Brick by Brick: Stories from the Kilns
Some projects change you.
Brick by Brick was one of those. Published in MORPH Magazine, this series began as a photo assignment but became a deeply personal journey into the lives of families working in brick kilns along the Indo Nepal border area in Sunsari.
These families mostly came from Bangladesh, migrating for seasonal work. Their lives revolve around the kilns; in harsh environments filled with red brick dust, black coal dust, and gray mud before the bricks are roasted. Despite the conditions, there is a strong sense of togetherness. Older children care for their younger siblings while parents work long hours. For three months during the monsoon season, they return home, only to repeat the cycle when the rains end.
When I arrived with my assistants, a crowd quickly gathered. Children laughed, elders smiled, and for a moment, it felt as if I was an alien who had landed with cameras instead of spacecraft. The excitement was contagious.
I photographed everything. The labor, the laughter, the proud poses. My drone revealed another layer to the story. From above, the kilns looked like scars on the land, smoky chimneys piercing the air, and vast pits of water where mud had been extracted. Once, these lands were green fields with trees and crops. Now, the question lingers: what happens when the mud runs out?
This was more than a photo essay. It was a call to think about climate, migration, and the cost of production. Visual storytelling has the power to put these issues in front of NGOs, INGOs, missions, and donor agencies. Imagine what could happen if these stories reached the right people in not just as statistics but as human lives, with names, faces, and dreams.
Some of my favorite frames from this project show contradictions. A child’s bright smile with a smoke filled sky behind. A father’s weathered hands shaping bricks while his baby sleeps in the shade. A community bound by resilience in a place where survival is earned one brick at a time.
You can explore more of my work on documentary photography in Nepal and aerial environmental photography, both of which continue this mission to tell stories that matter.
Brick by Brick is a reminder that every photograph carries a life with it. These families, their routines, their struggles and joys, are more than subjects; they are teachers. Documenting them is a privilege, and sharing their stories is a responsibility beyond the frame.
For documentary photography projects, climate impact visual storytelling, or collaborations with NGOs, INGOs, and donor agencies, inquiries can be made via mail@gautamdhimal.com.
