Photography is a medium of art. You capture the moment on a light-sensitive medium or film so you can keep it forever. We’ve all got our phone’s camera roll full of things that make us unique. From the cute cat you saw on your way to work, the beautiful piece of cake you ate or your loved ones smiling. Our camera rolls remind us of what makes us happy, and what matters. While we all enjoy clicking random shots here and there, many people take photography as a passion and not just as a hobby. Good photography comes from practice and patience.
There are many excellent photographers in India known for their unique style. A photographer looks at the same scene as the rest of the world but observes a different, more exciting side. As a result, they’re able to create something that captures the essence of the place while making it look easy.
However, like all other workplaces, women in the Indian photography scene face sexism too.
From art shows to publishing, they’re given fewer opportunities than their male counterparts but it is important to note that various professional female photographers are breaking the mould and creating art like never before. Moreover, they share stories of other women, children, climate change and simple everyday life.
Here are Five Indian photographers you should know about:
Cheena Kapoor
Cheena covers women of all ages and walks of life. From a five-year-old drug addict to a commercial surrogate. She mainly finds her stories in India’s red-light districts, mental asylums and side alleys. Cheena uses her camera to bring forward the women and children in despair with dire living conditions that force them to make hard decisions. She is their voice who makes their life interesting and powerful.
Saumya Khandelwal
Through her photography, Saumya sheds light on India’s unique cultures and traditions. She captures everyday moments in rural India, ranging from a bride getting ready to girls dancing for a school function. She is most famous for her work exposing the Indian Children Marriage scene. However, the most impressive thing about her photography style is her way of capturing women who have no real escape from their pre-decided lives.
Anushree Fadnavis
Anushree’s pictures always have a story and deeper meaning to them than what meets the eyes. She’s most famous for capturing candids of women enjoying their space without any societal pressures or inhibitions. One of her well-known captures is a woman sleeping tension free and secure in a ladies compartment of a train. She believes women deserve equal rights and the freedom to choose how they behave in public instead of being dictated by others.
Paromita Chatterjee
Paromita covers political aspects in the hopes of getting rightful causes heard in the media. She started her career as a political photographer covering the Lok Sabha elections. She today covers the suffering of Indian villages and powerless poor Indians who wait for help but to no avail. She’s a magnificent photographer whose every shot captures the suffering of humanity. One of her most famous works is a picture of a woman crying after her son’s death due to malnutrition. She’s a fighter for social causes who uses her art for the things she believes in.
Karen Dias
Karen Dias is a self-taught photographer who represents indigenous women, their environment and their issues. She’s famous for her women-centric causes and published in The Washington Post, Al Jazeera and Harpers Bazaar Arabia, among others. She claims to love the reality of life over fiction and captures those genuine moments and stories.
Photography is an art that isn’t divided between genders. More and more female photographers are coming to the forefront and capturing the causes they believe.
