As World Photography Day approaches on August 19, photographers talk about changes in their work, earnings, technology, and client expectations
RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT NETWORK
A camera may still sit at the heart of photography but much around it has changed.
With nearly five decades in the field, Olencio Coutinho has watched the profession evolve since his father opened Hollywood Studio in Panaji in 1949. During its heyday, the studio specialised in portraits, weddings and occasional outdoor functions, as well as restoring old photographs. It is currently closed owing to Coutinho’s health.
“Before, photography required real skill. You had to understand the process because you were working with film,” he says. “Now, it is all digital. People who work with software adapt more easily because they’re used to it.”
Social media has also changed how photographers find assignments and deal with clients. According to Harsh Kamat, who shoots portraits, documentary, architecture and advertising, it has brought both opportunities and strain. “Competition is great but client expectations are higher and the pay is lower,” says the Mumbai-based photographer, who hails from Margao. He adds that advertising has shrunk from 30 second films to 10 15 second reels as attention spans shorten.
Mumbai-based street, travel and portrait photographer, Salonee Jain, meanwhile, describes social media as “free advertising”. Jain began receiving paid assignments after posting her work online and eventually took up photography full-time. Her work now takes her across India, where she documents festivals and cultural practices.
Jain states that briefs have changed too, with clients often sending screenshots of images they’ve seen online, which makes their expectations clearer.
Dattaraj Bodke, who specialises in automotive and action sports, agrees Instagram is useful but points out that agencies and brands still rely on portfolios. For him, the bigger issue is protecting the value of one’s work. “Photographers need to value their work and avoid undercutting their rates to win clients, as this hurts the profession,” says Bodke from Margao.
Money, many agree, has become the sticking point. Jain says clients now decide on price first. “Earlier, they would check if a photographer’s work matched their needs before comparing rates. Today, they just look at the price,” she says. That, she adds, usually leaves clients unhappy after an event.
Jain also takes a cautious view of photography as a career. She says only two areas are financially sustainable: wedding and event photography and advertising and fashion. Even here, she estimates that only about 15% of photographers she knows work exclusively in the field, while the rest rely on other income. Assignments, she notes, can be seasonal, with weddings and projects fluctuating through the year. To steady her practice, she also teaches photography.
The AI debate
Artificial intelligence (AI) is bringing further changes to how photographs are created and edited.
Kamat is against using AI to generate entire images, calling them digital art rather than photography. He does, however, see its value in post production: “A lot of things we couldn’t do in post are now possible.” AI, he adds, is already part of advertising projects and videos, though he cautions against becoming dependent on it.
Bodke uses AI sparingly, mainly to sort large batches or remove distractions but warns that overuse can make work look unprofessional. “As long as the creator is honest about the use of AI it’s not that problematic,” he says. “Agencies have clear guidelines and social platforms now label AI generated or enhanced images so audiences aren’t misled.”
In documentary and street photography, however says Jain there is little room for AI. “Documentary photography by its definition is documenting something as it is. It is not expected to look beautiful but it is expected to tell you a story,” she says.
Her recent coverage of the Pandharpur Wari pilgrimage is an example of this. It included not just the event but the everyday lives of participants. She regards such work as cultural memory: “With changing times, people change, food habits change and the way people celebrate festivals changes.”
Kamat also stresses the human dimension. “Art is about the artist, their emotions, joys, sorrows and the stories they share with those they photograph or film,” he says, adding that AI cannot replicate that.
The question of originality extends beyond AI. Jain argues that constant exposure to images online can push photographers to recreate existing frames. “Where is your creativity?” she asks, insisting that a photographer’s work should carry a recognisable style.
Retired bank manager and bird photographer Shailendra Naik, who has spent 15 years photographing birds, says photographers should keep their subjects natural.
Respecting the subject
Photographing people also requires balancing candid moments with privacy. Vaibhav Bhagat from Marcel, who began in 2012 and now focuses on festivals, landscapes and street scenes, prefers candid frames taken from a distance. If someone objects, he deletes the image on the spot. At times, he asks people to pose, though he admits permission can dilute spontaneity. “Many a time, the raw feel goes or the candid moment is lost.”
He notes that reactions vary by region. In smaller towns, people are often more open and even proud to be photographed. Social media, he adds, has made many more comfortable with cameras, with festival goers sometimes asking for his Instagram handle to tag themselves.
Jain also sets boundaries. While documenting the Pandharpur Wari, she avoided photographing people while bathing, believing such moments should be kept private.
Wildlife enthusiast Akshay Velguenkar of Dharbandora says photographers must be conscious of how their presence affects subjects. “Photography depends on perspective, what one chooses to document and how the frame is composed. Animals and their habitats should never be disturbed. When they are, the intrusion is often visible in the images themselves.”
Naik takes similar precautions when photographing birds, using camouflage and a hide to remain concealed. “I have made a small enclosed hide with an opening only for the camera. I have put a net over it and sit inside to take photographs.”
The idea of community
Photographers have also experimented with ways to come together, share ideas and learn from one another.
Goan Shutterbugs was started by Lynn Barreto Miranda after he saw photo walks being organised in Mumbai and other cities. A photography enthusiast, Miranda gathered a few friends to organise the first walk, which drew seven participants. The group later introduced memberships and grew to about 70 members, organising exhibitions, contests and other events.
Over time, however, the group’s activities slowed down, although it was never formally closed. “Most members were amateur photographers with other jobs, which made it difficult to meet regularly,” says Miranda, adding that people are now more interested in short-form videos and reels.
Naik is part of Wings & Wilderness – Goa, a collective of bird photographers, birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. He also works to raise awareness about Goa’s birdlife, especially among students. He says, “I aim to inspire the younger generation to appreciate, protect and conserve Goa’s birdlife.”
Wedding, portrait and commercial photographer Edric George launched ‘3 Worst Photos’ in 2015 as a creative exercise. Participants were given 36 shots, with one frame allowed per subject and no retakes. “The whole idea was to not look into your camera while shooting and to get your skills right,” he says. Each participant’s three weakest images were published online.
The initiative had around a dozen members and held three photo walks before it came to an end as photography technology evolved. He recalls, “When I started shooting on film, we didn’t have settings on the screen. With mirror cameras, all you could see was the reflection of what was outside.”
Mirrorless cameras now allow photographers to preview the scene before taking a photograph, while smartphones automatically process and enhance images. “Everyone gets good pictures with smartphones nowadays because the phone does the thinking for you,” he says.
George believes bringing photographers together is still possible but says the challenge is encouraging them to make their own creative choices.
