Pakistani Photographers Take A Personal Picture Of Home

Published June 15, 2013 at 1:04 PM EDT

1 of 10 — Men pass through a busy market of Saidpur village in Islamabad, where the locals buy their daily produce.

Men pass through a busy market of Saidpur village in Islamabad, where the locals buy their daily produce.

2 of 10 — Children work on their homework after school in a village near Peshawar.

Children work on their homework after school in a village near Peshawar.

3 of 10 — A Pakistani car mechanic known for being able to fix any car problem.

A Pakistani car mechanic known for being able to fix any car problem.

4 of 10 — A young man stitches decorative seat covers and curtains in Rawalpindi, where he works for more than 12 hours a day.

A young man stitches decorative seat covers and curtains in Rawalpindi, where he works for more than 12 hours a day.

5 of 10 — A woman sits on a street corner in the old city of Peshawar, waiting for a passerby's attention. She does not have any other source of income and is forced to beg.

A woman sits on a street corner in the old city of Peshawar, waiting for a passerby's attention. She does not have any other source of income and is forced to beg.

6 of 10 — An evening election rally in Islamabad captures the enthusiasm of party supporters.

An evening election rally in Islamabad captures the enthusiasm of party supporters.

7 of 10 — Brothers head home after school in Murree. The boys hold hands, expressing friendship and bonding.

Brothers head home after school in Murree. The boys hold hands, expressing friendship and bonding.

8 of 10 — A woman returns home after fetching water in a village in Mohmand Agency.

A woman returns home after fetching water in a village in Mohmand Agency.

9 of 10 — A mother and daughter work in the fields in a village in the Swat Valley.

A mother and daughter work in the fields in a village in the Swat Valley.

10 of 10 — Baseer runs a pottery workshop in Jamrud, Khyber Agency.

Baseer runs a pottery workshop in Jamrud, Khyber Agency.

Last year, National Geographic offered a photo camp for emerging Pakistani photographers to explore the tribal areas of their country.

Seventeen photographers spent six days around Islamabad learning to tell stories with photos.

And just this week, a selection of those photos were on display at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., in an exhibit called Pakistan Through Our Eyes.

A few of the photographers joined NPR's Jacki Lyden to discuss their experiences.

A horse's legs get a henna treatment every Friday on its day off from carrying sand.

"Civil engineering is my profession," says Irfan Ali, a member of the Turi tribe from Kurram Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). "And photography is my passion."

Huma Gul is from Mohmand Agency in the FATA. She started photographing as a child with the support of her mother. Another photographer, Seema Gul, says it's "unusual for families to support their daughters in photography," but in her case, it's in the family: Her father was also a photographer.

Saba Rehman has a masters in journalism from the University of Peshawar. "My goal," she writes in the exhibition language, "is to become the best and first female photojournalist from Pakistan."