A focus on girls’ education in India has put in place since the 1986 National Policy on Education and the 1992 Program of Action, followed by the SSA program launched in 2001, National Curriculum Framework in 2005 and the National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education in 2010. These policies were complemented by other schemes such as National Program for the Education of Girls at the Elementary Level, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme, both ensuring inclusion and quality education for girls. The Mahila Samakhya program was launched in 10 states targeting marginalized sections of rural women. Access to education was also facilitated by separate schools for girls, availability of open learning resources, residential schooling, coaching facilities; scholarships, textbooks, uniforms and transport including bicycles. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (known as RTE) Act, 2010, charted a new road map for gender equality in education in India.
Despite all these efforts, surprisingly, a large number of girls still remain outside the education system. According to UNICEF India, out of 81% girls joining school at the primary level, around 50% drop out at the secondary level. Drop out in girls education has become an epidemic in India now.
If we try to find out, there are plenty of socioeconomic problems as well and sometimes these are the biggest problems to send a girl to school and stand her in life. Main reason is poverty. Many talented children have been forcefully left school because their parents are unable to provide the money for their education. Girls are most common soft target in this regard. Still in India girls are considered as marriage materials and they must be married after a certain age. Even in some regions girls are unwanted during birth. It leads female foeticide. After sixty years of independence this perception has been changed very little. Sometimes parents force them to dropout from school and put them in jobs to increase the number of earning members of the family. Girls are very common target of human trafficking. It hampers their education as well.
But some of them fight against these odds valiantly and keep faith on their will to reach their ultimate goal. From morning to night sometime they fight against the society, sometime against their parents and even sometime against their own motivation.
In past Government started an initiative to provide lunch at break as “Mid-Day-Meal” to attract students to the school. Parents are sending their kids to school after this initiative, but not in large numbers. Education department has also directed to draw different diagrams in pictorial forms inside the classrooms to increase the interest about education. Different activities are often organized at school level like painting, sports, and cultural programs to increase the engagement with the students and their parents. India need to implement strong legislation outlawing child labor, gender based violence, and harassment of girls as well to curb these problems entirely.
Click on the image for enlarged image.
About the Photographer
Balarka is a freelance documentary photographer from Kolkata. He is also interested in street and travel as well along with social and thematic stories. His photographs have been published in different national and international magazines like Lonely Planet, National Geographic, Invisible Photographers Asia, IIT Hyderabad, Epson FotoFlock etc.
He is currently working on a long term social documentary project on Indian education where he is showcasing various problems being faced by different segments of people in Indian societies regarding education. The first part has been completed on Girls’ Education. The second part is underway now.
Different Kolkata based nonprofit organizations are involved in this mega project, like Jagaran, We Help Others, Parents Own Clinic, Institute for Social Work etc.
Copyrights: All the pictures in this post are copyrighted to Balarka Brahma. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
My sister is playing sitar in that corner room. She grew up into a young lady in the corridors, in the back yard of this house. My mom after returning from office is busy with her house hold engagements. At night she will wait for us to finish our dinner for she is the only one who would arrange the dining table after we are done. The monotonous Bengali television serials will be the only one to accompany her at those late hours. Amidst this busy schedule of a cyclic home – office – home she tends to over look the torn end of her saree. My papa, apparently seems to have little participation in the house, but he is the main driving force and a huge support always behind us. Our permanent guests are 2 camels; the mother with her foal curved out inimitably onto the broken loosely plastered ceiling of this shabby house. And when I talk about ceiling I remember those days during my summer vacations when I would be alone at house after my parents left for work. The daylight percolating through the narrow slits of the ventilator creating ghostly shadows on the walls of the closed room. This would send shiver running down my spine; and unlike my peers I would complain to my papa about such a long vacation that I failed to enjoy. From tomorrow all this activities will cease to exist….
December’12, Kolkata, India.
This project began as a photo essay of our family leaving the house which I inhabited since my senses developed as a child. This photographs are a collection of shot taken over a period of time, including when we left the house last December. For me, at the end of the event this series is not an essay but it remains just as a feeling of departure from a place called HOME and not a house.
Click on the image for better and enlarged view.
About the Photographer
I am a doctor by profession but with an intense passion for photography. I love viewing photographs of all various contemporary photographers. I have been inspired by works of Sally Mann. Coming to my style of photography, I use very less gears. a 50mm prime lens or a 18-55 kit lens, or a point and shoot digital camera, trying to concentrate on composition and concept, creating a body of work. I believe its an eye searching for an organised chaos in this disorganized world that is most important; and I am striving to develop one.
Pictures which are utterly classy in terms of colors and the surprise it has got to deliver. The Streets and soul of Vibrant India are more than evident in every photograph here, making us celebrate for the attraction and attention this country could offer for a street and travel photographer like Saumalya Ghosh. Yes, splendid commentary on the land of colors and life, this showcase presents some of the unique and never seen pictures of India, across its large span of diversity amidst love and affection. Our Photographer has captured the true essence and personified India for what it is.
Let us get to hear more from the photographer himself.
Few words about Saumalya?
I am an amateur photographer from Kolkata, India. Though I’m photographing for quite a few years, but my real passion for photography emerged in 2011. My main passion lies in travel and street photography. I really love to photograph different people, places, culture and streets. However, my common aim is always the same – to capture the human element.
I believe that Gear is important but Vision and Expression are more important in photography. For me photography is the visual expression of my feelings at a particular moment of time. I firmly believe the old saying: ‘A photograph is merely a reflection of the photographer’.
By profession, I’m an engineer and I find very little time to enjoy my passion for photography. However, as of now, I’m learning to ‘See’ and ‘Express’ my vision through my own visual language. I’m loving the journey and I have no destination. I always want to see myself as a student of Photography.
How did you choose Street/Travel Photography?
Truly speaking I really don’t know. Probably it came naturally on my way. For me street photography is more than a genre of photography. It’s how I look at the world around me, it’s how I feel about the place I live in, it’s how my fellow people are living their day-to-day lives. For me it’s a way of life.
I really love to see the small drama of everyday life as it is staged on the streets. Common people are my heroes and heroines who play themselves in this drama. I’m just a keen observer, a mere admirer and my job here is just to capture the candid, unposed and unguarded moments of this fascinating ‘Real Life’ drama through my own vision. I don’t want to interrupt or influence this ‘Real Life’ drama. I accept it as it is, in its original and purest form. I believe that reality can be stranger than what I can think of.
I also love to travel. I love to see different places, meet different people and experience different cultures. I connect with the people through my photography. They are my primary subjects – I admire them, I respect them. And probably that’s the main reason behind choosing Street/Travel photography as my mode of expression.
What are the essential elements you always look for when capturing a photograph?
At the very beginning I look for a good composition. For me it’s very important to compose my photograph in a way that is acceptable to me. Then I look for the light. There is no doubt that a dramatic light can enhance the mood of the photograph to a great extent. However, I must admit that I don’t always get a great light in my day-do-day street photography. Then I seek for most natural and candid human expression, I look for the unposed and unguarded moments. Finally, as the visual language is my mode of expression, so it’s very important that my photograph must tell a story or express a particular emotion which resonates with my heart.
For Saumalya what is a good photograph?
It should be well composed, touched by a great light and most importantly it should evoke a strong emotion that will touch my heart. Also I love a photograph where the story is not complete – something remains untold.
Your Gear?
I use Nikon gears, primarily a D7000 with 16-85mm DX lens. I’m planning to buy an X100s soon.
Your Inspiration?
I get inspiration from the works of many great photographers especially HCB, Steve McCurry, Alex Webb, Marc Riboud, Raghu Rai. I read many photography books, love the style of writing of Devid duChemin. I also love the works of some contemporary photographers from Kolkata and India and get inspiration from their work.
Final thoughts or words of advice for aspirants?
I don’t think I can really give advice to the aspirants. All what I can say is – Friends, please read as much as possible, see work of the masters and the contemporary photographers, don’t worry too much about the gear, awards and recognition. And finally believe me, you already know what to shoot – simply follow your heart, shoot what you love. Enjoy the journey.
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted to Saumalya Ghosh. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
Earthiness of India is getting reflected in all these photographs. An unbelievable amount of passion from a photographer who believes in capturing people, those expressions and their incredible story is a treat to watch. This is Joydeep Mukherjee from the city of joy, whose photographs serve us every bit of India, its culture and varied heritage. Mesmerising colors and vibrant emotions are painted in these photographs and never fails to take us by surprise.
One thing is very much evident through his work, plan your travel, manage your work and you can still be an incredible travel photographer.
Few words about you?
I believe that an Artist’s work must be good consistently to be considered as Art. I’m Amateur Photographer but very passionate. I started photography very late so now a days it is very tough for me to take it Professionally – but still I think “if I can give for Photography every second of my life” … Despite the hectic working hours at a reputed Kolkata-based MNC, my passion for the subject remains undiminished.
When did you get to start photography?
In my Early days , I was interested in various kinds of Sports, Trekking, and Travelling etc. I developed my love for photography in 2002 during my trek to the Annapurna Base Camp – Nepal … With My first SLR Nikon F 65 and 28-85 Lens. That was my first step into the world of photography. Since then it was a Long journey for near about 11 years . I’m a self-taught photographer, but now in this Digital Age some well-known Photographers (Nationally and Internationally) helped me to improve myself in Some respect.
Your pictures are strong in subject content and rich in composition. Few words on it?
My view on photography is – “A photographer must be technically competent to use the various techniques to change a photograph from a mere snap to a “snapshot” of someone’s life” . I think that photographs can be used to narrate a story, and thus should not cater to the aesthetic aspect only. As because I love to shoot people , One must have ‘eyes like a shutter and mind like a lens’!!…. I always ‘work for a cause, not applause…I live life to express, not to impress’!!
How do you manage your travel calendar?
After reading the above question, I found a Big Smile on my face …. Every year On 1st January , My Office Admin sent a mail to all employees about the Holiday calendar ..and from that particular day I Start planning to use those Holidays as a Photo Tour Planning . Generally One Long Vacation with Family (which Includes a Place which is Perfect for photography) and some Short trips exclusively for Photography.
Your future plans and assignments?
As I said before -I’m an Amateur ..so taking up Assignments like pro is not possible for me , but what I do is I take 2/3 subjects and on the basis of that I start working on it – sometime it takes long time to finish the story; again sometime I’m able to finish it within a time limit … Now I am working on 2/3 Subjects like “ Varanasi from a Different Angel” , “Behind the Stage” , “The Old Age”.
What does it kindle your desire to press the shutter more often?
As an Amateur Photographer I know it is quite difficult to go out in a regular manner..I have to spend 5 days a Week in the Office; some Family responsibilities are also there . Though my family supports me a lot, I tried to go out once in a every Week for whole Day.
Your gear?
I am a Nikon fan – Nikon D 7000 – 12-24 mm DX format , D600 -24 -85 mm and 18/35 mm FX
Thanks again for this opportunity with 121clicks.com Any final words of advice for young aspirants in this field?
Because I love to shoot people – What I can say from my experience is all about People Photography …You have to Work Hard ..very Hard – to get the variation / the Story / the Expression. Photography is Not like a T 20 Cricket match – Like Test Match –take your own time to improve your self .. from Each and every mistake you will learn some thing. See lots of Renowned Street / People Photographers’ Works – follow Magnum to get better Idea / Better composition / easily able to identify the strong subject .
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Joydeep Mukherjee. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
Calcutta has always been the centre of art and culture in India, among which theatre played a pivotal role in shaping up the social mind set of the city. The tradition of mainstream theatre is believed to have been started since the 1940s. Calcutta has witnessed the rise of both commercial and non-commercial form of group theatres. Some of them were very private, only crowded by its like minded followers and some of it was open to the public as a form of entertainment.
Theatres have always been the medium to spread revolutionary ideas, protest political and social wrong doings and even give messages of love, despair or suffering.
The city has been blessed to have witnessed the performances of brilliant actors like Utpal Dutta, who has been a legacy for actors both on screen and on stage. Sadly, the theatre scene took a dip in the last decade or so, but for the past couple of years there has been a surge in the number of theatre groups and their activities. The youth of the city has brilliantly come together in a united effort to revive the dying tradition of theatre along with the long established names of theatre groups and production houses.
“Beyond The Act” is a series which tries to see the other side of theatre which many of its followers miss out upon. This series has been based on the youth theatre group M.A.D.(Mad About Drama) during the showcasing of their play “With Love, Calcutta”. The series concentrates upon delivering the moments of tension, anxiety, relaxation, light and sound set up, makeup and other flurry of activities hours before the start of play. There have been efforts to include symbolism of relaxations amidst the tension, moments that define the anxiousness of an actor, and moments that signifies the shadow of modern inventions hovering over the still traditional methods of theatre and its setup (light and sound). The pictures have been presented in a chronological order with the moments shuffling between the makeup/green room and the on stage activities of setting up of lights and sound, rehearsals, making of light cues and other relevant activities to give a sense of parallelism of the chaos that go on before the start of a play. The pictures have been done in B/W in order to take advantage of the dark and bright situations that prevailed upon the stage and its surrounding areas. B/W helped me to showcase the emotion and feel of the moments in a much truer form through the harsh stage lights, the strong shadows, the strong highlights coupled with strong dark and whites tones to give the feel of monotonic sensation before the start of play.
This series is a tribute to the world of theatres in Calcutta and a work that tries to show the Kolkata (modern methods) in Calcutta (traditional methods of theatre) coupled with the hustle and bustle of preparation which is a prologue to the final act.
Thanks to M.A.D. for giving me the opportunity to capture unadulterated moments of them in their space and environment.
Click on the image for better and enlarged view.
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About Anirban Mukhopadhyay
Anirban Mukhopadhyay is a photography enthusiast who loves capturing and interacting with moments around him. Currently he is pursuing a masters in Computer Science from St.Xavier’s College, Kolkata. Street life attracts him because of all the various people he gets to meet and know their side of the story.
Interest in Street photography has allowed him to know his city in a new way. He loves photojournalism and photo documentaries and believes the instincts required in street very much help in the two mentioned fields of photography. His work has been published in Filmfare magazine, 121clicks.com, National Geographic Daily Dozen, Life Force Magazine and the 1x gallery and he looks forward to doing photo essays that will help the society in some way to understand itself. He is associated with a German NGO, Ashalayam.
Copyrights: All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Anirban Mukhopadhyay. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
Apratim Saha is a photographer who wants to travel to any place with thousands of people around. A die hard travel and street photographer his pictures are vibrant and very rich in all aspects of cultural India. Having learnt the art of photography through his father who owned a camera at his young age, Apratim Saha has his own way of narrating stories through his photography.
In this wonderful interview with 121clicks, he speaks about his inspiration, travel as a photographer, the most memorable photograph, his favorite destination for shoot and a lot more.
Could you please introduce yourself?
I’m an entrepreneur and a die-hard photographer : )
How did you start photography and what inspired you to take up photography?
I’ve started photography at age of twelve inspired by my father with his Yashica FX3 Super, a fully manual analogue camera. As a young boy I passed much of my leisure time seeing my father’s photos and processing him his black and white photos. I feel capturing images that people enjoy to look at and are impressed with has not only inspired me to take up photography seriously but to give people a reason to care was the main intension for me also.
How important is Culture & Tradition for any country. Since your pictures strongly reflects Indian culture?
If you really want to know any country you must understand the culture and traditions of that country. The culture of India is among the world’s oldest, inherent from its rich and diverse migrations and invasions from over 5000 year old history. Many sources describe it as “Sa Prathama Sanskrati Vishvavara” — the first and the supreme culture in the world.
Indian traditions and rituals have an immense physical, religious, ethnic and linguistic variety. Indian culture is defined by the ideas, thoughts and philosophies predominant in the country and its people.
Since I’m into people photography naturally Indian culture and traditions are very much associated with my photography.
What does it take to make a good photograph?
If we look at the photographers whose work we admire, we see that they have found a particular place, theme, or subject, dug deep into it, and carved out something that’s become special. That takes a lot of time and a lot of work; it’s not for everyone. A great photograph really needs to say something about a person or give some insight into their life or how their life is different than yours and mine. A good picture makes us curious and makes us want to know more.
Lot of people ask me how I can identify the perfect moment to take a photograph. You are never sure of the perfect moment because you’re always looking and anticipating. You are never quite sure when the moment is right, because it can either peak or disappearing. So it’s your intuitive and reflexive to guess for the perfect moment!
Which photographers inspires you?
There are many great photographers whose work inspired me. Among them I think Henri Cartier-Bresson is the photographer who has inspired a lot of other photographers too. Elliott Erwitt, Garry Winogrand, Robert Frank, Raghubir Singh are among the others who has inspired me also.
One place you all always want to visit for Street Photography?
I’ll be really happy if you put me in between thousands or crore of people : )
Yeah Varanasi is a place which attracts me a lot. Mark Twain truly said that “Varanasi is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.”
Tell us something about your best shot and share the story behind making of the picture?
This is really a tough question for me : ). It’s very tough to select a single image and say it’s my best shot!
OK… let’s discuss about a photo which is one of my favourites. The title of the image is “Handful of blessing”
I shot this image at Shitala Mandir, Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi. I was roaming around the Ghats of Ganges. It was a sunny day. Naturally when I entered at the Shitala Mandir I was not able to see anything. My eyes were totally blank. Then gradually I saw a small ray of light which was coming from a small hole somewhere on the roof. Suddenly I saw that priest on the holly smoke. That time also I didn’t see that he has only one hand. Still today I cannot understand what, but there was something which attracted me. Something was telling me that I can get a very good picture there… Anyway… as it is normal with me to talk with my model before shooting, I started talking with him. Then I saw he is giving Puja with his left hand which was unusual and his right hand has been amputated. His name was Pradeep Kumar Dwivedi, who is one of the few survivors of a tragic bus accident on 3rd June 1996 morning where more than fifty people were killed. In that accident he lost one of his hands. At the same time when he was remembering his tragic memory I was looking for a good POV as well as trying to include that sun ray into the picture. He was saying that as the time passes by he realized that he was being neglected by his family as he became physically challenged due to that tragic occurrence. One day he told his father that he’ll earn himself and he came to Varanasi. When he came to Varanasi he fell in love with the ancient city. Then he became a priest. Finally I got a place from where I can show both of his hand along with the sun ray. You see in this picture you’ll be able to see that Pradip was giving Tika to a man’s forehead and the sun ray has fallen to that man like a ray from heaven. This was really a magical moment for me and clicked the shutter.
The Best achievement / Compliment you have received so far?
For me the compliment and achievement is something different. It’s not the award or any certificate; it’s an inner heart’s smile of a very common person’s face, who maybe never have been photographed in his entire life. When I saw that smile on any person’s face that gives me an enormous satisfaction which no award can give. In a way I show them their photo they become very happy; this way you express your gratitude and respect to that person also.
How important is it for a photographer to “connect” with his subjects to bring out their true self?
Yeah this is really very important. As I’m into people photography I feel that the most important part about photographing a person is winning their trust and confidence. Being able to come up or down to one’s level to ensure a strong communication is what it takes to honestly connect with a person. Then only you’ll get the perfect expression of that person.
RAW or JPG and why?
See I was an analogue guy and determined that I’ll never switch myself in to digital, but as the time passes by and the total industry was rapidly changing around me and I had no other option except converting myself into the digital world : ), because there was no alternative at the end. You know at some point of time it was really very difficult to get transparencies and finally they have stopped their production also!
From the very first day I converted myself into digital I shoot in RAW because I love the flexibility of it. I also like how the RAW format is like working with a blank canvas where I can manipulate it exactly how I saw it, where with jpg there is in-camera processing done to each image according to the data it has, which I don’t like.
Do you crop your images ?
No I don’t like to crop my images normally. What you see that’s what I saw in the capturing moment. I don’t like to crop my photos because it’s a matter of discipline also and it’s a way to learn how to compose very fast in the shooting moment. I will get closer or further to create an emphasis on the subject, and to make my frame much stronger. If it’s not correct it’s not by cropping in the Photoshop and making all sorts of tricks that you improve it. No it’s not the way. If your picture is average, it will remain an average picture. You’ll not be able to make that picture extraordinary by cropping it! It’s always better to pay attention at the time of shooting because only there you’ll get lot of other options that which is to keep and which is not to keep in you frame.
Which software you use for processing your images ?
I use adobe Photoshop CC with a very little plugin. One thing I’d like to add here that though I process all my images but my workflow is very restricted up to a certain level. I believe that in my kind of photography editing is acceptable up to that level when it is not understood by any one that the image is edited. In most of the times camera gives you wrong information. It’s your responsibility to correct it. Edit up to that much only exactly how you saw it at the time of shooting.
Any Secrets/Advice to aspiring Photographers?
If you use digital camera, do not just click. Plan your shots as though you are shooting with film. Not only you will learn the technical aspects of photography faster, you will also develop skills. Study light whenever you can. Light is your best friend and your worst enemy. I always say that you must remember one thing that you should never be handicapped of your camera. It’s not the camera who takes a photo, it’s you; you are taking the picture. You have to see, you have to visualize and you have to find a message that’s what you want to express through your picture. That is more important. Camera is just a tool nothing more than that.
Try to show your best shot; don’t show your average shots. It’s also very important how you select your best shot. By critically analysing and rejecting you’ll be able to select your best shot. Every photographer shoots a lot but show a single one!
During the course of time, be ready for criticism. Do not be discouraged as you will not be able to satisfy everyone. Develop a style on your own and fill a niche that sets you apart from the rest, which is really important.
Quick Questions:
What is Happiness for you?
Being able to bring a smile on a face.
What kind of a person Apratim Saha is?
Simple, emotional, touchy and who never gives up.
What do you most appreciate in your friends?
Honesty
The last book you read?
Secret
Who are your heroes in real life?
My father
What is Love?
The best love is when two people touch each other’s soul. Love is helping one another. Love awakens the inner soul with an unconditional commitment to an imperfect person, it’s not just a strong feeling it’s something about a decision, a judgement and a promise.
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Apratim Saha. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
We asked Manu Ghosh what it feels like to be a widow in the ancient holy city of Benares.
The look on her face told us… nothing.
Because the scriptures solemnly forbid a widow from feeling anything.
The life mission of a widow is to pay for her bad karma.
By trading every little joy of life for lifeless existence.
By marking days, eating bland food, living in bleak surroundings, thinking colourless thoughts of penance.
Manu Ghosh and her band of girls in passionless white.
Resolute in the belief that they are sinners and must not budge from their chosen path of renunciation. But we sensed that underneath all the white there was a hidden rainbow.
And so we brought them colours on Holi.
And with it, an invitation to erupt.
Just for a day. After decades of white.
And as expected, a battle began.
Between spontaneity and the scriptures.
Between childlike desire and conditioning.
Between colours and karma.
In the end, karma lost.
Click on the image for better and enlarged view.
About Photographer
A renowned transaction lawyer who gave up her lucrative career for her first love, photography, JayatiSaha is a self-taught photo-artist, with an extremely sensitive eye that has captured moments glistening with human emotions. Her forte is seeing the unseen and the unnoticed.
Based out of Kolkata, India, she is peripatetic and her journeys have taken her to the India not known or seen by many. Her work has been widely appreciatedand have been exhibited in India and abroad,used as tutorial materialand form part of private collections. She is also a contributor at the Getty Images Inc., USA.
Exhibitions
India Angles. 2010 – Indian Council of Cultural Relations, Kolkata, India
Namaste India, 2011 – Bucharest, Romania
Colors and People2012– Calcutta Information Centre, Kolkata, India
Publication
Life Force Magazine – Gujjars of Devmali , a story on life of people in Devmali, a village in Ajmer, Rajasthan, where not a single residential house is made of concrete, although the villagers are prosperous and not poverty stricken.
Photojournale – Labour of Faith, astory of 4 incredible persons who, through their immense faith, ignore their unavoidable daily labour while observing Ramadan, without a drop of water.
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Jayati Saha. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
Galiff Street Pet Market is a pet lover’s paradise. Located in North Kolkata at stone’s throw distance from the Shyambazar 5 point crossing off B T Road. Originally developed at Hatibagan in North Kolkata the market was shifted to Galiff Street due to space constraints. This is the oldest pet market of west bengal and one of the oldest in India. The “Haat” (weekly Bazaar) takes place on Sundays. The market starts by 6 am and continues till later afternoon. Even traffic is closed to Galiff Steet (except the Trams) on Sundays to help Hobbyists.
Hobbyists can find various species including rare verities of dogs, birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, pigeon, fish, aquatic mammals, plants and flowers. Under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, Indian birds like parrots are banned from sale. But here sellers regularly trade in illegal species. A few years back “People for Animals” activists demonstrated in this market. However, the market continues as is.
Galiff Streets sees a huge influx of hobbyists every week. Some of them travelling overnight from great distances. Additionally general traders from across the city come to pick up stock from the wholesale market.
Apart from regular visitors there are highly organized groups of Hobbyists who visit and document the market on a weekly basis. One such group is “Kolkata Aquarium Club” or KAC. Members meet up and discuss Aquatics and at times go ahead with a group buy. These helpful avid aquarists can be easily spotted from their exclusive golden Arowana fish inscribed T-Shirts. The current market prices and photographs of species are updated and discussed on their bulletin board.
The prices of livestock, food and supply is amazing. There are a lot of pet shops all over Kolkata but nothing comes close to Galiff Street at least in terms of pricing. Pet business owners find it easier and cheaper to fill in their weekly supplies. The market is so popular that even popular Pet shop owners take part at the market every Sunday. In spite of lot of limitations the Galiff Street pet market is continuing a history. This market used to happen in Hatibagan area in British era. The historical status of this old market is manifold.
Click on the image for better and enlarged view.
About Photographer
Photography is always a fulfilling experience. What started as a hobby several years back has become a way of life. Photography teaches to learn and appreciate life better. I am a Street Photographer based in Calcutta (Kolkata), India and very often the City surfaces as a primary subject of my work. I enjoy documenting Calcutta (Kolkata) in all its forms and colours.
Rarely our daily lives gives us an opportunity to bring smiles to slum children, walk miles together – be it sun or rain, climb walls, to some scary ones like being chased by bulls or be harassed by locals in an unchartered territory. Some happy and even the other not so happy ones drive the Photographer in me to search for wonderful anecdotes of a journey called – Life!
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Soumya Shankar Ghosal. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
Bahurupi is a Bengali word, closest English word should be chameleon; meaning – something which changes its colors/textures often.
It’s a dying art in West Bengal and only a handful of family still practices it and earns living out of it. they dress up as a Hindu God/Goddess look-alike and then put up a performance for the crowd during festivals. This photo story is on such a family and Mr.Kalipada Pal (head of the family) has been practicing this art for last 45 years. He has a full family at home with son/daughter-in-law, grandchildren and even great grandchildren! they all are connected to this by some means or the other. I hope this project of mine spreads their popularity more and as a result brings more business to them so that they can live better.
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Banner – It reads “bahurupi center”, “dressing up like tiger/bear/god/goddess are done here”. this banner is at outside of the house of mr. kalipada pal, the head of the group.
Small Room – Mr. Pal has a small home, partially built with brick and rest by mud, but he is proud of his home. He says, it was a mud hut a long time back but he earned and then started building it with bricks so that it can withstand weather diversities better. his son and grandsons are now taking care of the house.
Hearing Aid – Mr.Pal is short of hearing. My friend suman gifted him one of his hearing aids and mr pal was really interested in trying it out right away.
Strength – His face portrays inner strength. Here he could use the hearing aid and listened to our voice better. however, he was not comfortable with the gadget as it’s the first time he is using it in his life.
First coat of paint – Keshto is in mr pal’s team. here he applies the first coat of paint to his face with a brush. He would dress up like hindu god shiva and go to sheorafuli, a village in west bengal for a pre-arranged performance.
Cleaning up – While keshto continues his art work, daily household work is being performed in the morning to clean up the place.
Ingredients – Keshto’s make up kit is simple. it has paints of varioud colors, few brushes and mirror to check the paint. These are cheap colors and they even don’t know if these colors have any effect on the skin.
Ganesha – Mr. Pal is very jovial and enjoys every moment with a touch of smile in his face. Here he brings out a mask of hindu god ganesha and puts it on one of his grandsons. It’s an amusing moment indeed.
Mirrored – Keshto continues to apply finer touches on his face and checks on mirror if the strokes are correct. He often gets annoyed with himself if his paint work is not as per his need, but quickly rectifies it. He’s a perfectionist.
Observer – Mr.Pal’s great granddaughter keeps an eye on the proceedings. They are three sisters. they love the art and follows it closely every morning. Mr.Pal hopes that they learn it soon.
Artists – Mr.Pal adjusts his hearing aid for better listening experience while couple of his team members continue to work on their face painting. Along with Keshto, we have balaram now.
Open – Mr. Pal’s service is for anyone who wants to earn a living by dressing up like a ‘bahurupi’. He has a small home but has a big open heart.
Kitchen – Kitchen needs to be as much clean as possible. While the team continues to dress up, the daily household cleanup in the morning continues as Mr. Pal’s daughter-in-law mops the earthen floor with a wet piece of cloth.
Family – Mr. Pal is very much involved with his family. He no longer takes part in paint jobs as his team is pretty much skilled in that now. While they continue their work, he takes time out to talk to his great grandchildren and spend time with them.
Smoke – Aas per Keshto, smoking brings concentration. Here he is seen taking a break and enjoying a smoke with a bidi.
Third eye – Balaram is dressing like goddess kali. Hence he has painted his face black. Here he just completed drawing the third eye of the goddess on the forehead. Red on black brings nice contrast to his face.
Palette – For mixing colors they use their hands. It’s a quick process and also cost of palette is saved.
Faces – Keshto checks his make up while the third bahurupi bubai joins the team and completes applying the first coat of paint. Like Keshto, bubai would also dress up like god shiva.
Helping hand – Mr.Pal is a great host as well. While his team is busy with their work, he serves tea to liven up their souls in the morning.
Proud possession – It’s 45 long years that Mr. Pal is practicing this art and he had been very methodical in preserving the memories he had with his job at hand. Here he shows off an album full of pictures to us. We promised him to add few more photos in this album once we return for another day.
Tea – Morning tea is a must-have ingredient to freshen up the minds. Bubai sips the cup served by Mr. Pal while Balaram applies red paint (called ‘aalta’) on his feet.
Clothes – It’s not only the face paint, they also need to dress up to look like the god/goddess they are imitating. A busketful of dress is waiting to be put on soon.
Dress up – Bubai is ready with his makeup and works with the clothes to dress up like god shiva.
Hairdo – Keshto gets his false hair which resembles that of god shiva. Family members help the team whenever they need them.
Trishool – God Shiva’s main weapon is trishool. Mr.Pal brings couple of them for keshto and bubai to give the final touch to their dress up.
Shiva – Keshto poses as god shiva before heading out for his journey to sheorafuli.
Hand in hand – Goddess kali has four arms. Mr.Pal helps Balaram to fix extra false arms.
Final touch – Balaram’s performance would include some dance. hence, Mr.Pal ties ghungru (musical anklet) to his feet with his own hand.
Kali – Balaram is all dressed up as goddess Kali and ready to leave for the day.
On the road – Balaram sets off for his destination where he would put up a performance with dance and other activities and earn money to feed his family. Mr.Pal would earn his share as well. The money is not much but they are surviving on it as that’s the only income they have. Hope is less as the road is bumpy for them in future because newer generation is not too keen to practice this dying art.
About Photographer
I am Soumya, an Indian who takes photography as a serious hobby. I shoot mainly people, life and culture of India and is very keen to explore my country more in this respect. I am a Computer Engineer, working for a MNC but by heart I am a Photographer. I have a beautiful wife and an adorable 5 year old son at my home who are the world for me.
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Soumya Bandyopadhyay. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
Durga Puja also referred to as Durgotsava OR Sharadotsav is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Maha Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Vijayadashami.
Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomises the victory of Good over Evil. Durga Puja is celebrated all over India, but for Bengali Hindus and Assamese Hindus, it is the biggest festival of the year. Not only is it the biggest Hindu festival celebrated throughout the state, it is also the most significant socio-cultural event in Bengali Hindu society.
This great festival starts with Mahalaya when the Devi Paksha starts and ends with Vijaya Dashami while Maa Durga’s sculpture is taken for immersion in a procession amid loud chants of ‘Bolo Durga mai-ki jai’ (glory be to Mother Durga’) and ‘aashchhe bochhor abar hobe’ (‘it will happen again next year’) and drumbeats to the river or other water body. After this, in a tradition called Vijaya Dashami, families visit each other and sweetmeats are offered to visitors (Dashami is literally “tenth day” and Vijay is “victory”).
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About Photographer
I am a kolkata based amature photographer and doing photography since last 1.5 years. By profession I am an IT specialist and by Passion I do photography. Street photography is the place where my main interest lies. But I love to take creative and artistic portraits and story based photography series on a particular subject. I love to travel a lot and get to know different cultures and people and take photos of them too. Currently I am using Nikon D7000 and 18-105mm Kit lens.
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Anish Ghosh. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
Jayanta Roy is an Indian Photographer who creates stunning visuals which are calm, pleasant and at the same time carry a deep emotion. Jayanta has produced some astounding visuals through his vision and always believes in understanding a scene before starting to shoot. In this Short Interview and Showcase Jayanta opens up more about his interpretation on photography and more.
Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
I am a Kolkata, India based practitioner of photography. Not a photographer, just practise photography to make some better images in future.
How did photography happen to you?
I started using camera long time back when my father gives me a used basic film camera. It was very basic and I don’t have much money for films so i shoot less, frame more, it’s a habit to see things through the viewfinder, but click shutter only when i am confidant to make a decent image. Which teach me to compose my images properly and very carefully, till date when i used a digital SLR i have the same habit, i shoot less, frame more.
Always compose my photo very carefully, think twice before clicking shutter. in 2011 i bought my first digital SLR, Nikon D3100, and still i use that, this is the only Digital SLR I have.
What made you choose this genre of photography especially to shoot silent monochromes?
For me black and white photography is divine, which cross the barrier of reality and land in a world full of wonder and unexpected, where everything defined in shades and not in colours, and reveal the reality hide deep inside which is not possible to see in colour, for me b&w is a very powerful tool to achieve vision, which is most important in photography, a strong vision.
One thing you have learnt or accepted through photography over the years?
I learn so many things through photography but most important is the changing attitude towards everything around us. When i start serious photography, i start observing things differently than before.
Few words on your processing techniques?
I use lightroom and silver efex pro for post processing, but post processing comes much later, b&w photography is not all about PP, it’s about the understanding of the subject and light, b&w photography is a process itself, starting from planning to post processing..pre visualization plays a very important role ,as we see everything in colours …so as a b&w photographer our task is critical, ..Normally i try to visualize the final result in my mind before clicking the shutter. .so i compose the photo like that, it’s an act of creation and not only clicking…post processing is just a tool to achieve the vision.
Your Gear?
Nikon D3100
Nikkor 55-200mm F5.6
Nikkor 50mm F1.8
Tokina 11-16mm F2.8
Few Filters
Your Inspiration?
So many things inspire me, my subjects, nature, sometime some interesting face. Works of masters like:
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Jayanta Roy. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
Sonepur, a small town near Patna, India on the convergence of river Ganges and Gandak is known worldwide for having Asia’s largest cattle fair. Malegaon Mela, also known as Harihar Kshetra Mela which was started by Chandragupta Maurya (340 BC – 298 BC) at Hajipur and was shifted to Sonepur under the rule of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb (1618 AD-1707 AD) starts on Kartick Poornima (full moon).
It’s a fair for the trade of elephants, horses, cows, dogs, etc. Major attraction is the sight of numerous elephants, beautifully decorated for the purpose of sale and horse races and demonstrations. A wide variety of goods are sold in temporary stalls, ranging from garments, to weapons and furniture, toys, agricultural implements, jewelry and handicrafts.
Apart from the fair, people also visit this place for exorcism and do take a holy dip at the convergence and pay respect at the Hariharnath Temple.
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About Photographer
A business and technology consultant by profession started photography as a hobby which slowly turned into his passion. He loves to capture people and their emotions, places and its whereabouts, and makes social documentary. Raising awareness on social issues through photography is his objective in future. He has always wanted to show the world though his lenses what he sees through his eyes. His photographs have been accepted and exhibited in countries worldwide. He is based out of Kolkata, India.
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Arnab Adak. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
This particular narrative (or should I not call it a narrative at all) arises from the deep down things that I have been nurturing in that shady section of the mind every person has but rarely have the urge to make them a visual medium.
I take this as a disjointed or broken epilogue after a novel, dealing with the ups and downs, the crudeness and the buttery amalgamation of life. Life, death, enthusiasm, depression—all are pulverized and as if they are put on an oven for preparing a dish. It is not at all fancy but rather like the basic requirements for a proper nutrition.
Currently I am still working on a book out of this project.
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About Photographer
I have been taking photographs for the last 6 years but I don’t want to call myself a photographer. I believe that photography is just a medium to express myself, just like any other art form. I am currently working in a production house called Overdose in kolkata.
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Avinandan Sthanpati. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
Lopamudra Talukdar from India receives a beautiful DSLR Camera gift from her husband in 2010 and then things changed around her. She is so passionate about traveling and capture people around the globe. She is also working on assignments with some of the top magazines in India.
In this short interview with 121clicks.com, Lopamudra shares her personal views and opinion on photography and more.
Hi Lopamudra, can you please introduce yourself?
I am Lopamudra Talukdar, a resident of Kolkata, extremely passionate about photography. I had been a homemaker for about 15 years but once the photography bug bit me, there was no looking back. I am a semi professional now, working on assignments with some of the top magazines in India.
How did you get into photography?
I am a late bloomer so to say. It was only in 2010 when my husband gifted a high end D-SLR that I seriously took up photography. But photography was there in the family; my father was a keen photographer and in my childhood, I loved to go through his collection of photography books. My husband also pursued photography. It also helped that I travel a lot, moving from Serengeti to Slovenia and capturing the each place through my camera. I am particularly fascinated by the diversity of Indian culture and how different it can be from Nagaland to Nagpur!
In your words what makes People Photography so special?
It is the people who makes up a place and characterizes it. They are the most important ingredient in my photography, be it street, travel or portraits. I also love to interact with people in general and photography is often an ice breaker even if we do not share the same language.
How do you choose your subjects while you shoot?
Choosing people as a subject is .. yes .. subjective. What appeals to me may not appeal to somebody else but I go by my gut feeling. In general, what I look for in my subjects is some character, a peculiar trait perhaps, something that sets them apart.
For Lopamudra, what does it take to make a Good Photograph?
A lot of things really.. Being at the right place at the right time, knowing your camera like the back of your hand, doing some prior research about the place, the customs and beliefs of the people and respecting that, a lot of hard work and a slice of luck.
Please choose one picture from your portfolio and share the story behind the making?
The picture ‘Suspicious Look‘ is quite close to my heart. This was shot in Pushkar, during the camel fair, but far away from the usual activities. I spotted this old man in a shop on the street leading to the Brahma Temple. He was bargaining over some blankets and was completely oblivious to my presence. Each of his wrinkle seemed to tell a story and as I kept on clicking and approaching closer, he spotted me all of a sudden and gave me this special look. That’s when I knew I had the ‘shot’
Which photographers have inspired you?
I don’t want to sound pompous, but I have not followed any photographer or photography style in particular. It’s probably because I have never had any formal training in photography and I started off quite late, in the digital era, so to speak and the internet has been my teacher. There was a time when I used to browse through photographs by the hundreds, most of them belonging to unknown names but I learnt something from each of them.
Your gear?
I am using a Canon 5DMIII, Canon 70D, Canon 7D and have recently acquired a Fujifilm X-T1. I use a range of wide, zoom and prime lenses.
Apart from Photography, tell us your hobbies and interests?
Much before photography, I was hooked on to painting. Although I never had any formal training, painting has always remained close to my heart. I am also very passionate about travelling, specially to not so popular destinations.
Any secrets/advice for aspiring photographers?
There is no secret formula really. Photography is all about passion, you either have it or you don’t. Study the work of great photographers but do not imitate them, try to be original. Don’t be moved by Facebook likes and comments, just put in the hard work, be passionate about it and I am sure results will follow.
Copyrights: All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Lopamudra Talukdar. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
Definitely intriguing stuff, Soumya Shankar Ghosal this name is quiet familiar in the circles of Indian Street Photography. Yes, such an amazing character who loves to express himself quiet frankly yet with humbleness. In this short interview with 121clicks.com, Soumya remembers all from the early days of his photography stint and gives us numerous tips and moments to savor in street photography.
Speaking about his photography style, I was taken back in surprise looking at these unique story telling photographs. None of them looks staged nor I don’t have any idea about how someone could so cleverly make up these characters to form a simple story out of the ordinary dailylife with not much time or characters to listen to you. A fantastic photographer who continues to impress with his compositional skills and more. Take a look and get inspired.
Hi Soumya, could you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?
Hello, I am Soumya Shankar Ghosal, based in Kolkata (Calcutta), India. I love my weekdays rummaging through the maze of Excel Sheets and enjoy my weekends more when I am united with Streets – both photography and food. To fund my weekend extravaganzas and of course my family I work as a Management Consultant, specializing in Financial Data Analysis. Professionally I am a MBA in Finance, GNIIT in Systems Management, MCP and an ISO 9000 Internal Auditor.
What first drew you to photography—and how did you discover it?
I have seen Cameras at home from childhood. But as a kid I was not allowed to touch those mystical objects. My Grandfather owned Halina Rangefinder while my father had a Minolta SR-1S and a Zenit. The Amirah where these were stored was a No Entry zone for me. Most likely that was primary reason for me to ponder about the magical world of Photography. My Grandfather was the President of one of the oldest Photography institutes of India – Photographic Association of Dum Dum (PAD). He had a Dark Room at our Mezzanine floor and I have been visiting Photography Exhibitions with him as a kid. That was also probably a big influence.
The Mezzanine floor still today is referred as the “Photography Room”. Since Cameras was inaccessible, I introduced myself to the world of Painting, which by luck I did quite well and had won several competitions. Painting did have an influence on my Photography. By the way my father very recently handed over to me his beloved possessions the 1967 Minolta SR-1S and the Zenit.
What makes Street and People Photography so special for you?
I got my first Digital Camera, a Sony DSC P3 Camera in 2003. That 2 MP Camera opened a new world for me. Like every beginner I started taking photographs primarily of Nature and used to hate if there was even a trace of Human element in any of my photographs. However, there came a point of time when I took up Streets (honestly, without realizing I was doing Street Photography). Streets were so much interesting that there was a paradigm shift in my thought about inclusion of People in my photographs.
From People in Nature, I found Nature of People was more interesting to photograph. People are the most dynamic element in the city eco system. People are highly unpredictable and that was the scope to capture those unadulterated moments.
In your perspective, what makes a good capture?
After exploring Street Photography for quite some time now, I am still searching for a single definition which encompasses the entire gamut of Street Photography. The genre is vast. However, to me one of the biggest objective of Street Photography I believe is Storytelling through a single photograph. The photograph should not have a Caption, which would then lead the thought process of the viewer.
Let the photograph be interpreted by the viewer. Socio documentary makes a good capture. Timing, Framing and Technicalities is directly proportional to the story being conveyed. A wonderful moment but wrongly timed and framed is gone forever. Ideally we should strive to take a photograph that convey a message. However, one thing I am dead against is “Staging” in Street Photography. That may lead to accolades but will never lead to satisfaction. For me unadulterated Photographs is a documentation of our Time.
What continually drives you to photograph in the streets?
Streets is highly unpredictable. This randomness drives me to the Streets. The same stretch of road will be different during the next visit. So, literally even if I visit the same place every time there is always a high probability of a new moment to be photographed. I was born and brought up in Calcutta, but never did I know so much about Kolkata before I took up Street Photography. I try to explore Kolkata to learn and appreciate life better.
I explore the same old lanes and bye lanes as a Tourist in my own city. Inspired by these even my Street Photography Project is called “Kolkata: Oli, Goli, Pakostholi” which from Bengali roughly translates to “Lanes, Bye Lanes and the Stomach of Kolkata”. There is an immense opportunity in Kolkata. Respected Mr. Steve McCurry has said on records – “If somebody said, here is a blank cheque, go to any city in the world and do a body of work or a book, I’d go to Calcutta. It’s that interesting, vibrant and is that rich, it’s an amazing place”. I am sincerely lucky to have been born in the City of Joy.
You are also conducting photography workshops. What you will teach for beginners?
I have never been formally trained in Photography. And I always feel that gap. I consider myself a lifelong student and love to share whatever little I have gathered so far.
On persistence of a Kolkata based Photography Group, in September 2013, I conducted a Street Photography Workshop, which was enthusiastically attended by 26 participants from all over West Bengal. In 2014 I was approached by a corporate Photography House to conduct Street Photography Workshop for their new education division. Since then I have been regularly conducting Workshops for enthusiasts which are attended by people from diverse backgrounds united by the passion for Street Photography. The Workshops are an equally a learning opportunity for me. I design and update the Workshop modules on a regular basis from the student’s point of view – as to what I would have wanted to learn if I had to attend the Workshop.
There are not too many formal Street Photography Workshops conducted in India and hence I try to conduct them in the most resourceful manner for the students to get a proper hold of the concepts. The Workshops are always task oriented so as to enable the students to execute the theory into practice. I am always in touch with my students for review and clarification. I never maintain a Teacher Student relationship and most of them become friends than being a student.
You are an admin of Streets Of Calcutta Group, Few words about that?
I have been practicing Street Photography for some time now. I felt the need to come up with a Project dedicated to Street Photography which would promote an Archive and a scope to learn and enjoy the genre better. That was how Streets of Calcutta (SOC) Project was born. This is the only Street Photography Archive dedicated to a City. The further objective of SOC is to create the largest quality over quantity Street Photography Archive for Kolkata. SOC is a concept. Anybody who is a Street Photographer and photographs Kolkata is free to be a part of the Archive, irrespective of his/her place of residence. Everyone enjoys an equal status.
SOC connects to reputed Kolkata based Photographers for the new comers to be inspired as well as creates a platform for the upcoming Street Photographers to showcase their work. We believe in a strong physical presence and hence we conduct Photo Walks every alternate month. The April walk was attended by 50+ enthusiasts. The February walk was attended by 40+ enthusiasts in spite of the India-Pakistan cricket match. Photography Workshops are conducted every month in small batches for personalized attention. We conduct a monthly “Calcutta Street Photography Competition”. The top 10 are honored. Tamron India supports our initiative.
SOC Project is reachable at www.streetsofcalcutta.com and www.facebook.com/streetsofcalcutta. We have plans to conduct a mega Street Photography Review session in July 2015 for 75 participants and an exclusive Street Photography Exhibition this year provided we are able to secure sponsorship as we intend the unbiased Exhibition to be free of charge for the selected participants. I sincerely hope similar Projects are taken up in other cities as well.
Your favorite photographers?
Steve McCurry is one person whom I revere. Not just for his noted images but for his series on Kolkata. Those photographs are so full of life. I have been sincerely lucky to have received a note from him about my work on Kolkata. There are so many inspirational photographers I admire. A few of them are Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Capa, Raghu Rai, Vivian Maier and Elliott Erwitt. I draw inspiration from my seniors, peers and juniors. Every one of them has such immense capabilities. My list would be incomplete without mentioning my Grandfather. Not just as a photographer but as my role model. I sincerely wish he was here today and I miss him dearly today after 20 years.
You have any favorite books on photography?
I love seeing books : ) especially the Coffee Table books. I do read a bit but mostly on screen. The internet is a huge resource, which I wish we had during our childhood. I browse a lot of photography websites. Out of them 3 websites I find truly inspirational are 121clicks.com, PetaPixel.com and Digital-Photography-School.com. Magnum Photos and National Geographic are a must. Google and YouTube are the greatest teachers.
Your achievements?
Honestly, the biggest achievement is when I am able to capture the memorable moment as I am always the first viewer to enjoy it for the second time on the LCD. The satisfaction is beyond words. The second biggest achievement is when the same photograph brings a smile to the viewer. The offshoot of a photograph is when it gets recognition. I have never been formally trained in Photography and hence a recognition always acts as an acid test. I have been sincerely lucky to have won several competitions.
My work has been published in several publications including NationalGeographic.com, National Geographic Traveller India, 1X, Better Photography, Life Force Magazine, DPS (Digital Photography School), Fujifilm India, 121clicks.com, Raghu Rai Center for Photography, Roots of India, The Times of India, DNA, The Telegraph, Epson Fotoflock, Protagon, Popular Photgraphy, Ei Samay, Top Photography Films to name a few. My work has been exhibited in a few countries. I am a co-curator www.world-street.photography and have judged several Photography competitions including that of corporate houses like IBM India.
I received a Special Mention Award from CGAP – World Bank in 2013, Grand Winner of Red Frames FOMC 2013 and won several other Photography Contests held by Nikon, Fujifilm, Olympus etc. 1X Year Book Mono and World Street Photography Coffee Table Books featured my work.
I have been invited as a Speaker at many Photography Seminars and conduct intensive task oriented Photography Workshops. I am also involved with two Photography for Philanthropy projects.
Apart from Photography, tell us your hobbies and interests?
I enjoy learning new technologies, especially on content management and cloud systems. Computers are fascinating and definitely a big boon to everything and definitely Photography as well. I sincerely wish Internet was as evolved as today, the time I took up Photography. Martial Arts is something I enjoy as I am trained in Karate. However, after a 2014 accident has left a partly ruptured Spinal cord, I am a little more careful to practice my moves. Unfortunately, it has affected Photography too. I love Aquariums, especially maintaining my planted Aquarium. It is pretty tough at times as it needs a lot of maintenance. I visit Galiff Street Pet Market almost every Sunday morning. And my regular visits inspired me to document the Photo Essay.
Any final thoughts for our readers?
If you are a Street Photographer please do indulge in creating your own style. It is always good to be inspired by others but never follow anyone. Let your viewers know you by your style of work. Street is always an amazing place. Enjoy the moments. Street Photography is Luck met with Preparation. When at Streets forget everything else in the world, except your safety : ).
Try to make one good Photograph in a year. Even, the best of the Photographers are known for a handful of their work :). Never photograph for accolades but for your own satisfaction. Never let yourself down if you miss a moment. Inspire yourself – the best photographs are the ones you will take in the future. And finally please do not indulge in staging. Take care and Street Photographs.
Copyrights: All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Soumya Shankar Ghosal. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
These photographs are all about the life styles of the people in and around Kolkata. The real heart of the city lies in its people. These pictorial candids portray the hardships they have to go through every day. Their emotional connect with the city. The cultural aspects of the people in different zones of the city. Including some of the heritages which are very close to extinction. Be it a religious festival, soccer matches, wrestling, movie, or ‘adda’ sessions. Kolkata breeds culture.
I am really thankful to the people who gave me the opportunity to frame them so intensely.
About Rajesh Dhar
Hi! This is Rajesh Dhar hailing from the ‘city of joy’ with two of my passions, designing and photography. I am a graduate of visual art from the ‘Government College of Art and Craft’ in applied art and presently working as a graphic designer.
I fell in love with photography since 2007 and gradually took up the same as a serious hobby. I refresh myself focusing on the common people, their spirit, their emotions, their diverse culture and the daily festival of their existence.
My aim is to portray all the possible merits and follies of human beings in our society through my work.
My Inspiration
The works of Raghu Rai, Raghubir Singh, Steve Mc Curry, Alex Webb, and James Nachtwey among many other maestros inspire me and motivate me to ramble around the city and photograph the candid life of the people and places.
My Photo Gear
I shoot with Canon 7D and 450D bodies along with Canon 18-200mm and a Sigma 10-20 mm lenses.
Awards and Accolades
Appreciations of the viewers are always encouraging to me. Recognitions are always motivating. Some of my global and regional achievements are as follows.
IIAS photo contest 2014, Netherlands (1st place in Asian heritage category)
Indiafrica photo contest 2012-13 (winner)
Kolerclick, kolkata photography festival 2012 (1st place)
Camarena festival of photography 2011 (3rd place)
Photographic association of Ranaghat photo contest 2015 (winner)
WideAngle international Photo contest 2013 (3rd place)
WideAngle India Photo contest 2010 (winner)
Photographic Association of Bengal national Salon Of photography 2010 (Bronze medal)
Gap-Year Book International Travel Photo Contest 2010 (winner)
30th Korea International Salon of Photography 2009 (silver medal)
GEO magazine click and win photography competition 2009 (3rd place)
49th ECPA All India Salon of photography 2009 (silver plaque)
Burrad lucas blog, pet photo contest 2009(highly commended)
I am also honored with the publication of some of my works in esteemed magazines and books like ISP magazine (Sept-Oct 2014), Reader’s Digest, In magazine (Jan 2014), Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack 2015.
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Rajesh Dhar. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
In Bengal, beyond the urbanscape, there are rural pockets where the glamour and glitz of Bollywood has not yet penetrated, where Jatra Pala still rules the roost. The literal meaning of the Bangla word Jatra is ‘Journey’. The Jatra Pala is a little different from the more commercialised Jatra but has been the unparalleled medium of entertainment for rural Bengal. Loud and colourful, Pala is a long musical narrative that describes episodes from the Mahabharata, Ramayana or other Puranic Texts. This traditional open-air folk drama combining acting, songs, music, dance, is characterized by stylized dialogue delivery and exaggerated gestures and orations. The whole troupe travel from one village to another and perform during the night.
The stage or the ‘Asar’ is the main part of a Jatra Pala and is normally open on all sides and is devoid of any furniture. Huge bulbs and colourful lights are placed for illuminating the stage as the actors and actresses perform along with the musicians.
The actors often deliver dialogues in thunderous voice to catch the attention of the spectators seated on all sides. They laugh, they cry, they sing, they fight, all on the Jatra Asar. The performance usually lasts four long hours during which six to seven songs are also performed. To the famous Bengali intelligentsia, Jatra Pala is nothing but over-dramatic, over the top theatre but the rural audience stamps its approval with loud roars.
What has been presented here is the performance during one of the show nights, from getting ready for stage to heading home past midnight.
6:55 PM. Putting the face paint on
7:04 PM. The Green room is a buzz of activity as actors and actresses get ready for the show
7:06 PM. The future generation watches as the final touches are being put on
7:10 PM. Some are ready, some are not
7:17 PM. Mirror mirror, tell me how I look!
7:27 PM. The hero looks his part
7:32 PM. A young actor asks permission for a toilet break
7:36 PM. Am I looking the part?
7:42 PM. The patriarch wears a satisfied look as the show time nears
7:58 PM. Ready for the show, leaving the green room
7:59 PM. Show time folks as the actor approaches the Jatra Asar
8:12 PM. The show gets under way
8:42 PM. The hero gives the ‘look’
8:58 PM. The accompanying musicians let their presence felt
9:30 PM. Neighbours exchange notes as the drama unfolds on stage
9:42 PM. The lead actor at his expressive best
9:47 PM. Loud and colourful, that’s what Jatra Pala is
10:01 PM. The hero hogs the spot light
10:22 PM. The drama hits a high note
10:45 PM. The lights malfunction and an electrician is called on stage to fix it but the show must go on
10:50 PM. Even the pet dog is not deprived of the show as the whole family gathers around the stage
11:02 PM. In between their parts, actors take a short tea break
11:04 PM. Not an idle moment. In between sips of hot tea, the actors rehearse their parts
11:25 PM. Back on stage, the message goes out loud and clear
11:37 PM. As the show near its end, the drama reaches its crescendo
11:55 PM. The last act, money changes hand as the happy audience chooses to tip the actors
00:10 AM. The show is over, time to change costume for some..
00:22 AM. ..while others head home still dressed in their costumes
About Lopamudra Talukdar
Lopamudra Talukdar, a Masters in Zoology from the University of Kolkata, was fascinated by the world of photography ever since she was a kid but never thought of taking it up seriously until she was gifted a Canon 5D Mark II as recently as 2010.
It changed the world around her…. She started looking at the world through a different set of eyes and with accolades and exhibition opportunities coming her way, it also changed how the world looked at her. It helped that she travels around a lot, both inside and outside India but she is particularly fascinated by the diversity of Indian culture and how different it can be from Nagaland to Nagpur! She is currently doing assignment based photo stories for a number of leading magazines including National Geographic Traveller and Femina.
Copyrights: All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Lopamudra Talukdar. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
This Photo Series is from the Famous Festival ” Charak” from the rural part of West Bengal, India. Charak Puja has its own special place in West Bengal, the state of festivals. It is a special folk festival, celebrated for bidding good-bye to the passing year. It is believed that the celebration leads to prosperity in the coming year, wiping out all the sufferings and pains of the current year.
The rituals of Charak Puja, a way to show the miracle of God, are unique and, at times, a little risky. People wants to show their faith to god & believe that by doing this self pain activity Lord Shiva will help them to overcome from their daily trouble full life!
My Target was to shoot these unique & painful moments and to represent their Culture.
About Avishek Das
Avishek Das is an Indian born photographer. Over the past 4 years he has been associated with this field of photography. He is one of the active members of Creative Art Solution. His photographs and writings have already been published in different websites & Photo competition in national & International level (Italy , France, Argentina, Serbia, Romania, Wales, Greece, Canada, China, Bosnia, Malayasia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Macedonia, Turkey, UK, Bangladesh, Slovakia & National Geography US Edition, 1X .com, Photoburst, Vogue, Dodo Magazine and many more.
He bagged the Prestigious Gold Medal from Royal Photographic Society, America for his Monochrome work in 2015 & also won Silver Medal and other awards from different country during his photographic Journey. Avishek’s area of attraction are on Street & Documentary, Abstract Photography, however recently he has also been focusing on Pictorial photography based on Indian Visual Arts & Culture.
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Avishek Das. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
This series of photographs have been shot in a Cast Iron Foundry of Howrah. The workers here are mostly Illiterate and mostly backward. They work in a temperature of 47° C. A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminium and cast iron.
About Bidipto Dey
My name is Bidipto Dey. I am a Kolkata based Street Photographer. I started photography before 2 years. I am a member of a Street Photography Group called CAM2O.
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Bidipto Dey. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
“Behind every face is a mask and behind that is a story.” – Marty Rubin
What is a mask? A mask is a tool that one may use to alter one’s exterior appearance, and sometimes one’s personality also, temporarily. The influence of a mask may be very personal or have broader social implications. Wearing a mask may also change the wearer’s actions and other people’s reactions to the wearer. This double impact is a basic characteristic of masks and is also what makes them so attractive for people to use, as has been discovered from antiquity to the present time.
But sometimes, a mask carries something more, like art,culture and traditions, from the ancient times to the present and presents infront of us something extraordinary.Located in west Bengal, India is the district of Purulia. For a person craving peace amidst the daily hustle and bustle of life, Purulia is surely to be the ideal place. The ambience here is rural, free from the tension and streets of the urban life. The greenery here is a real pleasure for the eyes, alongside with various raw huts here and there. But the vivified the elegance of the place is its long, age old tradition; the “Chhaunach (Chhau dance)”.
Chhau dance is a genre of Indian tribal martial dance. This dance form was actually developed to train people in war combats, to make them courageous and keep them physically fit. These is ancient times, this is unconsciously a rehearsal of battle. During the festive season display of these traditional gymnastics, acrobatics and the dance by various villages-groups are arranged on competitive bans. Masks along with matching outfits are made with household goods and living examples of true hard works of the villagers and then the Chhau dance is performed with great enthusiasm. There is no doubt that Chhau dance is evidently not ephemeral.
The Chhau dance is really a treat to the eyes of the spectators, but the harsh truth is that the majority of the people are completely oblivions to this incredible experience. Hidden behind the usage of these happy masks, are the miseries of the performers. Their hand works are not at all compensated. It is said that on an average, a group receives a nominal sum of a thousand rupees taking into consideration the fact that a group consists of around 20 members; each members shall receive 500-1000 rupees. Is this really enough for a person to feed for his family? Also there are the transportation costs, making costs etc. Taking all these into consideration one can easily imagine how hard life is for these “talented people”.
The revered Chhau dance itself is endangered now. People love to enjoy YouTube, Facebook, What Sapp, Netflix etc. at the cost of real entertainment, such as these. A person prefers 1000+ unknown (maybe dangerous and fake) friends on Facebook to 10 known relatives. One cannot ignore the fact that there exists a divine bliss, a relief in these festivals, but as said already, most of us are ignorant to this. In my opinion Chhau dance is a blessing vouch safe by heaven, and obviously not to be missed out.
About Santanu Dey
Born and raised in Calcutta, the city of Joy, it was at the age of 10 when I found my deep interest in painting and art works of various types. Inclined toward this passion I realized how beautiful everything is in colors, as well as in monochrome. I love to trek and visit mountains. In mid-2013, before my trek my family gifted me a Sony Digital camera, and I started my journey of clicking. What started as my hobby then is now my passion. Be it street photography or documentary photography or capturing nature, I am the happiest to be behind the camera.
Copyrights:
All the pictures in this post are copyrighted Santanu Dey. Their reproduction, even in part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
