Picture Perfect: Gems of Wisdom from India’s Top Photographers

Top Quotes from Master Photographers & Their Journey

Here’s a list of talented photographers who have made a mark in their respective fields and have proved to be an inspiration for thousands of people.

1.Raghubir Singh (Photo Journalist)

Popularly known as the ‘God of colour photography’ in India, Raghubir Singh is renowned for his landscapes and documentary style photographs. He was one of the first Indian photographers to reinvent the use of colour in photography in the early 70s. Winner of the prestigious Padma Shri award, Singh has worked with renowned publications like the National Geographic magazine, The New York Times and Time.

On what keeps him going professionally

“Taking pictures is like panning for gold. You do it again and again, and sometimes you find a nugget.”

His take on reinventing colour for the Indian aesthetic

“The eyes of India only see in colour.”

What photography means to him

“Photography, to me, is the dewdrop that reflects my inner and outer worlds simultaneously.”

2.Atul Kasbekar (Fashion Photographer)

Fashion photography, being relatively more glamorous and celebrity-affiliated, is more popular than other types of photography, making Atul Kasbekar quite a known name today. Famous for his Kingfisher Calendar shoots, he also was the honorary chairman of the Photographer’s Guild of India. He has also ventured into Bollywood as a producer.

On whether photography can be taught

“For the kind of a person I am, a formal education helped me a lot.”

On how long before one can kick start a career in photography

“If you’re putting up a sign that says ‘Open for business’ you need to be at a certain level of technical expertise to make sure that you will deliver an image above the average line. Otherwise it is just a pic, click or snap – not an image.”

On what camera a beginner should opt for

“I’ve seen people with earth-shaking equipment producing rubbish, and ones with the simplest equipment produce wonders.”

3.Saba Gaziyani (Food Photographer)

Saba Gaziyani is one of the pioneers in food photography and food styling in the country. She currently runs her unique food art studio Food Photographics India, along with her husband Sadiq Gaziyani. She has styled food products in over 500 commercials including world famous FMCG brands.

On how it all started

“After working as a food stylist for seven to eight years, I realised that there is a vacuum when it comes to specialist food photographers in the market. Therefore, I started pursuing food photography besides styling. My husband learned photography and he started teaching me how to handle a camera, manipulate lights, etc. Then we set up our own studio for food photography and styling together. We set up a nice industrial kitchen in our studio. In fact, the kitchen is the most expensive place in my studio. We are equipped to cook all kinds of food there. We prepare food, plate it styles it and shoots it. We do a lot of food photography and advertising work for food companies in the packaged food business today.”

The challenges of food photography

“Every day is a new challenge. Presenting the same dish in 50 different ways is a big challenge. In packaging photography, there are not many varieties when it comes to food in modern trades. It is the same chana masala, rajma masala, biryani masala, chole masala, pav bhaji masala, etc. 100 different companies make the same product. As a food stylist and photographer, my duty is to showcase each photograph on the pack differently. That is a challenge. Last week, I did the same food shoot for three different clients. I tried to give a unique image to each client.”

On the scope in the industry

“I don’t know if there is scope for basic changes, but what you need in this industry, is a lot of patience. If you have the patience to work and improvise, and you have the skill set, then I believe any industry has scope. It is essential if you want to be at the top.”

4.Dhritiman Mukherjee (Wildlife Photographer)

A legend in the field of wildlife photography, Dhritiman Mukherjee still has zest for his work. He has won many prestigious awards and his breathtaking images have been published in top outlets like National Geographic, Lonely Planet, WWF and many more.

On what he thinks of his artistic field

“I was never an artist, and I’m not one now. What I do is document, and I try to do it in a way that creates inquisitiveness, and a connection between the subject and the viewer. I think it’s important to lobby for the natural world. You’re not going to want to save something you’ve never heard of, seen or had a connection with. That’s what I see myself doing.”

On how he began

“Those days, photography was about going to national parks and sanctuaries and shooting the same subject. They were expensive even then, and I had no money. Secondly, mountains were entirely unexplored by photographers, and known only to some researchers. Since mountains were my strength, that’s where I began.”

On so-called successes and failures

“Not getting a photo is very important information, just like in science. It tells us something – maybe the species you’re looking for is not there, or it’s there but is aware of your presence and is avoiding you, or else you’re not aware of some behavioural pattern of that animal. It’s also a way to improve. For example, when trying to remotely photograph a leopard in a cave I failed. Later I learnt that there was another exit to the cave! You learn from your failures.”

On competition

“If you take a photo that I don’t have, I’m happy that the job is done. It’s not about you or me, it’s not about us competing. If there’s a rare bird in its nest, and we all go there to shoot it, eventually the bird will abandon the nest and its eggs. How is that helping nature? All photographers and all photos are important. They cannot be compared.”

On the role of technology in his field

“The device isn’t important for me it’s the result that matters. I use drones extensively (currently using a Phantom 4) and have used them for various shoots. I also use two kinds of remotely triggered equipment – infrared cameras where the animal essentially takes its own photo, and a live view camera where I see what is happening in real-time. Technology is just a tool though, and the most important skill is knowing what to do (and what not to do) in order to get an animal in front of your camera, and getting it done quickly.”

5.Joseph Radhik (Wedding Photographer)

One of India’s most celebrated wedding photographers now, Joseph Radhik has had quite an interesting journey from his days after graduating from an IIM where he found zero results in his Google search in 2008 for wedding photographers for his sister. Since then he has been on a journey of wedding photography around the world and won multiple awards for it as well.

On his habit of meeting the couple on a regular day

“Meet them in reality, shoot them in the fantasy.”

On the vibrancy of his photographs

“It is a consequence of the fact that we’re Indian wedding photographers. We’re not the white gown, black tuxedo types; we’re the sherwani, lehenga, Kanjeevaram saree type. We are orange, red, yellow, blue; we’re anything but black and white.”

On understanding great photography

“Compare your pictures with the works of photographers who are successful outside of social media. If you’re able to recognise the gap, you are, for sure, going to become a good photographer yourself. If you don’t, then there’s a problem.”  

On how his process has evolved

“Along the way, I realised that the dramatic images came only when I was directing them. So, I went back to shooting what I used to do in the beginning, which is seeking out these tiny moments which go unnoticed. Today, my photography is a mix of both.”

Eminent names from the world of photography visit the Seamedu campuses to share their experiences with our photography degree students on a frequent basis. Since we emphasize on learning by doing and observing, our photography courses are designed to incorporate numerous guest sessions, photography workshops, internships, practical assignments, studio visits, study tours and field trips. Enquire now to understand what it takes to enroll in our Degree in Photography (Pune) or Degree in Photography (Chandigarh/Bengaluru).

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