Interview Of An... INDIAN FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER We decided to introduce you to an extremely talented and successful Indian Fashion Photographer. India is off the radar when we talk about Fashion but in this interview, you will realize there is a lot of potential. M had the pleasure to interview Tarum Khiwal. Tarun KHIWAL 1. How and when did you become interested in photography? Describe your photography experience/education. My tryst with the camera started at an early age. My first camera was a Pentax that my father gifted me. The camera soon became my means of expression and I felt most comfortable expressing myself through the medium of visuals. 2. What kind of camera and equipment/tools do you use most in your work? I started off with film and slowly made the transition to digital. I have been shooting on Hasselblad and 35 mm format also now most of work is through the digital medium. The cameras lights etc. vary from shoot to shoot. Apart from using flash, I love shooting on continuous light source, and when you are working with continuous light source, any thing can become your light, right from street light, to candle to a big HMI. 3. What is the most striking memory as a photographer? I don t have one particular striking memory as photographer. I try and see things differently and absorb every experience that comes my way and cherish each memory made over my 2 decades as a photographer. Not just the celebrities but people from all walks of life have left an impact on me; from the most basic of travels to most exotic locales, everything has contributed in making beautiful memories. My memory is full of images I have not taken; they are still imprinted on my being. 4. Your series are really unique, where do you find your inspiration and how do pick your creative team. Thanks. I am looking for my place and role in this universe and that search is taking me to different places. I derive my inspiration from everyday life and from everything that pulsates around me, the food I eat, the movies I watch, the music I listen to, animation movies I watch with my kids, it s a different world altogether with kids, everything is so different, mysterious and magical, nothing is impossible in their world and if you pay little attention when you are with kids you will be surprised with your experience being with them. Apart from that the people I meet from different walks of life, especially when I am traveling. I try and travel as much as I can, travel is the best way through which one can derive inspiration. I am very open to absorb every experience that comes my way and is continuously flowing into me. The creative team depends from job to job, though I have developed a comfort level over the years with a few artists and individuals. I have worked with people with immense experience and on the other hand I have always been open to working with new talent, who have sparkling ideas and full of energy. When I combine that with my experience it becomes easy to create art. I am always very excited when I am working with a new team. 5. How did you sign your first contract as a professional photographer and how did you start working with big names? I started off as a portrait photographer. Over time, I shot campaigns with fashion designers; my first shoot was for a leading designer after which I started shooting fashion, editorials and campaigns on a regular basis. 6. You work in the Fashion Industry. For you, what are the differences between the Indian Market and the other major Fashion hubs (Paris, Milan, New-York)? Fashion in India is still at a very young stage where as Milan, Paris and New York, have been fashion hubs for ages now. We have a lot to learn from the west, yet we have a lot to offer as well in terms of textiles, weaving, embroidery etc. India is a huge country, with a vast culture and traditions. Every few hundred miles, the language people speak and the way they live changes. Our rich history, culture and architecture have immense possibilities to be incorporated into fashion and presented to the world. We need to figure out what our strengths are and bring in our sensibility instead of just following west. Artists like Manish Arora and Ritu Kumar have made the most of the Indian sensibility and taken it to International levels. Julian Kanz, www.juliankanz.com 31
Photographer : Tarun Khiwal Stylist : Aparna Chandra Make up and hair : Deepa Verma Production : Elements Production Model : Carla 33
Photographer : Tarun Khiwal Stylist : Aparna Chandra Make up and hair : Deepa Verma Production : Elements Production Model : Carla 35
Photo : tarun khiwal Sylist : malign banerjee Hair and make up : Deepa Verma Model: Aniko Michnyaova Publication : ELLE India 37
7. In your opinion, what makes a good photo? A good photograph needs to simple and pure. Anything, which has purity, touches you in some manner and has a soul, will make a good photograph. 8. Which qualities do you look for in a model? Are you handson or do you prefer to stay behind the camera? The personality of the model, he/ she needs to be just himself or herself and not ape some international top model. Things fall in place when you shoot the personality of an individual and not someone who in the first place is trying to achieve or be someone else. 9. What advice would you give to an aspiring photographer? To be a fashion photographer one needs to learn to experiment and to be open to learning. Irrespective of ones genre of specialization in photography, every photographer needs to see and experience how life pulsate in the universe before one can start making images. Also a great way of augmenting ones skills is to assist a photographer, as there aren t many schools in India. Through assisting one get to learn hands on and also understand the workings of the industry. 10. Indian models are still underrepresented in the Fashion industry; do you have an idea as of why? The Indian market is obsessed with white skin, while by nature we have dusky skin. Given this obsession, dusky skinned talented models in Photo : Tarun Khiwal Stylist : Gautam Kalra Hair and Make Up : Daniel Bauer Production : Elements Production 39
Make Up Artist - Shu Ling Chien Hair Stylist - Shu Ling Chien Fashion Stylist Tin Lu and Kare Chen Model Peggy Tseng Publication - Elle Taiwan 41
Make Up Artist - Shu Ling Chien Hair Stylist - Shu Ling Chien Fashion Stylist Tin Lu and Kare Chen Model Peggy Tseng Publication - Elle Taiwan 43
Photo: Tarun Khiwal Make up : Sonic Sarwate @ MAC Stylist : Nupur Mehta Puri and Malini Banerjee Model : Carol Gracias Publication : Cosmopolitan 45
India do not get enough chance to portray their potential within India itself. One needs to be recognized in their own country first before getting international exposure. Things though are changing and Indian models are doing well abroad as well. Lakshmi Menon, Ujjwala Raut, Shetall Mallar have done really well for themselves internationally as well. Make Up Artist - Deepa verma Hair Stylist - Deepa verma Fashion Stylist Amit Aggarwal Model Maggie Client Morphe 11. Which historical event would you have liked to shoot? India was a land of kingdoms and emperors ruled the country and their existed different dynasties in different parts of the mainland. I have traveled and have shot in many of the palaces in their current state and it still amazes me to see the beauty, intricacies, architecture and skill with which these would have been created. The cars that they drove around in; the gold robes that they wore and the silverware from which they ate. It was the golden era in our history. Most of the palaces have been attacked and looted yet of whatever remains, still amazes me. I would have loved to shoot the palaces and all the royalty in all their pomp and glory. 12. Which photographers do you look up to and why? Has to be Nick Knight for re-discovering himself again and again and pushing the envelope. His approach has been traditional, yet breaking the barriers with his art. Among others that I look up to would be Mondino, Rankin and David LaChapelle for the same reasons. 47
Photo: Tarun Khiwal Make up : Sonic Sarwate @ MAC Stylist : Nupur Mehta Puri and Malini Banerjee Model : Carol Gracias Publication : Cosmopolitan 49
Photographer : Tarun Khiwal Stylist : Aparna Chandra Hair and make up : Deepa Verma Model : Celia Production : Elements Production 51