INDIA THROUGH AN ARTIST’S LENS

STYLE WISE

In photography, there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality,” said legendary photographer Alfred Stieglitz. And this very subtlety makes actor and standup comedian Raviraj Kande’s captures unique. His portraits may seem simple at the first glance, but they slowly unravel a quaint, compelling quality about them, and grow on you. Kande tells us what goes behind making a great photograph. What started off as a hobby turned into a passion, and soon became a way of life for Kande. “My work involves a lot of travelling. I wanted to have a hobby, so I started clicking pictures on my phone,” he says. As he got more engrossed in photography, he bought a mirrorless camera. Working out of Mumbai, he felt that there was a lack of landscapes to capture, which led him to click portraits of people. “Whatever there is, one has to make the best of it. So, the thought of clicking ordinary people came into my mind. I just take my camera and go on walks. I don’t go looking for subjects. It happens naturally,” he says.

Kande’s street portraits showcase an India with faces that tell a tale of thriving and hope, despite poverty and suffering. “This contrast is part of our identity and reality. This is not something that we should be ashamed of, nor do we have to publicise it unduly. There is never a sense of shame in these pictures. People live their lives with a lot of grace despite of hardships. This is the India I wanted to showcase,” he says. Talking about taking compelling pictures, he says that technique is something that anybody can learn, but aesthetics are learnt over time. “The framing of the shot, the angle, all these come under aesthetics. A person who has a great sense of aesthetics will always have a one up when it comes to photography,” says Kande, who has acted in famous television serials such as Sailaab and Teacher.

His experience of acting and stand-up comedy proved helpful in photography. “You can’t go on the stage without a sense of boldness. It adds an edge to your personality and helps connecting with people,” he says.

The advice Kande has for budding photographers is to practice and to never doubt themselves. “For a year, every day, I used to click about 300400 photographs. It becomes your second nature as you start understanding various aspects of photography. Also, have high standards. Your benchmark should be somebody like Steve McCurry,” he says.