Landscape photography is a challenging genre that requires the confluence of technical skill, creative vision, careful planning, physical effort, and sometimes, a bit of luck. If you would like to improve your landscape photos, check out this fantastic video tutorial that offers five useful tips sure to put you on the track to better images. 

Coming to you from Park Cameras, this awesome video tutorial shares five helpful tips for improving landscape photography. One that I think is particularly important is not getting stuck on pre-visualized shots. We hear a lot about the importance of preplanning shots, particularly when you are at the mercy of the elements. And with all the work you do beforehand, you can end up becoming very committed to getting that specific shot. That being said, you are never guaranteed the conditions that were predicted, and as such, it is worth being willing to be flexible if it is called for. You never know when you might stumble upon a worthwhile photo you weren’t expecting. Check out the video above for the full rundown. 

And if you really want to dive into landscape photography, check out our latest tutorial, “Photographing the World: Japan With Elia Locardi!”

Josh Madson turned to look at the next person in line inside the packed cafe in Mankato, taking a moment to size up the next subject he’d photograph.

“Did you get in line for this?!” he asked Michelle Vikre. “Oh, perfect! I’ve been waiting for you!”

Vikre had never met Madson before. Yet she felt that was perfect for the kind of project Madson is spearheading — a portrait collage of hundreds of Mankato residents, many of them strangers coming together to showcase the city.

“It’s a real eclectic community,” she said. “There’s something always going on, and if you’re bored, it’s your own fault.”

Dubbed the Mankato Community Collage, Madson envisions a touring display that reflects the city he’s come to call home — sort of a “Where’s Waldo?” of Mankato where everyone is Waldo.

With more than 800 residents photographed over a few weeks earlier this year, the floor-to-ceiling collage exhibition opens Sept. 1 at the Coffee Hag.

“We’re hoping this will draw people from all over to come and see,” Madson said.

Madson is a commercial photographer who spent almost two decades in Los Angeles working with brands such as L’Oreal, Nike, Target and Goop. He moved to Mankato in September 2021 to be closer to family.

He wasn’t too sure about the move at first — Mankato seemed out of the way compared to his previous home in White Bear Lake, and Madson spent a few years previous bouncing from Los Angeles to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and Washington, D.C.

Yet he fell in love with a community that, in his words, embraces creativity and connection.

“Even when I was in L.A., I could work remotely on most stuff and then just fly in when I needed to for jobs,” Madson said. “I kind of have a similar approach here. I don’t have any plan for leaving.”

Madson got the idea to showcase the community in the spring after talking with a local coffee shop owner. He reached out to community nonprofits, interfaith groups and artistic circles to get as many people from different backgrounds as possible to come together.

“I think commercially, doing a random portrait show doesn’t sound that exciting,” he said. “But it does sound really fun to have a big event, integrate and make some friends.”

The community supports Madson’s vision. He took more than 400 portraits over a weekend inside the Coffee Hag in early June, while appointments for another shoot on June 25 inside the No. 4 restaurant filled up within a half-hour after residents saw Madson’s work on social media.

Open to the idea

The project follows similar artistic attempts to highlight the area. Mankato holds a yearly walking sculpture tour that ends with governments and businesses purchasing the most intriguing pieces to display elsewhere — which is how North Mankato ended up with a Godzilla statue near the city’s main entrance on Hwy. 169.

A few years ago, local organizations sponsored a massive art project on silos at Ardent Mills, also just off Hwy. 169. The work depicts children from photographs taken at the annual Mahkato Wacipi, or Mankato Pow Wow. The event honors the 38 Dakota people hanged there in 1862 after a short but brutal uprising against the U.S. government.

At the time, the project inspired conversations — positive and negative — throughout the area as Australian artist Guido van Helten spent months working on the sides of the silos.

Organizers supporting Madson’s work say his collage could be just as influential, especially if he continues with plans to regularly update the portraits.

“This will be the largest archive of what the people in our community are like at this point in time,” said Ryan Vesey, an economic development specialist at Greater Mankato Growth, the city’s de facto chamber of commerce.

Residents flocked to the Coffee Hag, normally a low-key brick space covered in paintings and other art, during Madson’s first day of shooting on June 10. The space transformed into a clublike atmosphere with black curtains blocking much of the view, and a team of people ushering residents through a line as DJs pumped out Madonna and bubble pop music. Subjects could pick out a picture or three for their own use.

Sarah Robertson usually hangs out at the Coffee Hag with her pet shih tzu, and said she couldn’t resist getting her picture taken after seeing the setup.

“I just thought, ‘Wow, that Josh must be skilled,'” she said.

Megan Torner, an incoming senior at Bethany Lutheran College, said she was excited to have a professional headshot taken. Ginger Neilon, a local jeweler, was amazed by how Madson made her earrings practically glow like neon lights in one of her pictures.

“Josh’s personality just convinces you,” she said. “To just have him hit my jewelry like that was just perfect.”

Madson’s work will stay at the Coffee Hag throughout September. He hopes the exhibition will be displayed around town as a reminder of how diverse Mankato has become.

“It’s a scene people want to be a part of,” Madson said. “I just hope this will bridge a gap and make a lot more understanding between all sorts of people here.”

If you go

What: Mankato Community Collage exhibition opening.
When: 6-9 p.m. Sept. 1. (The exhibit will be at the Coffee Hag throughout September.)
Where: Coffee Hag, 329 N. Riverfront Drive, Mankato.

The question of “What is art?” has occupied the minds of scholars for centuries. Definitions range from the very general (any creative work of a human being) to the very specific. There was a time when photography itself would not have been considered “art.” When it first emerged, many traditional artists decried photography as a mechanical process lacking creativity or skill. Even after it was welcomed into the fold, pioneers of the medium such as Ansel Adams and Walker Evans were themselves dismissive of the discipline in certain forms. The latter, for instance, described color photography as “vulgar.” Today, the definition of photography as art, or fine art photography, is much broader. 

What is Fine Art Photography?

At Wonderful Machine, we define it as “pictures that express an aesthetic or intellectual (rather than commercial or editorial) message.” 

Similarly, the fine art photography collector David Hall sees it as “pictures made without commercial purposes. Photographs that reflect the artist’s view on a subject and are created in a style that represents an intention or concept.”

Fine art photography, if nothing else, is an expression of the self, which is inherent in all fine art mediums.

Rebecca Morse, Curator at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA) Wallis Annenberg Photography Department, used the concept of self-expression to draw a distinction between commercial and fine art photography. 

Commercial photography and film are not driven by self-expression; they are paid enterprises used to advertise, sell, or market commodities or change people’s opinions based on the needs or wants of the funding source. The work is propagandist in nature and pushes the viewer to feel or act in a prescribed way. Conversely, art is a form of self-expression, and artists have varying opinions about the role of the viewer. 

However, the worlds of fine art and commercial or editorial photography are not mutually exclusive. Over the past few decades, one has leaned on the other and vice versa, revealing a role for fine art on billboards, magazines, and beyond. This avenue isn’t solely reserved for the likes of prints and fine art photography gallery spaces. Brands, advertising agencies, and publications equally covet abstract representations of subjects to sell their products, services, and stories. This intersection is the focal point of this article. 

Fine Art Photography in Practice

In practice, it’s usually a photographer’s personal work. Atlanta-based fine art photographer Patrick Heagney expanded on his understanding of the genre. 

It needs to be something compelling, something that draws you in and makes you want to linger on the piece. More of a vibe than a set list of qualities. It’s important for it to be something very distinctive from my commercial work. So I try to incorporate a sense of experimentation and alternative processes.

Patrick views his personal fine art projects as an antidote to the tight briefs and deadlines of his commercial work.

I love the freedom to create work for the pure visual joy of it. Commercial work is not always fulfilling on a personal level. With my fine art photography, I’m free to do whatever I want. I can experiment, fail, experiment some more, and if something good comes from that, great. It’s wholly my own, which is really fulfilling.

In Commercial and Editorial Contexts

The eminent and world-famous photographer Howard Schatz has established himself in both the worlds of fine art and commercial photography, shooting campaigns for major brands from Clarol to Sony. He sees the two as so far removed from each other. 

Fine art photography is made with the heart, spirit, imagination, and creativity of the photographer. The artist has to dig deep and explore what moves them. Commercial photography is done by a committee of business people and an art director, who discuss and figure out what would work for their company. The photographer is a contractor, who creates these images, and for this, they need technical skills, as well as being able to direct the models and so on. They are two different worlds.

But there is real potential for an approach in commercial and editorial sectors, beyond fine art photography websites and art galleries. In a world that’s saturated with standard images, an unusual take or new approach to a subject can often capture people’s attention where predictable images fail.

Some of the most successful photographers of our time have heavily borrowed from fine art. For example, Annie Leibovitz’s approach has been described to be at the intersection between fine art and commercial photography. This is why cutting-edge magazines and brands will commission professional fine art photographers – to stand out.

This intersection has been an object of fascination worth studying, which is what LACMA did with its exhibition, Objects of Desire: Photography and the Language of Advertising, curated by Rebecca. She wished to explore the increasingly blurred lines between fine art and advertising. In the latter half of the 20th century, artists appropriated the aesthetic of commercial photography as a form of critique. But over time, the usage and relationship became less defined. 

One of the things that originally interested me in this topic was the way that contemporary artists absorbed commercial tendencies for their own work… As platforms shifted with the advent of online art viewing, digital publications, and the arrival of social media, commercial and art images butted up against one another in new ways. In this arena, it became increasingly more difficult to differentiate the two.

Austin-based Cathlin McCullough has had great success blending her fine art with commercial photography. 

I have been able to mix some of my fine art work into my portfolio, and when I was starting out, I did some photo shoots to beef up my portfolio. My work is seen as “too artsy” for some brands, and I’m ok with that. I want to work with brands and creatives who appreciate the art of photography and a vision that stands out from the pack. I look for brands that have a good fit for my style, and creatives who get me. The brands, agencies, and creatives I’m pursuing appreciate personal work and fine art projects.

Inspiration for Fine Art Photography

Artists take their inspiration from the world around them, plugged into the artistic community where they critique and inspire each other. For others, like Ukrainian landscape photographer Yevhen Samuchenko, it’s all about the interaction between a space, his creativity, and the medium of photography.

It is the ability of the photographer to resonate vividly and completely with the space when creating a photograph that fills the picture with the energy the viewer feels.

In Yevhen’s experience, it’s important to keep track of those light bulb moments as they happen, unless they get lost into the ether forever. 

Think about the idea and concept of your future work. When an idea suddenly strikes you, immediately record it in a note on paper, on a smartphone, or in a voice recorder. But you don’t need to think through everything to the smallest detail – leave room for spontaneity.

Self-doubt and the desire to improve are integral to the creative process. Peers and formal study can help, but at the root of it is the artist being critical about their work, which is a familiar process to Patrick. 

I constantly question whether my work is good enough, interesting enough, or unique enough to stand out in a world saturated with images. But you must have this interesting balance between confidence and insecurity. Confidence is necessary to promote your work to galleries and potential collectors. But the insecurity, that feeling that you can always improve, is what drives your work forward and keeps it from getting stagnant.

Many photographers who pursue fine art photography on the side are happy to have the images live under a ‘fine art’ section on their website. Those who are more serious about this genre (or are trying to make a living from it) often spend considerable time and energy putting their work out there. Cathlin said, 

It’s important to follow the sparks where they lead you, even if it’s work that’s just for you. A lot of my fine art work is made on medium format film, and commercial clients usually prefer digital so they can tether during shoots for the extremely tight turnaround times. For me, this means constantly working with both mediums, making sure I’m always practicing and elevating my style in both.

Outlets for Fine Art Photographers

The platforms for showcasing and monetizing fine art photography are incredibly diverse. They span from social media platforms like Instagram to specialized print-selling websites such as 500px, then extending to upscale art galleries and commissioned projects. The spectrum is broad, but the objective remains consistent: making a photographer’s work stand out. In this genre, more than any other, visibility is key.

Prints, Fine Art Photography Websites, and Auction Houses

Selling fine art photo prints might be the most recognized path for monetizing fine art work. Once again, on one end, there are photographers who leverage platforms like 500px to sell their prints to a global audience. These platforms democratize the art world, allowing photographers to reach enthusiasts and collectors worldwide. 

On the other end, there are internationally renowned photographers whose works are coveted by collectors and sold through prestigious auction houses. A prime example is Man Ray’s “Le Violon d’Ingres,” which recently fetched $12.4 million. This underscores the appeal and value of fine art photography to different markets, from the accessible to the exclusive. 

When a collector decides to purchase an image, their decision is typically influenced by two factors: their personal preferences and their belief in the image’s potential as an investment. David added,

I have different themes that I collect — my main interest is in portraiture. I prefer classic black and white photographs, many from the twentieth century, by artists that have attained a level of success in their careers. Although I collect images primarily based on aesthetic quality, I also consider the potential worth of the photograph in years to come.

David charted a course for photographers to make their fine art portfolio more visible over time. 

Ultimately, the best way to sell fine art prints is to have your work in the world, as seen in juried exhibitions and solo shows. Eventually, having gallery representation will elevate an artist in the fine art market and, in turn, attract collectors.

Fine Art Galleries and Agents

Most professional fine art photographers strive to be represented by a gallery or agent. Patrick, for example, is represented by Kai Lin Art in Atlanta, Georgia, and recently started a relationship with SOZO Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina. Agents and galleries will have different criteria when evaluating photographers for their rosters. Yu-Kai Lin, owner of Kai Lin Art, described the core aesthetic featured in his gallery. 

We tend to gravitate toward photography with mixed media and mainly 2D work, as well as photogravures and other printmaking work. We look for work that is not purely commercial but work that’s compelling, has a message, and is fine art for our gallery. 

In addition, Kai Lin Art also helps its roster of creatives with art placements for commercial clients. 

We work with curators, art consultants, design firms, architecture firms, and interior designers to select and curate art collections. Each client we work with has a unique perspective of what they’d like to curate into their spaces, so it’s a niche selection process based on their specific needs.

The right representation can help photographers bridge the gap between their artistic vision and a specific client’s needs. Fine art photography doesn’t have to live on the walls of an art gallery, but can work its way into private residences, boardrooms, and C-suites through an agent or gallery that understands your creative identity.

Photo Contests and Grants

Participating in photo contests allows photographers to compete against peers and showcase a unique vision and style with their fine art. It’s an opportunity to push creative boundaries, experiment with different techniques, and gain exposure to a broader audience. Many contests offer substantial prizes, whether it be cash rewards, equipment, or publication opportunities, which can further support a photographer’s career and artistic development. Contest wins can put photographers on brands’ and agencies’ radars, leading to paid assignments that might previously have been out of reach. As an example, London-based Pete Muller’s AOP Awards honors led him to work with William Hill, a UK sports betting company. 

Conversely, grants provide financial support and resources to pursue projects or creative goals. They often have specific criteria and requirements, such as a project proposal or a portfolio review. In addition to funding, grants lend credibility to a photographer’s work and increase their chances of securing future opportunities in the commercial and editorial space. 

Stock Libraries

Brands and magazines often turn to stock libraries to show both concrete and abstract concepts. For this, fine art photography can be particularly suitable, as it tends to be more open to interpretation. While Rhode Island-based photographer Cate Brown sells fine art prints through her personal website, she also lists some photos on Cavan Images. It’s another avenue to improve her visibility and generate an additional income stream. 

Moreover, the ambiguous nature of fine art photos can engage different audiences looking to utilize the same images in varied contexts. For example, a picture of the fog hanging over the mountains could quite easily end up on a book cover, blog post, or poster. Through image tags, a photographer can invite a range of potential buyers to consider the same image.

Editorial Projects

If a photographer has established themselves as a fine artist, they can get commissions from magazines to illustrate more conceptual articles. In particular, cutting-edge and higher-budget publications often commission the best fine art photographers to find more unusual and different takes on a subject.

It’s not a one-way street, either. Chicago-based Lyndon French pitched an idea to Victory Journal, a publication devoted to the intersection of sport and culture. Lyndon wanted to photograph Daniel Schetter, more commonly known as Surfer Dan, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Even in the depths of winter, Surfer Dan can be seen riding the waves of Lake Michigan despite the harsh temperatures. Victory was interested, so Lyndon headed over to his subject and got started. 

I wanted to document and show how crazy it is to surf during the winter months on the Great Lakes. It’s cold, really cold, usually during a storm, and it takes a lot of commitment and dedication to jump in that water, let alone surf. If you have a beard, it’s got icicles on it. Wetsuits are as thick as they come, and the wind will just get you. In the end, I wanted a breath of what it’s like to do this, getting ready, prepping boards, studying weather patterns, and then, some surfing.

Working with Brands

Increasingly, brands have also been looking for new ways to produce eye-catching content. They look for photographers who can deliver edgy images to cut through the clutter and reach their target audience.

Howard made a name for himself with beautiful and artistic underwater photography published in books and exhibited in museums, demonstrating extraordinary skill. Brands came knocking on his door for this expertise. 

Commercial clients approached me because they knew I could manipulate the underwater world. Sometimes they come to me for my creativity, but more often than not, they come to me because I made beautiful underwater pictures. Any photographer who wants to work needs to get their work out there. But I’m at a point in my life where I’m very careful about what work I accept. I ask myself if it takes me away from the pictures I want to take or not. The work for Sensai (a perfume brand) interested me greatly, as it was a variation of the work I was already doing, and I really enjoyed it.

Social Media

Instagram has transformed photography for many, serving as an exhibition space and a venue to sell work and get commissions. Full-time photographer-influencers are posting their art and selling prints from the platform.

Some have gone further, garnering the attention of brands and publications with their signature aesthetic. One example in recent years is Minh. T, a modern surrealist and architectural photographer with a continuous visual narrative on his feed. Whether his photos showcase a building or landscape, a mysterious figure, suited up with a bowler hat on top, can be seen in the frame, traveling and observing the surrounding just as the viewer does. 

Most recently, his aesthetic and narrative inclinations landed a partnership with Monos, featuring their luggage and travel pieces. 

The Vision and the Challenge

Although the idea of pursuing a creative vision is attractive, the reality can be challenging – from loneliness to self-doubt and uncertainty. However, there are great rewards for photographers to develop their creativity, style, and vision. Some edgier work can allow them to stand out and even get high-profile commissions. Yevhen said that photographers need patience, calm, and persistence for this.

Persistence helps you continue to create when everything around is not going according to your plan.

However, it’s extremely rewarding for those who do make it work in the fine art photography specialty, and Patrick recommended diving straight in. 

Just do it! Having a creative outlet is the best. Showing your work and getting critiques and validation from an outside audience is great. It will help you grow as an artist.

About the Author

Sonia Klug is an inquisitive writer specializing in writing about digital technology and is fluent in three languages. Other than working as a writer at Wonderful Machine, she also contributes to The Independent and various print magazines. You can learn more about Sonia on her website and connect with her via LinkedIn. This article was originally published here and shared with permission.

In 2015, when I quit my job as the editor of a fashion magazine to study photography in Paris, I was a senior student. Very senior. Imagine my surprise then when my international classmates — aged mostly between 18 and 28 — were all shooting film, something I’d given up in 2006.

Like most photographers pre-digital era, however, I had shot slide, colour negative, and black and white film. I had push processed, cross processed, and even taken a course in film processing and printing. I thought I was stone age, except, as it turned out, that’s where the world now wanted to be.

Film processing at the Chennai Photo Biennale

As I was swept up in its wake — unearthing an old medium format twin lens reflex Yashica gifted by an uncle, its leather cover falling apart, and purchasing boxes of 120 Kodak Portra — I could see film photography take off.

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There were many signs. First, the 25.5 million posts on Instagram under the hashtag #filmisnotdead. Then, the reissue of out-of-production film and film cameras such as Kodak Ektachrome and the Leica M6, respectively. There were also the soaring sales of Fuji Instax for instant photography and the 2017 return of Polaroid as Polaroid Originals, after its 2001 bankruptcy. And then, in 2022, Ricoh Pentax announced it was developing a new 35mm film camera.

Join the community

India has seen a boom, too. In the past three years, several WhatsApp and Facebook groups for enthusiasts and professionals have sprung up — to share resources, exchange ideas, and troubleshoot problems. Film photography workshops have become the order of the day as have film processing studios, such as Zhenwei in Mumbai (founded in 2020, it processes around 300 rolls of film every month).

Community dark rooms have also mushroomed across the country, from Siliguri to Goa, Delhi, Gurugram, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Puducherry. Many of these spaces, such as the Chennai Photo Biennale (CPB) and Zhenwei, sell their own respooled film (bought in bulk, cut, and spooled onto new canisters for very economical rates, given that film prices have increased dramatically year-on-year).

Artist and photographer Sasikanth Somu, 56, runs a community darkroom at the Centre d’Art in Auroville. Started during the pandemic, at the tail end of 2020, he holds workshops as well. One of the reasons film is back, he feels, lies in it being the antithesis of today’s instant culture — where you can shoot, upload and receive appreciation in less than a minute. “My students get hooked to that process of not seeing the image straight away, of waiting to process their film rolls, print photographs, and only then see the positive images.”

Sasikanth Somu
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Menty Jamir, a photo-artist and creative director based between Delhi and Shillong, started shooting film three years ago when friend and Magnum photographer Sohrab Hura gave her his medium format camera with 20 black-and-white rolls, as she was heading home to Shillong during the pandemic. In 2021, out of curiosity, she signed up for the Photo.South.Asia darkroom workshops, initiated and mentored by Delhi-based photographer Srinivas Kuruganti — to learn more about the analogue approach, print-making, and gain the confidence to shoot film. “The change in form itself can enhance one’s way of seeing and open a fresh perspective,” she says.

In short, like any self-respecting hero, film photography has risen victorious from the dead. Except that there’s a twist to the tale. It turns out the hero is not film photography as much as analogue photography. What’s the difference? The latter encompasses all the processes that were used to capture and create images from the 19th century onwards, well before the invention of the 35mm camera. Some of them, such as cyanotypes (a contact printing process that produces cyan blue prints), don’t even use a camera.

Alternative processes, or historic processes, as they are called, are having their moment in the sun. Popular filters on social media say something about the likeability of the medium. And as if to prove the point, the ongoing fourth anniversary celebrations of Museo Camera in Gurugram include exhibitions of historic cyanotype, gum bichromate, and albumen prints.

Alternative processes at Maze Collective Studio
| Photo Credit:
Maze Collective Studio

For the love of the dark

For Varun Gupta, 41, analogue artist, director and co-founder of Chennai Photo Biennale — which has just moved into new premises that offers a community darkroom as well as workshops and kits for alternative processes — it is the element of chance that accounts for the appeal of alternative process. “With digital, everything has become so controlled that one finds it almost impossible to truly surrender. [With alternative process] you’re not really sure what you’re going to get; you modify and troubleshoot. It’s also very tactile.”

Varun Gupta of Chennai Photo Biennale
| Photo Credit:
Manoj Bishwas

The pandemic was a tipping point for alternative processes, he says. Gupta saw a global spike in interest in 2020. That was also the year CPB started doing cyanotype workshops. At the end of the first wave, the sessions, which took place in parks, attracted participants to the tune of a few hundred at a time; Gupta attributes it to digital revulsion. “We wake up in the morning and stare at a phone, before you sleep you stare at it. It’s this circle of consumption on screens that has made us collectively yearn for something analogue.”

In the past three years, they have taught the process to more than 2,000 people. CPB now sells two types of cyanotype kits (starting from ₹1,200) and has an e-learning course, too. Gupta also teaches salt printing and Van Dyke brown and is looking forward to learning the gum processes.

In the Chennai Photo Biennale dark room
| Photo Credit:
CPB

Chennai Photo Biennale workshops
| Photo Credit:
CPB

Another practitioner is Sarang Sena, 37. In early 2018, the Delhi-based visual artist decided to use the wet plate collodion (a 19th century process) for a personal project. He spent the good part of a year fine-tuning the chemistry for Indian weather. Then came the pandemic and a broken enlarger, which gave him one last step to complete: create his own enlarger. Once he had done that, he realised he could make his own large format view camera — big wooden boxes with bellows on a stand that most of us had last seen in movies from the 1940s and 50s.

Sarang Sena in his dark room
| Photo Credit:
Pranoy Sarkar

Homemade 8×10 large format camera
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

The culmination was a series titled Six Feet Apart, where he created portraits of people who visited his house. “With a view camera, there’s a lot more interaction with the subject or the space, and a big thought process before you even set up the camera,” he says. Another of his portrait series, Contributors — celebrating a diverse set of individuals for their contribution to a COVID-hit society — made around the same time appeared in Vogue Italia. A key factor that drew Sena to this process was that each image was one-off, “there’s no way to repeat that particular image”.

He has since set up a studio space called Class of Yesterday: CYStudios in Delhi, where anybody can book their own unique portrait. Footballer Sunil Chhetri is a client, as are actors Dipannita Sharma and Nasir Abdullah.

Blooming (a wet plate collodion work)
| Photo Credit:
Sarang Sena

Making the alternative accessible

There are a few photographers whose work I’ve been obsessed with for a long time: Sarah Moon, Paolo Roversi, Jack Davison, all of whom shoot fashion, though they are not just fashion photographers. Their images are the result of a combination of shooting and printing, the latter as important as the former. Moon uses direct carbon printing for her super saturated hues and is happy to degrade her negative; Roversi, who has possibly the largest stock of the now discontinued 8×10 Polaroid film, does platinum palladium prints; and Davison recently did a series of photogravure from his digital work.

As somebody who was wondering how to even attempt any of these methods, learning that they are, for the most part, accessible in India, feels liberating. Three touchstones have emerged to learn alternative processes in the country: Maze Collective Studio in Delhi, Studio Goppo in Santiniketan, and Studio Kanike in Bengaluru.

At Maze Collective Studio

Maze Collective Studio

Maze Collective, co-founded by Ashish Sahoo, 34, and Zahra Yazdani in 2020, offers one-month alternative process residencies and shorter film photography workshops. Sahoo has also created one of India’s cheapest large format view cameras, essential to some alternative processes, with his collaborator Himanshu Bablani, who runs a makerspace called Banana House in Delhi. “You can get some really cheap cameras abroad, but by the time they come to India with customs duties and all, they become expensive. Plus, if any problem arises with the camera, we can troubleshoot and send you the parts,” he says, explaining that most parts are 3D printed and the rest are laser cut with stainless steel.

Ashish Sahoo
| Photo Credit:
Sarang Sena

Santiniketan-based Arpan Mukherjee, 46, has been practising alternative processes the longest. He started in 2000-2001, not as a photographer but as an artist working with photosensitive materials in the form of silkscreen. “With alternate process, you can click an image, print it on your own, on leaves, on paper, on any surface,” he says. “And you have to print it with your hands. So the quality of the photography doesn’t depend on the camera, or the printer, but on your skill and craftsmanship.”

In 2015, the artist and associate professor in Santiniketan’s Department of Graphic Art, co-founded Studio Goppo with his partner Shreya to grow the alternative processes community. They offer two-week to two-month residencies to teach not only commonly known processes but also rarer ones such as calotype (where paper coated with silver chloride is exposed to light in a camera obscura) and colour gum bichromate (a process using salt of dichromate that produces painterly images).

Arpan Mukherjee
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

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Trying hybrid methods

Interestingly, alternative processes aren’t about shunning modern technology. All the practitioners work with contemporary technology when required, and in fact, use hybrid methods to create something new. “You can click an image on your digital camera, create and print a digital negative,” Mukherjee explains.

Part of a series of photographs titled ‘Gola Vora Dhan’
| Photo Credit:
Arpan Mukherjee

With such processes also come more layered ways of storytelling. Vivek Muthuramalingam, photographer, artist, and founder of Studio Kanike in Bengaluru, talks about elevating his documentary photography practice. For a series that he did on Goa’s poders (bakers) a few years ago, he used seawater from nearby beaches to create salt prints — and as he described in a personal essay in the Dark ‘N’ Light zine, the “organic substances that came along with the sea water, like plankton and algae, imparted its own tonality and hue to the print”.

Vivek Muthuramalingam
| Photo Credit:
Snigdha Rana

Muthuramalingam explains the versatility of the process to me with another example: “For instance, if I were doing a work that follows the Silk Route, and I go to Cambay to find nothing there [in the Travels of Ibn Battuta, the scholar-traveller wrote an entire chapter on the city that was once an important trading centre in Gujarat], I could pick up salt and create the whole series.” The choices are endless: maybe cyanotype for a theme of loss steeped in blue or Van Dyke brown for sepia-tinted memories?

Salted paper print
| Photo Credit:
Vivek Muthuramalingam

A cyanotype postcard
| Photo Credit:
Vivek Muthuramalingam

A Van Dyke brown print
| Photo Credit:
Vivek Muthuramalingam

These processes are not just curiosities anymore; they have started to be woven into mainstream photography and art, textile design, and even magazines and online. And the trend isn’t showing any sign of slowing down.

The writer is a fashion consultant and commentator based in New Delhi.