Life in sharp focus

Zoya Lobo is a struggling freelance photographer, but that’s only part of the story. At 18, she came out as transgender to her family and went in search of a guru from within the community in Mumbai. She found one, and began to seek alms on local trains. I decided to be open about my identity, she says.

In 2018, her life took a sudden and rather dramatic turn. She landed a role in a short film series by Vikas Mahajan (Hijada Shrap ki Vardan; or Trans People: Curse or Blessing) after she pointed that there were no trans actors in his first film about life in the community. At an event later hosted by Mahajan for the cast and crew of his second film, she made a speech about the injustice inherent in how her community is treated.

That event was attended by Shreenet Singh, editor of the local media outlet College Times. Impressed by her articulation, he offered her a job as a freelance journalist. She began to use the office cameras; photography became her medium of storytelling.

In April 2020, her photos of the massive migrant workers’ protests near Bandra station were picked up by major publications, including HT. This brought Lobo a lot of joy, and more work too. Lobo, 27, is now back to struggling amid the pandemic. It’s been a rollercoaster ride she couldn’t have imagined, she says. Excerpts from an interview.

Financially, not much changed till last year. I still had to beg on trains to make ends meet. With the lockdown, that too stopped. At one point, I thought I would have to sell the camera too. I was somehow managing with help from neighbours and people I got to know on the trains.

But it was during the pandemic that I got my first break with images of the migrant workers’ protest. After that a lot of senior photojournalists in the city praised my work and guided me on lenses and technicalities. I got more assignments. But putting aside the money question, I enjoy being a journalist. I love walking the streets purposefully with my camera. I take photos of birds and animals too. One I treasure is of a kingfisher from a recent trip to Amravati. It was thrilling to get the moment just right.

My idols are journalists Ravish Kumar and Barkha Dutt. I like how they go to the root of every story they do. When I go out for a story I think of the questions Ravish Kumar would ask and then follow the story. When I feel a little scared to follow something, I think of the kinds of threats Kumar would face and it helps me gather courage.