The Growing Ecosystem of Professional Photography in India
By C. Sukumaran, Director, Consumer System Products & Imaging Communication Products, Canon India
C. Sukumaran, Director, Consumer System Products and Imaging Products, Canon India, puts forth his views
Over the past few years, the photography industry in India has witnessed a complete metamorphosis. What was not considered as a mainstream career option or a profession almost a decade ago, has now grown itself into a full fledged industry. There are multiple factors that have influenced this shift, including the growth of various industries such as wedding, food, fashion, and lifestyle where communication through photography has become integral. Moreover, the rise of millennial era along with the splurge in usage of social media and the advent of OTT has contributed immensely to the ‘fandom’ of photography, both as a passion as well as profession.
More importantly, the ever-growing digital landscape is further giving the professional photography industry an impetus to grow. What remains at the core of all these factors is the most unique and compelling aspect of photography, which is that it manages to beautifully capture countless emotions and transcend all barriers, making those lived moments timeless.
Whether it is D-SLRs or Mirrorless cameras, from an innovation standpoint, ground-breaking technology has been introduced in the past few years which has completely transformed the industry. Evolution of technology has given consumers a platform to unleash their creative potential as well as given them the much-needed ‘edge’ in the art form of photography. For instance, commercial photographers now get that extra resolution needed for large ad prints, fashion specialists get their superior colour science and architectural specialists appreciate the extra dynamic range which helps capturing nuances. Additionally, the growing portfolio of lenses has aided this transformation and is a testament of the continuous commitment of the industry.
Photography has become a key mode of communication, especially among the youth who form the semiprofessional segment. This segment has become a key voice maker in society which comprises of YouTubers and Vloggers. The ever-growing and connected media ecosystem has led to the branching of several new streams, each producing numerous job opportunities. Additionally, now with the ease of WIFI connectivity, one can immediately transfer images from their camera to their phone or even go live on social media directly from the camera. It is these kinds of interfaces and characteristics that attract users the most and have led to the thriving of photography in the country.
In today’s day and age, the saying “a picture speaks a thousand words” has become even more significant as the world is now communicating through images and videos via social media platforms. Here is where photographs then become artistic masterpieces on social media profiles which serve as open diaries for people to showcase their everyday lives.
Speaking about videography, an area that has been growing exponentially is Cinematography. Bollywood and the rest of the diverse ilmdom of India has
today scaled to new heights and attracted investors and technical collaborators from around the world due to the brilliance they have created on screen. The photography industry has made a 360-degree shift from analogue to the best-in-class digital cinema cameras that enable capturing intricate details on video and meet a wide range of production needs. These cameras are no longer enormous in size and tricky to handle, but, are now compact and revolutionary. What a small cinema camera can do in today’s time is truly awe striking!
Another key factor that has led to the growth of professional photography in India is that the introduction of photography courses in several schools at the 10+2 stage as a vocational subject in India only began a few years back. Several renowned college institutes also now offer diploma courses in photography and photojournalism has become an essential part of journalism degrees as well. It is a great step into helping children realise their passion for the art and fostering the culture of photography in the country by starting young. Another step towards the same in the industry is the array of photography webinars that gained momentum during the lockdown both by brands, as well as by renowned professionals in the ield which help people in even the remotest parts of the country gain knowledge about photography.
The art of capturing memories is one that will never fade and with the right mix of technology and innovation, the industry is paced aptly to grow steadily, as well as stay relevant. For the professional photography segment in India, what will be essential in the coming years is to not only introduce ground-breaking features in cameras, but also introducing varied solutions that cater to the speci ic and ever-evolving needs of the Indian consumer.