Interview: Photographe Debarghya Mukherjee (India)
Can you tell us a little about you?
My name is Debarghya Mukherjee, I am creative photographer from India, my photographic journey started with a vision of expressing myself. I am computer science teacher. Visual art and its different forms were always a very interesting subject to me, I used to be a self-taught painter, but couldn’t continue, and then I jumped in photography after many years. And some how it changed my life. It gave me freedom to express myself in many ways. I always feel that we all have something deep inside, that we ether want to paint or wanna write. And photography gave me that freedom. I stared using this as an medium. As I am from computer science background, digital processing gave me an extra advantage. I started following works of many famous visual artist, and developed my own style of art. But sometimes I feel an artist cannot be settled, may be its my style right now, maybe I can change my self completely in a couple of years, it all depends on your mind.
How and when did you get into photography?
I used to teach in school and colleges, and then started my own business and become so busy with life that made me depressed, and one day my wife asked me to spend sometimes with something that interest me, something out of my regular routine. Then I started photography and everything changed. I had that interest inside of me, to express my visual representation of thoughts, and I jumped into it.
What does photography mean to you?
Photography is a visual art form to me. Photography made lots of changes in my life; I started thinking things in a different manner. I started studying of color, lights, human emotions, and most important “How to tell a story”. As an creative photographer, storytelling is most important to me.
Where do you get inspiration from?
Paintings are my inspiration. I thoroughly study old paintings a lot, I study paintings for their philosophy. How they used color, and what is the meaning. And I think photography is just another type of painting in a different medium. They paint with brush and color we paint with lights.
Please briefly describe your photography style for our readers.
I am a creative portrait photographer. Although few of my landscape photos got award from different competition, but I personally like to call myself a creative portrait photographer. I am very interested in human face and emotions, I always wanted to tell a story using a human, so most of my works are involved with human, some works are straight fashion shots but some tell a deep story human mind and dream. I also do surrealism works, there is a huge use of digital art form in my works.
Do you think in advance what you want in the picture ? 7 Studio, on location or both?
Almost everything, Studio, location, poses, props etc. I mostly think about “what is my story?”. And light is a very important part for my work, so I study and sometimes made sketches of light and its uses before I shoot. I discuss about the looks with my model and makeup artist. I believe that it’s a team work, as an individual we are nothing.
Would you consider yourself a hobbyist or a paid professional?
After spending few years I got many assignments from different clients, my works got several recognitions from different countries also, so now I believe that definitely I can charge for my service.
Nikon or Canon? Favorite lens?
I am a Nikon user, although I also use Sony recently, but Nikon always has a special sentiments for me. After busying Sony I still use my old Nikon camera and it’s lenses, I mostly use 85MM lens and 50MM lens from Nikon.
What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer looking to start their own business?
Answer: Be patience and study a lot, because I think “Every master was once a newbie”, And only practice makes changes. At early stage of any art, there will be a tendency that “I made a master piece” But believe me, after 3-4 months you will laugh at your old work, I did too. It takes time to be a master of it. There is not end point of success, we gradually proceed towards this but that never ends. I believe that we must enjoy this journey.
What do you think of our new magazine?
I really like your magazine, even though I am very new to your magazine, but once I read this, I love your works.
Elina
Ananya
Samridhi
Suchismita
Elina
Ananya
Saratbarani
Koushiki
Nisha
Supurva
Nisha
Nisha
Pooja
Nisha
