The Flag Bearer and His Son

This black and white photograph captures a moment of profound intimacy amidst a public gathering. The composition centers on a man carrying a small child on his shoulders while holding a flag aloft. The shallow depth of field masterfully isolates the pair, blurring the surrounding crowd into an anonymous backdrop and focusing all attention on the tender, yet resolute, connection between father and child. The man’s expression is one of quiet determination, his gaze fixed forward, while the child looks on with a contemplative innocence, their small hands resting on the man’s head in a gesture of complete trust.

The monochromatic palette enhances the emotional weight of the scene, stripping away distractions to emphasize form, texture, and the powerful interplay of light and shadow. The crisp details on the subjects—the fabric of the man’s shirt, the child’s soft features—stand in stark contrast to the soft bokeh of the background, creating a portrait that feels both immediate and timeless. It is a poignant depiction of paternal love and the passing of heritage from one generation to the next.

This powerful moment, captured by Nasrul on a summer day in July 2025, demonstrates a sophisticated approach to documentary photography. The artist freezes a fleeting, personal narrative within a larger social context, transforming a scene of collective action into a universal meditation on responsibility and hope.

This work is a quintessential example of the photographer’s career-long exploration of human emotion and visual storytelling. Known for his ability to find echoes of profound feeling in everyday life, the artist here presents not just an image of a protest, but a deeply moving testament to the enduring strength of family and the quiet dignity of conviction, solidifying the photograph’s place within a body of work celebrated for its emotional depth and narrative power.