A Conversation with Photographer Oviul Maruf
Oviul Maruf is a photographer based in Bangladesh. In this interview with Worthwhile Magazine, Oviul shares his creative inspirations and journey as an artist.
Oviul Maruf, “Botanical Silence 7,” photography courtesy of and copyright of the artist
The Conversation:
Worthwhile Magazine (WM): Tell us your artistic journey. How did you become interested in photography?
Oviul Maruf (OM): It all started when I was in seventh grade. One night, my maternal uncle told me he was going to take photos outdoors, and I was genuinely shocked. How could he take photos in the dark? On this night, I discovered long exposure photography. Then I fell in love with photography. Early on, I captured a lot of sunset scenes from my window and received appreciation from my friends and teachers. I’m still fascinated with long exposure photography and continue to experiment with long exposure shots like light trails. My latest long-exposure urban shot is 'Midnight Magician'.
Oviul Maruf, “Midnight Magician,” photography courtesy of and copyright of the artist
WM: Can you further discuss the combination of stillness and liveliness you capture in botanical forms?
OM: For me, stillness and liveliness are not opposites—they are two halves of the same breath.
When I look at a flower through my lens, the stillness is the physical truth: the motionless petal, the fixed curve of the stem, the frozen geometry of a leaf. But within that stillness, liveliness bursts through in ways that are subtle yet undeniable—the gradient of color bleeding from deep crimson to pale pink, the way morning light carves shadows across a textured surface, or the silent dialogue between a bud and the fading sunlight behind it.
In my “Botanical Silence” project, I don't chase dramatic motion or busy compositions. Instead, I wait—patiently—until a flower's quiet character reveals itself. The liveliness emerges not from the flower moving, but from the flower being. It's in the fragile translucence of a petal against the sky, the unexpected vibrancy of a fading bloom.
I think, growing up in Bangladesh, we are surrounded by so much noise—the chaos of cities, the rush of daily life. This project became my way of saying: life doesn't have to be loud to be alive. A flower doesn't struggle to prove its existence; it just exists, fully and brilliantly. When I capture that, I'm inviting the viewer to pause, lean in, and feel that pulse—the liveliness that thrives beneath the surface of stillness.
Ultimately, stillness gives me the frame; liveliness gives me the soul. And together, they reveal the quiet poetry that most people walk right past.
WM: We're curious to know about your process. Do you use a specific type of camera or exposure? Is there a certain kind of lighting you prefer? We noticed many of your images suggest a twilight atmosphere.
OM: First of all, thank you for noticing that twilight atmosphere. It means a lot to me because that mood is entirely intentional, not accidental.
On gear: I use a mobile phone. Not always the same phone. Sometimes I use Samsung, sometimes Redmi, sometimes Symphony. But I always take photos in manual mode. I carefully pay attention to exposure. For example, when I focus on the subject, I look at how it looks in the frame: do I need to up the exposure? Or should I decrease it? It totally depends on the exact time and lighting.
On lighting : No I don’t use any manual lighting. I take photos in natural light. I do not use any kind of lighting to brighten the subject.
On post-processing and editing : I use Snapseed app for my photography editing. I hate over-editing. I just edit photos to increase or decrease brightness and sometimes saturation.
WM: Are you working on a new series, or are you brainstorming about a new theme?
OM: Currently, I am working on a series titled “Nocturn.” It is a long-exposure photography series. I have already published 3 photography projects from this series. They are “Midnight Magician,” “Midnight Cycle,” and “Flowight.”
Oviul Maruf, “Neon Dreams in the Light,” photography courtesy of and copyright of the artist
I am thinking of making a documentary photography project after finishing my board exams. After my HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate), I will get a lot of time to make a new series, so this is currently on my mind.
WM: Are there any photographers or artists that you're especially inspired by?
Oviul Maruf, Untitled, photography courtesy of and copyright of the artist
OM: I am inspired by Ashraful Arefin Bhaiya and Azim Ronnie Bhaiya. They are such talented and supportive photographers. Both of them helped me to make beautiful photos.
WM: What would be a dream project that you would like to work on in the future?
OM: I have a dream of creating a photography project about the childhood of children in our country’s villages. The way they play in their childhood, in water, games like cricket and football, and more. Most of those shots will be in black and white. That's my dream.
Oviul Maruf, photograph courtesy of the artist
About the Artist: Oviul Maruf is a Bangladeshi photographer. He was born on 03 December 2007 in Habiganj and is now based in Sylhet, Bangladesh, where he is currently balancing his time between his academic studies at Jalalabad Cantonment Public School and college. Oviul picked up photography in 2022 and specializes in nature. His work - "botanical silence" - has been featured on The Eye of Photography, Collateral, Earth Organization, Byron Magazine, and he was profiled by WallMag. In 2026, he was crowned the champion of the Environmental Photography Exhibition at the Sylhet Environment Summit. Oviul can be found online through his Instagram profile @oviulmaruf
© Worthwhile Magazine 2026