The art of photojournalism

Photography has been used to record and document the world around us ,since it was first invented in the mid-19th century.

However, due to technical restrictions (cumbersome equipment and long-exposure times) it was hard for the medium to truly capture news stories without explanatory text in the early days.

This changed with the arrival of the 35mm camera in the 1920s. These lightweight handheld cameras allowed photographers to nimbly, and unobtrusively, weave around their subjects. 

Suddenly the photographer could be in the thick of the action, and get the shots as the events unfolded. More than just a means of illustrating a text, photojournalism suddenly became an art form unto itself, often revealing as much about the photographer’s own artistic vision as the scenes they were capturing. 

Since the 20s, photojournalists have created some of the most iconic images of the modern world. From the war reportage of Robert Capa to the fleeting scenes of everyday Parisian life by Henri Cartier-Bresson, the 35mm camera allowed photographers to show us what’s going on both at home and around the world, feeding the growing interest in world events and exotic cultures.

Although many new styles, technologies and genres have come along since this golden age of photojournalism, particularly the advent of digital photography, the photo-documentary tradition is still alive and well, especially in India.
 
Three Bangalore photographers to look out for….
As one of India’s more established photojournalists, Ryan Lobo has been working freelance as a photographer for some time now — alternating between the spheres of commercial, social documentary, war and also more playful personal projects. Best known for his work in Liberia following the ruthless warlord ‘General Butt Naked’, Ryan’s career merges the worlds of still photography and film. With an emphasis on the relationship between image and word, Lobo’s work is often centred on an important current world issue, shot through with personal narratives — be this in the poppy fields of Afghanistan or the private homes of Bangalore.

Srikanth Kolari is another Bangalore-based photographer, known for his socially minded brand of photojournalism. Kolari is first and foremost a storyteller and he strives to give a voice to minority communities. What elevates his work above newspaper reportage, is the sense of attachment, compassion and understanding Kolari has with his subjects. He is not motivated by commercial magazine assignments, but rather sets off around the country on a personal voyage which combines documentation with creative vision. Recently scouted for the prestigious Glenfiddich Artist Residency Programme in Scotland, Kolari is steadily gaining the recognition he deserves and we expect to see great things from him in the future.

Mahesh Shantaram first exhibited with Tasveer in 2008; he had explored Bangalore’s architecture in a straight documentary style as part of a group show. A few years later he went on to produce his critically acclaimed series ‘Matrimania’ — a humourous social commentary where vacant wedding sets formed a metaphorical comment on the country’s penchant for order and chaos. More recently, he has been turning his attention to Europe, where he has been documenting a rural Welsh community from an outsider’s perspective.

Shantaram’s playful and intelligent approach ensures his work exists above straightforward photojournalism — often using photography to explore the more subtle aspects of the human condition.

Tasveer’s commitment to photography...
Over the years, Tasveer has exhibited a range of photographic genres, but the art of photojournalism remains a key focus. By building relationships with individual photographers and agencies, such as Magnum Photos, Tasveer has exhibited the work of some of the giants of photojournalism at its galleries across India over the years, such as Marc Riboud, Martine Franck, Elliot Erwitt and Abbas. In 2012, the gallery is planning another group show of Magnum photographers who’ve worked in India, further cementing the importance of photojournalism in India, through the work of Steve McCurry, Bruno Barbey, Werner Bischoff and others.

Tasveer is now in the initial planning stages of building the first permanent museum dedicated to photography in India and photojournalism will be sure to feature at the centre of the Museum’s collection. Alongside a permanent exhibition space, it will house a library of photography books, a lecture theatre and a temperature controlled archive facility for the collection. The aim is to become a premier research facility and exhibition space for photography in India, as well as to act as a hub for photographers and enthusiasts to meet, discuss ideas and learn about the history of their culture through the medium of photography.