationships.

The inspiration has always come from the people I work with, and the privilege of being allowed into their worlds.

Being self-taught, I wasn't able to receive much formal advice, but I learnt from my previous roles that what matters most is why we are making a photograph and who it serves.

That understanding came through observation: noticing how easily people feel exposed when a camera enters their space and how their body language shifts.

Much of the traditional Western photographic literature didn't fully reflect my instincts around care and reflection, so I developed my approach through listening and accountability rather than formal instruction. 

'March of the Hummingbirds', because it reflects the way I work at my most honest.

It sits between shared life experiences and public history, resisting a single narrative and instead holding multiple voices and chapters.

A phone can make someone instantly visible or famous, but the work I do prioritises time, attention and consent.

I take care over how images are made and shared. That’s why it’s the execution of the print that brings it to life.

In a culture of constant image-making, what makes traditional photography special is the care taken with people and the time invested in understanding context. I’m not sure how we can stand out, but being mindful helps.