Help me buy a camera to continue my photojournalism career

Hi, my name is Shubhanjana, and I am fundraising to buy a camera to continue my career in photojournalism.

I am an independent journalist from India, and I moved to the U.S. last year to pursue a master's at Columbia Journalism School with a scholarship. One of the main reasons I came to Columbia was to pursue visual journalism, and during my time there, I pursued that goal. I took multimedia reporting classes focusing on photojournalism and documentary filmmaking, and my master's project was a photo story. Throughout this time, I also regularly photographed the protests across campus. Over time, photography became my instinctive way of responding to the world as a journalist.

My camera gave me a sense of purpose, as someone who thinks visually and who wants to document the world with care. I also became acutely aware of how few photojournalists look like me: a first-generation immigrant and a woman of colour. That awareness only deepened my resolve to bring context, empathy, and ethical responsibility to this field, especially as someone with lived experience navigating spaces that journalism often overlooks or flattens.

The camera I used every day, however, was not mine. It was borrowed from Columbia Journalism School for a fee, and now that I have graduated, I no longer have access to the gear I need to continue my work.

My photojournalism is a continuation of my effort to bear witness with empathy, responsibility, and integrity. I believe in the power of images to help people connect with stories they might otherwise never encounter—and to represent communities that have long been misrepresented or ignored. If that sounds like something you would support, please consider donating to my fundraiser. Thank you so much.

You can check out my work here: https://shubhanjanadas.com/photography/

Here is a breakdown of the gear I am requesting the funds for:

Camera, a lens, and backup batteries: $2,330

Prime Lens : $445