STORIES BETWEEN US
Portrait Photography Workshop
Explore concepts and the relevance of portraiture and its influence in contemporary media, advertising, story-telling and self identity with NADIRAH ZAKARIYA. Presentation, discussion and practical shooting sessions.
MYR150.00 3-hours. Maximum 15 pax.
[Minimum. 8 pax]
Sunday 7 September 2025
Time : 5.00 pm - 8.00 pm
Nui Kopi. Hin Bus Depot, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Join Nadirah as she shares the artists that inspired and influenced her personal work over the years. She presents her 'milestone' projects and commissions, and discuss the importance of portraiture in contemporary media, including editorial, storytelling, advertising and self-identity.
Under her guidance, during this workshop, participants may create their own portrait that reflects emotional depth and narrative in the surroundings of Hin Bus Depot.
Who is this workshop for?
• Photographers who seek to deepen their skills in creative portraiture.
• Those looking to move beyond technical ability into making emotionally impactful images.
• Artists looking to explore storytelling through the people they photograph.
• Anyone interested in learning to build trust and connection with their subjects.
• Photographers eager to learn how to interview and engage with subjects to bring out authentic expressions.
• Creatives who believe that every portrait holds a personal story and want to learn how to uncover and translate that into their work.
Workshop Objectives
• Explore techniques that build trust and comfort between photographer and subject.
• Learn how to use conversation and storytelling as creative tools in portraiture.
• Highlighting portraiture as a collaborative process.
• Shift focus from “posing” to capturing presence, emotion, and personal truths.
What Participants Will Take Away
• Practical tools and questions to help interview subjects and uncover personal stories.
• A deeper understanding of how connections influences visual storytelling.
• Confidence in guiding subjects into a state of comfort and openness.
• New ways of approaching portraiture beyond technical skills.
• A portrait created during the workshop that reflects emotional depth and narrative.
• A supportive environment for creative experimentation, self-reflection, and peer feedback.
What to bring?
Camera/smartphone, notebook and an inquisitive mind.
About Nadirah Zakariya
Born and raised in Malaysia, Nadirah Zakariya draws inspiration for her works through her non-specific geographic upbringing, focusing on the emotional impact and how it shapes who she is. Currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Nadirah received her Bachelor in Fine Arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC.
In 2011 Nadirah was invited to hold her first solo exhibition “Daughters Ago” in New York. She later exhibited “GIRLHOOD”, another solo show, in 2016 at the Leica Gallery Kuala Lumpur. In 2018, her series “Fuji-san Love Letters” was showcased at Ilham Gallery. Her latest and biggest solo exhibition is Feeling Feelings Makes Me, Me which took place at temu house in May 2023 showcased nearly 40 of her photography works.
Nadirah is an internationally published photographer with works in publications such as The New York Times Magazine, VICE, Dazed and Confused, Refinery29 and Vogue Italia. In 2022, her artwork was published in Thames and Hudson’s Flora Photographica : The Flower in Contemporary Photography by William A. Ewing and Danaé Panchaud.
The book is described a “Vivid, bold, spectacular and unexpected: a definitive overview of one of contemporary photography’s most innovative fields, showcasing flower imagery by more than 120 of the world’s leading practitioners.
With a passion in photography and film making, she is the co-founder of Layar Lucida, a women-led creative studio and also the co-founder of Exposure+ Photo in Kuala Lumpur.