The Naga New Year Festival 2005 photo exhibition is on display at the Traders Hotel in Yangon.

It is a collection of photos taken by Joanna MacLean, the head of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Myanmar Delegation and Morris Allen, a teacher from the International Language and Business Centre. All of the photos focus on the Naga people of different ages in their traditional costumes.

Joanna says her photos of Myanmar are her way of presenting Myanmar and giving something back to the country by making people talk about Myanmar through her photos.

“When we visit a country, we can give and we can take. I feel I am gaining the beauty of this country, my photos are my way to giving something back,” she said.

“A lot of my photos are portraits. I think by showing a face and facial expression such as a questioning look, a smile or flirting, makes people want to know something more.

“I’m learning about this country and I think sometimes the image of Myanmar outside Myanmar is very different to the reality. This is just a small way to open people’s eyes with pictures of what Myanmar really is,” said Joanna.
This exhibition will be on display till the end of this month.;