Ismail Ferdous is a Bangladeshi-American photographer based in New York and a member of Agence VU’ in Paris. A National Geographic Explorer and educator at the International  Center of Photography, his practice bridges documentary and art, exploring migration,  labor, identity, and belonging through deeply human narratives.

His long-term projects include an acclaimed investigation into the human cost of fast fashion in Bangladesh and a decade-spanning study of global displacement with stories from Syria, Ukraine, Mexico, France, and Bangladesh. His recent book Sea Beach is a poetic reflection on memory, culture, and the shifting landscape of Cox’s Bazar, a place of personal return. 

Ismail’s work has been recognized with the Leica Oskar Barnack Award, World Press Photo, and grants from Getty Images, National Geographic, and the Alexia Foundation. His photographs have been exhibited internationally and published in National Geographic, The  New York Times Magazine, GEO, and Le Monde.