Heritage Lens/Iteration 8

Heritage Lens
DCW Photography Campaign

• Main Page
• Campaign Page
• More about Fellowship
• Previous Fellows

The Iteration 8 of the Heritage Lens ran between 12 and 15 June 2026, focusing Gurez Valley. This iteration fellow was Afreen Banday, a photography-enthusiast and an architect by profession.

Some images!

• 
  Small hut
• 
  Contour road-wooden log houses

Learning report

This section includes questions that are answered by the fellow for learning and evaluation purposes. These reports are used by DCW for improving the subsequent iterations of the initiative.

• What do you think about the Heritage Lens initiative?

The Heritage Lens initiative is a valuable platform that combines heritage documentation, community engagement, and digital preservation. It creates opportunities for young professionals and researchers to contribute meaningfully to the documentation of cultural heritage while making heritage knowledge more accessible to a wider audience. I particularly appreciate its focus on underrepresented heritage sites and living traditions, as it helps bring attention to places and stories that are often overlooked in mainstream documentation efforts.

• What new things did you learn during the execution of the project? What do you think about their impact?

One of the most meaningful things I learned during this project was that understanding heritage is not just about documenting buildings, it is about understanding a culture as a whole. My experience in Gurez was deeply personal and memorable. The generosity and warmth of the people left me speechless, and I was genuinely moved by how eager they were for others to know about their roots, traditions, and culture.

Professionally, I loved being able to learn and practice photographic documentation in a real field setting. I learned how to systematically record architectural features, cultural landscapes, and living heritage practices while maintaining accuracy and contextual relevance. Interacting closely with local communities also helped me understand the strong relationship between heritage, identity, and everyday life.

These experiences had a significant impact on me. They showed me that documentation is not merely a technical exercise; it is a way of preserving memories, stories, and cultural identity.

• Did you face any challenges during the project? If yes, please tell about your experience and any possible ideas that you think could be helpful in mitigating those issues.

Personally, my experience during the project was very positive, and I thoroughly enjoyed the fieldwork and interactions with the local community. However, there were a few challenges that naturally come with working in a remote region like Gurez. Weather conditions could sometimes affect travel and documentation schedules, and locating certain sites and gathering reliable information was occasionally difficult. In some cases, only a few individuals possessed comprehensive knowledge about particular heritage sites, traditions, or local histories, making information collection a time-consuming process.

These experiences highlighted the importance of preparation and local engagement. I believe that such projects benefit greatly from advance planning, including better logistical support, preliminary site mapping, and the identification of local resource persons before field visits. Despite these challenges, the experience was incredibly rewarding and offered valuable lessons in field-based heritage documentation.

• Do you have any additional remarks for the future iterations of the Heritage Lens? What should be improved?

Yes, definitely. I have many ideas that I believe could strengthen the impact of the Heritage Lens initiative. One of the most important improvements would be to make the program more structured and ensure that the work does not stop at documentation and analysis. The documentation produced through the initiative has immense potential, and it would be valuable to create pathways for taking these projects further.

For example, fellows could be supported in developing conservation proposals, applying for grants, undertaking comprehensive documentation projects, or transforming their work into long-term heritage initiatives. The material collected could also contribute to online repositories, digital archives, research platforms, or community-based heritage projects that remain accessible beyond the duration of the fellowship.

I would also love to see more opportunities for fellows from different regions to interact, exchange experiences, and learn from each other's approaches. Such interactions could encourage collaboration and create a stronger network of heritage practitioners. Additionally, showcasing the final outputs through exhibitions, online archives, publications, or public presentations would significantly increase the visibility and long-term impact of the work produced under the initiative.

Overall, Heritage Lens is an excellent initiative, and with greater continuity and opportunities for follow-up engagement, it could become an even more powerful platform for heritage documentation and conservation.