photographers
One Youth
One Youth bring happiness and hope to rural children in Nepal by providing them with stationery, clothes, computer labs and library buildings. The charity works throughout the mountainous country, where they are witness to what communities free from greed can achieve when they are given a helping hand. While the smiles of the kids often remain the same before and after donations, this in itself is a lesson to the rest of us about appreciating what we already have, for when we do this, then we will begin giving to those in need.
Abdulhai
Beyond war and religion, lies a common dream, a desire to live in a world where we can all smile.
To play my part in helping to make this dream a reality I’ve decided to head out into the streets of Afghanistan and capture the raw beauty and resilience of human beings at their most vulnerable and honest. Here are their stories.
Navjot
I firmly believe that each and every one of us has the power to change the world. With so much inequality, we have a responsibility to foster change in our current system. The only way that we can create sustainable change is by removing the invisible barriers that exist between us. The positive energy that is fostered by a smile has the power to increase connectedness, understanding, and love. This is where change starts.
Bernessa
People call me Bee, Bern, Bernie or Bernessa. I love travel, making friends, seeing how others live, learning languages and discovering what a place has to offer. I’m a modern day nomad, and home is where I find myself in each moment. I love children, nature and cycling. I want to inspire others to follow their dreams and I want to be inspired by their stories. I’m an avid smiler and I look forward to crossing smiles with you somewhere in this beautiful world.
Marina
Life is what you make it, and realising this, I want it to be a happy one. Through photography and travel, I have found happiness while connecting with people from all walks of life. I hope these pictures will make you smile, and show you that happiness really is everywhere, you just have to open your eyes and let it in. So enjoy, explore, and take it all in.
Elise
There’s simply nothing I adore more than seeing people smile. I love capturing the unexpected joy people can have, even in the darkest of places. I believe that each of us has a light inside us, and sometimes we just need someone else to help us find the switch. I only hope that these stories can be the spark you need to unleash the joy that’s inside you.
Sashenka
“A good friend is a connection to life – a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.” To me, a smile is the simplest way to connect, and ignite a friendship that may last a lifetime. Without a smile to spark and unite two souls we are no where, lost in a world with more than 7 billion souls, waiting to be connected. Here’s a few of the friends I’ve made along my journey, I hope their stories inspire you.
The journey
This page is all about the moments you don’t tend to see via our social media and videos, because while a photo might take one one-hundreth of a second to take, there’s normally much more to the story behind each photo and film we produce. So bookmark this page and join the journey to see the birth of the a million smiles feature film and book.
Joe
I am a big kid with a passion for traveling, doing crazy things and meeting new people. I dream of visiting every country right across our beautiful earth, and who knows maybe we will meet? My camera is my best friend, and the one and only reason I capture images is for people to see, feel, love and smile about the wonders of our world! Smiles are for free around here so don’t be shy… take a peek.
Afghan Youth
There are unheard dreams that echo in the minds of the people of Afghanistan. From the little girl attending her first day of school, to the beggar who receives charity and elder who prays for peace, we want to share the stories you don’t always hear, as we ask the people of Afghanistan what makes them smile.
Mike
I have seen all manner of suffering and destruction, but much of it doesn’t need to be. From poverty, war and climate change, to depression, anxiety and family breakdown, if we were to prioritize and value those things that make us smile, instead of the somewhat distorted idea of ‘success’ these things would largely not exist. But I know it’s easier said than done, so here’s a little motivation to get you started.
Join our community and smile more: