Haan Ji Ma'am, Photo? ( 2024 - ongoing )
Haan Ji Ma'am, Photo looks at Shimla as a photo studio, by how the medium has shifted from analog to digital. Shimla being a city of photos, where there are people wanting to be photographed ( the tourists ), people making photographs ( the ridge photographers ), people preserving the photographs ( the studios ), and how the town has a relationship with photography.
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Shimla, the summer capital of British India, played a key role in the early history of photography in India, thanks to the arrival of Samuel Bourne, an English photographer who made significant contributions to the field. Bourne's journey to Shimla and the establishment of his studio in 1864, marked a turning point in the development of photography in the region. The town was an ideal location for Bourne's new venture due to its status as a thriving center of British colonial administration, and its scenic landscapes made it a perfect setting for photographic endeavors.
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In the 19th century, various photo studios sprang up in Shimla. One of them was the Bindra Studios. Every time I cross the mall road, my eyes stumble on the beautiful studio. Established in 1904, it is one of the oldest studios in Shimla. There are several such studios in Shimla that hold the past of the city in photographs. There are also people who have keenly invested in keeping this heritage safe. During the course of familiarizing myself with these studios I came across people who are collectors of photographs, some of them belonging to the oldest studios in Shimla.
​​Shimla has always been a tourist attraction. A visit to the mall road would introduce you to various small set ups of photographers, where people dress up in Pahari attires and get themselves photographed. Photography has become a major part of how people engage with the city. The studio boards, signages, and advertisements have become a part of the city’s landscape.
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Today, an intimate look at the personal and professional challenges faced by contemporary photographers reveals the contrast between their creative aspirations and the practical demands of making a living. The question that often comes up is how the nature of photography has changed in a city where every corner is a potential frame. With technological advancement, I remember new studios opening in Shimla and gradually digital photography taking over film. In today’s time when everything can be done online, who are the people still visiting these studios? How do people engage with the city through photography
EVERYTHING IN PHOTOGRAPHY
4*6 inches | Photobook
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This black-and-white photobook revisits the photographic history of Shimla through a contemporary lens. Working entirely on film, I collected old found photographs of the town. Images made by local studios, practitioners, and image collectors and rephotographed the same scenes as they appear today.
Exhibiton display at design gallery, National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar.
Silver Gelatin prints
