A Renowned Photographer, Reflects on a Passionate Career Spanning Analog to Digital Eras and Advocates for the Power of Printed Images
Let me share a little tale about how I stumbled into photography. In my youth, at the tender age of 12, my sister’s wedding unfolded without a designated photographer. Amidst the wedding preparations, my brother Gowri Shankar handed me his Minolta range finder and flash, urging me to capture the festivities. He emphasized the importance of not chopping off heads in the pictures. To everyone’s surprise, about 90% of the images turned out to be perfect. Encouraged by this, he frequently lent me his camera and film, fuelling my budding interest in photography.
I started my journey as a trained cinematographer, eventually transitioning into a commercial photographer. I occasionally delve into wedding photography, averaging about 10 to 12 weddings a year. Interestingly, 90% of my clients opt for printed wedding albums. I have been part of this captivating field since 1981, fortunate to straddle both analogue and digital imaging eras.
Speaking of my initial foray into photobooks, credit goes to my then 14-year-old son, Akshay, who won a photography competition in 2009—a prize that included a photobook. He prompted me to utilize this offer, leading to the creation of my first book. I printed a photobook showcasing my wildlife images in 8x12 inches. In 2015, I went on a photo tour with well-known photographer Anup Sah to Uttarakhand. On my return, I created a photo book and gifted it to him. Fast forward to 2023, where I printed four coffee table books on four different topics.
People usually ask me how they should go about creating their first photobook. My response to them is, first and foremost our photobook should be of a subject that is close to our heart or one that we are either an expert or know the subject well. It is only then that we can do justice to the book. Next, the quality of images. Not just the visual quality but the technical aspect too – For example, the resolution of each image should be high and of the specs and quality as required by the printer including the way each image is processed and finally saved.
As shared earlier, I recently completed a set of four books, each measuring 9x12 inches with 60 pages (excluding the cover). Each book features 58 images apart from my bio and credit lines. These were captured with a Nikon D-850 DSLR and Nikkor lenses (ranging from 24 mm to 600 mm prime) between the years 2010 and 2023. These four books are on wildlife, birds, macro, and landscapes, which are my favourite subjects. I conceived the idea two months ago, spent one and a half months on selection and editing, and printed the books in a day at Super Foto DG X Press in Bangalore (www.PrintOvate.in) on an HP Indigo digital press. I chose tear-resistant NovaLife media by TechNova, for durability. As a media manufacturer, they were also kind enough to sponsor the publication.
The reason why I printed four books this time is that I often give presentations on my photography and conduct workshops. Having just one book on a specific topic is not sufficient for these occasions. I aim to showcase a wide variety of subjects to fellow photographers. Additionally, for my personal collection, I wanted to compile books on every subject I love. I opted for the Size 9x12 inches, as it is convenient to handle. I strongly believe in the power of printing photographs, and it also serves as motivation for the members of the photography club I am associated with to consider creating their own photobooks.
Looking ahead, the subjects for my next photobook will include topics such as product photography and portraits. I plan to publish at least 4 to 5 photobooks every year for personal use. However, for my clients, I consistently print wedding albums for them.
People often ask me why I choose to print in this digital age. The fact is, there are no words to express the feeling of holding your
printed images in your hands and admiring them. The feel of the substrate, the large size, and the minute details that one can see in each image must be experienced. Truth is, we cannot enjoy the image quality on a PC, laptop or mobile as much as we can in a print.
I started making my own black and white prints way back in 1986-87 and continued until 2006. I loved making prints in 12x18 inches size in the analogue days and continued to do so once digital took over. As of this date, I have over 800 manually printed images with me, which I used to send to photography salons earlier - both black and white and colour. So, even today, in this digital age, I cannot emphasize how much I still love prints.
Being very particular about colours, in the earlier analogue era, for colour prints, I used to visit a colour lab where I would also be present while prints were made to monitor the quality. All black and white prints were done personally by me in my own darkroom. And now, with digital printing being the norm, I go to various labs that give me the option of sitting with the print operator while my images are being printed. It is just out of sheer habit that I like to see my prints taking birth, but one need not do that currently. The entire pipeline being digital, from capture to print, and good colour labs know their work thoroughly, so one can depend on them entirely.
However good your pictures are and however good the print and binding quality is, the final layout, which includes how each page spread is presented, creates a final impact and it matters a lot. A bad layout can kill a book! For designing my book, I sought the help of a friend, Raj Simha, who is a well-known graphic designer. I gave him total freedom to design the book according to his taste, and I must admit that he has done brilliant work. He has given importance to every picture with just a single-line caption in most cases.
By now, 800-plus people, primarily photographers, have seen my book, and their response has been overwhelmingly positive. Many were initially awestruck. A common sentiment among them was the realization of what they had been missing by not printing their own pictures, let alone creating a photobook. Surprisingly, only a few had ever made prints in 8x12 inches throughout their entire lives! After viewing my four books, they are now inspired to create photobooks featuring their own images.
My advice to photographers, both professional and amateur, is to print their own pictures from time to time. Unless they create prints of a larger size, they will never truly appreciate the quality of their pictures. Electronic media is only for selection, while print media is for perfection. One can master the “Art of Photography” only by having their images printed. I urge every photographer to try printing their images at least once. It is only then that they will understand the true value of a print. And there are good colour labs across the length and breadth of our country.
I will also encourage budding photographers to join a photography club in their city. The importance of group photo walks and physical meetings matters a lot for the exchange of ideas and learning. Several photography clubs in India believe in the power of printing photographs. I joined the Youth Photography Society (YPS) during my college years in 1981 at the age of 16, subsequently becoming one of its senior members. Over the years, my journey has been marked by continuous learning and active participation. From delving into Salon photography to achieving numerous distinctions, my passion for the art led me to conduct workshops and programs from 1990 onwards.
I dedicated seven years, serving as the Secretary, Vice President, and finally, President until March 2023. Under my leadership, YPS underwent transformative changes, establishing itself as the top Photography club in India. The financial self-sustainability of the society, the publication of ad-free Coffee table books, and the elevation of YPS’s international presence were among the milestones achieved from 2016 to 2023. At YPS, we continue to promote the printing of photographs among our members because we believe in the power of print.
I would like to sign off by sharing my favourite quote from the legendary landscape photographer Ansel Adams, who said, “The negative is the equivalent of the composer’s score, and the print is the performance.”