May Featured Member

                                 Swapan Mukherjee                                                            ©   A typical early morning rural Indian scene in the interiors of India .

I took up photography around the age of fourteen when presented with a Ful-Vue Ensign box camera on my birthday by my father, who was a keen amateur photographer. Right from the beginning I would rather take photographs of the life around me, than the usual family snaps. Throughout my school, college and university I would take active part in annual cultural events, where students from all over the country came to New Delhi to participate. Many of these photographs with my write-ups would appear in some of the English dailies.

During a flood in New Delhi a photograph of a displaced farmer's family sheltering under a railway bridge brought quite a few awards and recognition. However, it was also the time to think of a career, as I was about to graduate from a Chemistry Honours degree course. Even before graduating I had realized chemistry was not going to be a career choice. The only profession I could think of was architecture, which was a blend of science and art.

Arrived in England with the idea of studying architecture. However, the photographic scene in London quickly convinced me that photography could be a satisfying career, even though it was hardly something to consider while in India . Signed up with Harrow Technical College of Arts for a three-year course. However, when I was due to commence my third year I was offered a permanent job of a black & white printer by a photographic studio, where I used to work during the summer holidays. Reasoning that a photographer was judged by the kind of photographs he took, and not academic certificates he possessed, I had accepted the offer. It was a very meaningful seven and a half years. By the time we parted I was the third photographer.

Soon after two friends and I set up a studio. In the early stages, to stay solvent, did a stint of freelance printing in the photo department of some of the leading advertising agencies of London . Began to do mostly editorial work for some British magazines and some European newspapers. Shot portraits and portfolios for actors and models. One such model had introduced me to the bureau chief of the London office of a South African publishing group, who published several magazines in Kenya , Nigeria , Zimbabwe , South Africa and U.K. It was a prolific relationship, lasting several years, with my work establishing in these African countries without having stepped on the shores of the continent.

In between commercial assignments I would still find time to walk the streets of London and photograph everyday life. Four of these images were selected, showing the British way of life, to be displayed at the international symposium, "The World and its People" in New York . My first solo exhibition, "Some Moments Preserved", showing London life was well received. Thereafter had many group shows and solos over the years.

My commercial beauty shots won me the Beauty Photographer of the Year, awarded by L'Oreal, for three consecutive years. One of my cityscapes also won the first prize in a national contest, organized by Cokin.

In 1985 I had moved to Mumbai , India and joined as the Chief in House Photographer of Eve's Weekly, the only leading weekly magazine for women in English. Shortly afterward the Illustrated Weekly of India, a leading large format English family magazine, published an eight-page spread of my black & white glamour photographs with the centre-spread in colour of a model dressed in nothing but a fox boa! Somewhat puritanical India was in uproar. The issue was discussed in the Indian Parliament, and banned in one of the States!

Since editorial photography alone is not very lucrative in India I made inroads in advertising photography and won several Campaigns of the Year awards at various ad-clubs around the country. Have built up a reputation for food photography, particularly ice creams. Downturn of this is that many are not aware of my people photography anymore!

Over the last few years started digital photography. Also making a conscious effort to get back to people and editorial photography. Travel and hospitality industries and architecture are avenues I am exploring now. Digital art photography is something I pursue during my spare time. With the power of image editing soft wares creativity is limited by one's imagination so much so that I have never revelled so much doing personal photography as I do now.

At the moment I use Minolta's Dimage 7Hi camera. I also use an Epson flatbed scanner with a film adapter for scanning large and medium format transparency and negatives. Recently, acquired the Konica Minolta Dimage Scan Elite 5400 II dedicated film scanner for 35mm. film. Have plans to acquire the Canon 20D in the near future.

Digital Imaging Association is a very promising new forum. I am glad to be a part of it. Wish it to grow from strength to strength.