MM sits down for a tete-a-tete with Tarun Vishwa, fashion photographer extraordinaire. His work has featured in eclectic and breath taking editorials in some of the most prestigious fashion magazines in the country and he is well on his way to becoming an international success. MM tries to decode his work ethic and shed light on the process of fashion photography as a career.
Mega Modelz: What was your first assignment and what do you remember the most about it?
Tarun Vishwa: I believe my first assignment was a shoot for a well known microwave brand. What I remember most about it is that I never got the payment for the shoot in spite of several promises by the organizers!
MM: What sparked your interest in photography?
Tarun: Hmmm... The very first portrait I shot was of my brother with a SLR Camera. He had set up everything for me and all I had to do was click. The result of this experiment led to various questions and trials which eventually led to me being where I am today.
MM: What inherent qualities make a fantastic fashion photographer?
Tarun: The most important quality of all is the sensibility to be a photographer, more than a fashion photographer. Spontaneity with an eye for detail, a craving to create something new and the ability to see life every day with a new perspective is what makes a fantastic photographer specially one who works with fashion.
MM: How do you ensure you are getting the best out of the model you are working with?
Tarun: I start by giving my model a few guidelines about the mood and the concept and then set him/her free to emote with his/her own interpretations. I feel the more you define your guidelines, the more restricted you make your performer. The best is to let your model do what s/he is good at. After all, it's their job to perform and mine to capture them right.
MM: As a fashion photographer, what is your main focus while shooting: the model, the fashion or the technical aspects of photography? Each photographer has a different approach to fashion- what's yours?
Tarun: It has to be a good mix of everything from model to the fashion, from the hair, make up and stylist to the technical aspects - everyone has an important role to play, to be a part of the greater image that we are trying to create. My main focus is to be in sync with the entire crew or to get them in sync with me. Above all, focus remains to capture the perfect angle or moment, emotion or perspective, mood or form at the right time. The concept is: let things happen (within the guidelines) and capture them at an unplanned time.
MM: What do you prefer shooting with - digital or film? Why?
Tarun: I would prefer film. Any day. Shooting with film is close to my heart. Honestly, it's difficult to explain “why film?” But there is a different charm altogether on film. The finesse which one is used to when shooting on film is difficult to capture with digital photography. Though digital photography is highly expensive and is a never ending investment, I must admit I end up being lazy some times, and don't look into details thinking that it can be touched up later.
MM: Do you prefer the artistic or the commercial aspect of fashion photography, and how do you try to achieve their unity?
Tarun: I personally prefer the artistic aspect of fashion photography. It is difficult to achieve that commercially as the scope is very limited when it comes to uniting the two.
MM: Do you consider your photography as art or simply another job that puts food on the table?
Tarun: Practically speaking, you can't have one without the other. My job is something that lets me experiment with my art along with giving me the means to sustain a healthy lifestyle.
MM: Are there any negative aspects of the job?
Tarun: (Quite adamantly) NONE!
MM: What else do you chronicle apart from fashion?
Tarun: Nothing actually, I'm fascinated by the world of fashion and all that it has to offer, I feel my appetite for photography and fashion will never end.
MM: What type of fashion assignments do you enjoy the most and why?
Tarun: I enjoy editorials for magazines the most, since I get the freedom to experiment with what I want to do and take more risks.
MM: What do you love most about what you do today?
Tarun: I get to do what I want to do, when I want to do it and with whom. Its great, you're in control of everything that happens.
MM: When you are not on assignment, what can one find you doing?
Tarun: I love and miss my family a lot when I'm away on assignments, so I try to spend as much time as possible with them when I'm not working.
MM: What is your most memorable shoot till date?
Tarun: I recently did a shoot for Elle magazine in Ladakh. Everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong, from bad weather to crew falling sick, even our equipment got stuck at the airport and the sun refused to come up. But we still managed to pull off an amazing shoot!
MM: What advice would you have for people interested in pursuing fashion photography?
Tarun: I would clearly say, please do not pursue fashion photography but photography itself. Learn more about art, study shapes and forms, see and read life and try to capture it through your camera. It's a study of everything all together, put together in a single frame.
