documentary wedding photographer

Interview With Documentary Photographer, Mahesh Shantaram

October 24, 2014 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher

We've all heard stories of hardcore career photojournalists now-a-days shooting weddings to keep their heads above water. But Mahesh Shantaram, an already established Indian wedding photographer based in Bangalore, did exactly the opposite. Known best for bringing his quirky sense of humour to how weddings are portrayed in India, Mahesh recently made a transition into political photography on the back of the recent Indian general elections. His work as a documentary photographer has been seen around the world lately, thanks in part to the New York Times Magazine. In fact, I caught up with him just as he's preparing to show his work in Paris, Addis Ababa, and Dhaka over the next three months.

1) Mahesh, tell us a little bit about your start in photography. Why photography? What drew you to this medium?

Back in 2005, I was enslaved in a cubicle four blocks away from the White House. It was the lowest point in my life. I was desperately looking for a lifeline to creative rejuvenation. That's when providence struck me. At an art exhibition in Providence, RI, I chanced upon a particular work that was almost prophetic with its message. It happened to be Annu Matthew's, An Indian from India. For it, that was the moment of realization of how photography could be more than mere documentation of events, it's qualities as a medium of expression, and how identity can be both a reason and a subject of one's photographic practice. Within two months, I had quit my job and was in Paris to pursue a full-time diploma in photography.

2) You spent several years making a name for yourself as a wedding photographer. Not an easy feat in India where cultural demands can pigeonhole a man easily. Why weddings? And what about weddings commanded your attention?

We're talking 2006 now. When my wife and I were getting settled into our new home in Bangalore, we stumbled upon our wedding album. It came a jarring shock to my recently shaped perspectives on what sentiments photography should evoke. Traditional wedding photographers were generally seen as insensitive louts serving patriarchal needs at a wedding. They were totally out of touch with the expectations of the modern Indian couple. Ivy League educated, well-traveled, living abroad but Indian at heart–and now coming home to the prospect of having their dream weddings covered by the traditional guy. I became the solution to this problem just as I was looking for something to do in photojournalism and documentary.

3) Let's talk about your current foray into editorial work. I know you have shot for the NY Times Magazine and recently traversed the country during the national elections. Again, I am curious about your motivation. What did you sense about the elections that made you pursue politicians and their rallies all across the land?

The New York Times Magazine stumbled upon my work on my gallery's website. I've shot three assignments with them since then. It's such a motivational kick to work with a legendary photo department who actively seek out and hand opportunities to new talent.

The elections work was a purely personal project that sprung from a very deep place, but it started out as an editorial assignment for the Financial Times. Their correspondent was working on a story about corporate honchos making a bid for a seat in Parliament. That's how I get to shoot the Nandan Nilekani campaign–the 2014 elections' wealthiest candidate. There was this one picture (which the FT was bold enough to use as their cover) that gave me the confidence that I was on to something and that I should shoot the rest of the elections on my own terms.

4) Your series of images called, “The Last Days of Manmohan” appear both humorous and whimsical. Is your approach to photography intentionally so? Are you attempting to draw humor out of what is or could be a difficult situation for millions of people? Are you giving us permission to laugh at ourselves?

I find a lot of my inspiration in standup comedy. Jerry Seinfeld, Russel Peters, and Louis CK are my heroes. I love how these guys take an everyday situation and illuminate with their perspective so that it then becomes a critique of society. And hey, it's funny as hell and we're laughing away, forgetting that we're actually laughing at ourselves. I think this quality of standup comedy to combine humour and critique is worth emulating in documentary photography.

5) You and your wife have actively collected photography books – I am totally envious of your collection by the way – which 3 books would you simply not part with and why?

They would be books with personal stories. I absolutely love Will They Sing Like Raindrops or Leave Me Thirsty by Max Pinckers. Max and his girlfriend Victoria (whom I equally credit for the work) came home one evening and left the dummy on my table. I sat through the night pouring over the book and by morning, I was its greatest fan. It's a book about a topic that's close to my heart – about love and the freedom to love and how grave is the threat to both.

Then there's Paul Gaffney's We Make the Path by Walking. I bumped into Paul at the Belfast Photo Festival in 2011. Later when he published his book, I was happy to recall our wonderful conversations and wanted to keep it as a memory. Not everybody gets minimalist photo books right. Paul did.

Lastly, I'll fight to keep anything by Alec Soth. I love Niagara, and Broken Manual is special because I acquired one from a collector as a present for Vidya on our hundredth anniversary or something.

6) You are also known to open your house to strangers who are interested in peering through your collection. How did you spring upon that idea and how has that been received by the public? Was that a way to get your name known? If so, bloody clever!

The implied threat of opening our house to strangers never occurred to us until a journalist used that as her opening line in a story about us. That certainly got my mother worried. Our idea was to simply share our growing library with those who cared enough and to spread the love for photobooks in Bangalore. I'm reminded of that Irving Stone quote: “There are no faster or firmer friendships than those formed between people who love the same books.” The Open House Photobook Library also serves great coffee, by the way. Some people come for the books and go away with renewed appreciation for traditional south Indian filter coffee.

7) Now that the elections are over and you have a body of work that sings, are you going to remain an editorial photographer or are you heading back to photograph weddings in India and abroad again?

So much of what passes as political photography in India comes from the news media. It merely corroborates that an event X happened at location Y with leader Z in attendance, exactly as the caption reads. During these recent general elections, there was a surge in independent work, but sadly, most of it was the “hey look who I got to hang out with!” kind and lacked voice or acumen.

The politics of India is a large and complex system that has many layers to peel and penetrate. Politicians seem like mythical gods but they are human beings with weaknesses. I don't want to limit my work to being just about Elections 2014. By revisiting the electoral process through many more elections to come, I'm hoping to gain and share valuable insight into the nuts and bolts of Indian democracy, probe the relationship between politicians and the people, and construct a pan-Indian picture of our political landscape.

8) Let's talk about your ascendency in the photo world, at least in the Indian subcontinent (I know you are known around the world now too). How has that been received? Do you see yourself as being a part of the “new guard”?

I don't know if I'm part of any “new guard” as much as I'm against the “old guard”. I'm not afraid to take a stand against old ways of holding up bastions of privilege and new ways of suppressing personal freedom, creativity, and independent thinking. I guess this general attitude has defined my public identity and influences what I produce as a photographer.

9) There are more photographers in India now than ever before. How do you plan on staying relevant? What are your plans to stand out among that crowd?

My formula to stay relevant is to keep abreast of what's happening in the world around me and be sensitive to what provokes me to respond. That response will be through my photography because it is all I know to do.

10) Now that you have a great amount of experience, how are you looking to pass that on to the next wave of eager photographers?

In the same way that so many truly great photographers passed on their experience to me – by constantly putting quality work out there.

11) Going back to your series, “The Last Days of Manmohan” (which refers to the last waning days of a beleaguered Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh), do you believe you have created a document, a work of art or something in-between? How useful do you believe these images will be in the future?

When I set out on a backpacking trip across the country to bear witness to those historical elections, my intention was to document the politics of our times in all its rawness. Only time will tell whether this series will be valued as historical documents. But there is a method to how any work is launched into orbit. I will be shooting more to expand the scope of the work, take it to new audiences (via exhibitions and contests, for example), and edit and re-edit until my eyes pop out. That's how work is strengthened over time. A serious photographer's responsibility to his or her work has barely begun once the shooting is done.

12) There is one frame that I love (image above) – the one of Nandan Nilekeni – where he looks so unsure of himself. In US terms, that would be the time when Nixon was wiping away his sweat during the first televised Presidential debate against JFK. It has that sort of weight to it. Tell us a little about how you came to make that image? Were you reading his body language the whole time? Did you expect that moment when a politician is felicitated with a shawl and just happened to capture him?

Seshu, I'm sure you know this ritual in south Indian Brahmin weddings called the “kaashi yatra” in which the bridegroom is packed off and sent to Kashi to lead the life of an ascetic. It's a mock ritual, of course, but the guy is never really prepared for the absurdity of it. The fun of photographing a kaashi yatra is not to merely prove that it happened, but to be able to preserve the groom's awkwardness for posterity.

I could smell a kaashi yatra moment when the very corporate Mr. Nilekani was about to receive an Indian style felicitation.

13) What motivates you to make images? Why is it important for you to create them? Who are they for – you or the general public?

I absolutely love photography's unique and mysterious expressive qualities, the kind that Stephen Shore describes as “visual thinking that does not require any words”. I love how photography gives me free pass to interesting places and situations where my presence would otherwise be hard to justify. I love the image collecting experience of a long-term project that gives me ample time poke at complex questions in life. It is at once a luxury, privilege, and sacred duty to be a photographer. I love it. I'm happy to serve others through my photography, as long as I'm the one with the first-hand experience.

The Foundation Conference, Kansas City: A Recap

November 29, 2010 by Guest

This is a guest blog by Providence, Rhode Island-based documentary wedding photographer, Stacey Doyle. She documents weddings & families focused mainly in the New England area, though always willing to pack a bag & travel far and wide. Besides photography she really enjoys the art of sewing, specifically deconstructing older pieces and making them new again. If you don't find her behind her camera or sewing machine, you may find her perusing used book stores, thrift stores or at a local brewery surrounded by friends.

I was supposed to go to the Foundation Conference, held in Kansas City, this year. Circumstances at home prevented me from making the trip. When I came to know Stacey was going to be there, I lost no time in recruiting her to report back on her experiences at the conference. What you will read below are her impressions.

Walking into Foundation Conference 2, I was welcomed by friends. By hugs. By smiles. Open hearts & minds. An ego free zone.

From the speakers, to those coming along for a shot of inspiration, everyone there seemed to have a common thread, they see not only with their skillful eyes yet also with their hearts. They tell their stories using their individual visions fueled with their excitement to share, their ability to listen softly, their desire to infuse passion.

I heard Still Motion speak about how, a mere year ago they were creating images that were just good enough. They were pretty. But something was lacking. Something was missing. Something wasn't being said.
Inspired from last years Foundation Conference they decided to change all that. They now immerse themselves into their couples lives, they learn more about who they are, what they are about, what is really meaningful to them. They spend their time documenting what will speak to the true story of their couple, instead of focusing on details that mean nothing in the end. Even if that means skipping the makeup application in order to photograph a couple's beloved pups enjoying a morning swim. It's the images that truly matter, that's their goal. In the end they encouraged everyone to examine where you are right now and then ask yourself ‘Where do you want to be in one year?'

‘Suck less everyday'

DQ have always made me smile. They are a rich and giving couple, in their teachings, in their energy, in their commitment to the photography world. Dave and Quinn are one of the first people to run up and give you a warm genuine hug. Their excitement over showing you how to bring light into a scene to layer and transform a rather dull atmosphere into a whole different world is infectious! What I really adore is each time I've heard them speak, they both seem to glow when they talk about the other's abilities. Not ‘oh darn, Quinn one upped me' but ‘Heck yea did you see what she did?! So proud of her!'. Their motto that day was ‘Suck less everyday', which I quickly retweeted! However I really loved their son, Tobi's, quote ‘Making little moments go a long way'.

I found JVS‘s work years ago online and was floored. I couldn't believe someone could walk into a wedding and find images like that. His lighting skills are outstanding. I recently took his off camera flash workshop in Boston. I remember during his teaching that knowledge is important however what really stood out was if you are going to do something, don't half ass it. Do it right. His talk at the Foundation Conference was more introspective. He went through his life in pictures and in stories. He spoke of the moments that changed the way he viewed the photographic world he was in. He talked of the stories that had an impact, not only on his career but his heart. He spoke of being true to himself, his vision, the life he really wanted to be living, the work he really wanted to be producing. What shined through again was if you are going to do something do not go half way. Put your all into it. Don't be lukewarm about your approach. Mean it. And if you don't, maybe you need to examine what it is you really want to be doing in your life.

They wanted to create a playground where the mind-blowingly awesome photographers in their area could safely come together and, well, play!

The Wed Rockers are a group of established photographers from Mexico. They were looking for community, they were looking to help bring others with a similar desire to share and create, together. They wanted to create a playground where the mind-blowingly awesome photographers in their area could safely come together and, well, play! Their passion flowed out of them like warm sunshine. I was grinning the minute they started their talk and laughing and smiling and tearing up with them at the end. I believe they accomplished what it was they were trying to create: community. And they brought that feeling of sharing & encouragement to the hearts of all those that were there in that room listening that morning. Their talk made my heart swell, it made me want to share anything that I know with anyone that asks. Do you want to know what the secret ingredient is? Nothing. So do not be afraid to share. It's in the sharing where you will find your true self, your true vision.

It's hard for me to use just words to describe Anna Kuperberg‘s work, because when I see her pieces, all I can do is feel. Words may fail me, but my emotions do not. I respond within. I think it has a lot to do with her approach. Her talk during Foundation Conference spoke of being more childlike. Trying to tap into that long lost creative being we once were, until it was schooled, questioned, hushed out of us. And that's not an easy thing to do for some of us. I think ‘won't I look like a fool' but then I remember the little girl that I was flying down the street on my bike, not caring who or what saw me, just that I could fly (on two wheels, of course). I didn't care who heard me make-believing in the back yard with my Barbies and Strawberry Shortcake dolls. A whole magical world existed in my mind and I didn't feel like a fool, because it was fun. I didn't care enough about others opinions to not care about what felt good. I just played and I played well. And I believe that's what I took from Anna's talk; who cares if you mess up or screw up. It doesn't matter! Get back to caring about playing, playing well.

I had not heard of Candice C. Cusic nor seen her work before Foundation Conference. I am so glad I was there to experience her world, her approach and her imagery. Her emotional way of shooting, her steady courageous way of waiting it out until she knows she has what she wants. Her bold patience really struck me. Again, it's the idea of being overly concerned about what others are thinking of you as you work and allowing that to dilute your imagery. Don't let the thoughts of others get in your way. And don't read this wrong, Candace isn't being disrespectful of her subjects, no way! She calmly waits it out, where others might think ‘ok i'm probably bothering them so i should stop now', she's asking you ‘who says?' Don't ever assume you know what people will or will not let you photograph. Be patient, be bold, don't forget to tap into your heart, and then let go and shoot.

The local Kansas City contingent, Lemon & Lime, rounded out the talks. They spoke of their approach, creating one of a kind imagery, using their distinct vision to capture the story of their couples. How a fluke meeting a few years ago brought Neal & Eric together, and since then they have been able to immerse themselves in their creative process, in their couple's lives and in their business together. What struck me most was the way they talked about working with one another. How this collaboration has become so important to them both. The emotion that carried their words was heartfelt and true. I didn't feel as though they were talking just about a business, but a family they created. Once their talk was complete, I saw the other local photographers from Kansas City gather around them at the back of the room, each in turn hugging them both, congratulating them. Not doing this because they wanted those around them to know they ‘knew' them. This was real. There was a camaraderie there that I can only hope and pray others are blessed with.

And if you want to grow, the best thing you can do for yourself is get your butt in the hot seat. Now.

You may think of the Foundation Workshop Forum as just another photography forum. But that is so very far from the truth. It is a collection of brightly colored, vibrant, rich photographers threaded together with their deep desire to share with those around them who are equally passionate about the work they create. It isn't just a bunch of gear geeks talking numbers. These people are full of heart, they pay attention, they care. There is safety in knowing you are not going to get squashed by some self absorbed personality. However if you ask for a critique of your work, don't expect to be embraced warmly while they sugar coat their words. These people love what they do, they respect the art form far too much to give you a simple pat on the back. And if you want to grow, the best thing you can do for yourself is get your butt in the hot seat. Now. But let me assure you, having sat in that seat quite a few times, you will find no cruelty there. You will find not a single drop of snark. No one is there simply to beat anyone up. It is because they care, that they want to see you grow. They want to see you break free from the negative thoughts that anchor you. They want to see you soar.

Forums can most certainly be intimidating. However, you will find with the Foundation Workshop Forum group, that intimidation quickly melts away, as you are welcomed in by the warm generous souls that make up this great family.