In the run-up to World Photo Day this Friday, Shraddha Uchil gets two young photographers to share their visual versions of Mumbai
photographs
Door to the city
IN a city where thousands of photographs are uploaded on social media platforms every day, very few actually stand out. Photographer and social media consultant Kuber Shah, 36, gives us a glimpse into the city through its buildings. He felt the need to show the world Mumbai's varied and eclectic architecture through his photographs when he moved to Mumbai after having lived in Berlin for 12 years.
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Kapadia House, an Art Deco structure near Metro Cinema, Marine Lines
His project, titled Doors of Mumbai, was conceived two years ago, and today features everything from the iconic Art Deco structures around Oval Maidan to the rustic Portuguese-style homes of Bandra. His collection currently stands at around
a hundred images, and he hopes to eventually compile it in the form of a book.
The Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue in Kala Ghoda
Shah aims to capture these old-world beauties devoid of the clutter that modernisation has brought with it. The result is a collection of clean, vibrant photographs of not just doors, but also windows, balconies and facades of the elegant structures peppering the city.
A building opposite Badhwar Park on Wodehouse Road in Colaba
"I pick a location and set out every Sunday to take pictures, although activity is at an all-time low thanks to the monsoon," says the Juhu resident. There are challenges when it comes to shooting in an urbanised and crowded space like Mumbai, he says. "It's tough to find the right angle to shoot a structure, especially with cables and hoardings invariably creeping into the frame."
On his many excursions, he's managed to look past the obvious and find some gems. "The area around Grant Road Bridge is home to some beautiful yet very underrated structures," he mentions.
FOR MORE PHOTOS:
Follow him on Instagram (@doorsofmumbai) or log on to www.kubershah.com
shraddha.uchil@mid-day.com
On track
Mumbai's local train network is its lifeline, yet not too many people take the time to document this fascinating city icon, laments Anushree Fadnavis, 28, a photojournalist with news photo agency Indus Images. And that's why, three years ago, she took it upon herself to capture life in the ladies' compartments of city locals.
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A woman reading a novel in a crowded ladies' compartment
"I've been travelling by these trains ever since I was a child, and I found it amazing to watch how women who start out as complete strangers end up talking and eventually becoming good friends," Fadnavis says.
Her atmospheric frames give us a glimpse into the routines of women who travel long distances on these trains, those women for whom the train provides the same comfort zone as their own homes. In her photographs, you will find them in all stages of action — snoozing, laughing, celebrating festivals together, applying make-up, and even chopping vegetables in a crowded compartment.
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It's not unusual to find women putting on or retouching their make-up on the train every morning on their way to work
What's even more fascinating, however, is the way she captures the transgender population that makes the daily commute. Although they're usually unwilling to talk, Fadnavis gets them to not just pose for her camera, but also open up to her and share their stories.
Apprehensive at first, these transgenders gradually warmed up to Fadnavis' camera
"Not everyone likes having their pictures taken. I've had some people get really nasty, because of which I had to delete their images," she says, talking about the challenges she faces.
At the end of the day, she believes, it's all worth the trouble. "My idea was to create a visual memoir of my experiences on the train, and every picture is a part of that diary."
FOR MORE PHOTOS: Follow her on Instagram (@anushree_fadnavis)
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