My romance with photography

..As for photography, I don’t know the first thing about it.

As I set about launching my first book on photographs of dance and the exhibition; this quote by Henri Cartier Bresson sums up exactly how I feel- knowing little of photography but possessing a fortitude to achieve.
What write is to qualify that I am neither a trained photographer nor an expert in the technology of the art of photography. I look at photographs, however, with an eye trained in the aesthetics of the arts both visual and, the performing arts. I have been the in house photographer for the Kendra for three decades and the varied texture of its performances has enabled me to develop an astute acumen to arrest the fleeting moment.

In 1992 I was enrolled in Mr Alkazi’s Living Theatre in the Direction Course-of which I was the official photographer.

However, the real watershed moment came in 1996 when Mr Alkazi visited me in my office and asked for the contact sheets of all the plays. Few days later, he came with invitations of an exhibition of my photographs at the Shridharani Art gallery. At the inauguration, there were friends, family, artists and photographers. I came home at night and was blessed to read what Mr Alkazi had written about my photos. This exhibition was a truly memorable event in my photographic journey and I shall eternally be grateful to Mr Alkazi for providing me this platform where I could display my images to a wide range of eminent persons who mattered. From then on photography became my passion. My camera became my memory bank; and my energies driven by intuition and spontaneity.
In my photographs, I have attempted to specialize, taking in pictures that help one recover the magic of that special, solitary live moment when the viewer and the artist were one. My interest is in both the public and the private world of the dancer. I have attempted to record the life and art of those whose work I value. As such I follow a traditional documentary philosophy that emphasizes intensive observation and a non-intrusive approach.

For me the performing arts are in themselves such an engrossing activity, demanding concentration of such a high degree that I find it a great challenge to focus on and usually find that blissful moment when the dancer. the dance and the viewer become one.

By virtue of having spent a lifetime with performing artistes of all kinds, from famous classical dancers and musicians to simple folk actors and groups, these choices and compromises have come naturally to me. Whatever I photograph, then, is instantly both a record and a revelation, a work of art in itself and a piece of documentary evidence of something that occurred, created Rasa and the, like any other particle or neuron, vanished into the void of creative consciousness- thereby discovering in myself- my creative metier in the art of photography.

My photography is my natural ability-united with an unflinching determination to pursue my creativity. My dictum; through the decades; is to be myself; and never deviate from my chosen path. It is perhaps this passionate conviction that nature intended me to be the way I am. Getting ahead in this activity has not been easy and demanded avid faith in my pursuit. Perhaps I belong to those people with ‘some’ talent, but with great inner drive.

For me, photography has always been an art. It is my self-imposed pattern of experience, and my aesthetic gratification is recognition of my enjoyment. I believe I don’t just take photos. I endeavor to infuse my photos with my experience of a stoic background of music dance theatre and books.
Dance and photography have a great deal in common-for they are continually vanishing and when they have disappeared there is no way to get them back. When I photograph, I become conscious of that “miniscule second’ in which the image may disappear. I thereby over the years developed a sixth sense and a third eye that comes in handy when my finger is precariously on the shutter, and where I can capture that blissful moment where you see music and hear dance.

I believe that the simplicity in my photos arise because they remain cleansed and free from any pretensions –thereby stripping them down to their bare beauty. The ease of the editing process has therefore become simpler and stronger over the years. Almost all my photos are taken on film which I believe is the soul of photography. I never believed in using a flash for my photographs.

I have photographed for the past three decades. Looking back at the vast bank of photos, I can visualize the development of my photos- to them having a greater aesthetic quality. In the making of this book, the photos selected have been on photographic merit. If there were omissions, it would be purely that I was not photographing at that time.

My sincere thanks to my friend Rupika Chawla. She despite her illness spent time with me and assisted in the selection of photos. I recently, at a party came across Dilip Mehta who was introduced to me as a photographer. He has for the last few years been my vocal critic-but only to ensure that I did not waiver from my path.

Before I conclude I must give my thanks to two men in my family-my parents especially my father.. My father never hesitated in appreciating my work and encouraging me in my photographic pursuits. Last but most importantly, my husband Deepak Singh. He never hesitated in spoiling me with the best of lenses and advice and was always a rock whose shoulder I could lean on.

Gracious Acknowlements
Dr Alka Pande (Curator), Gopika Chowfla
(Designer)
For their essays
E Alkazi, Kapila Vatsayan, David Kennerly Dilip Mehta, Aman Nath
Promod Kapoor -Roli Books-(publishing)

About Shobha

Shobha Deepak Singh was born in October 1943; had her schooling at Modern School and graduated from Delhi University in 1963 (Eco Hons).

She joined DCM as a Management Trainee in 1964 and was involved in marketing and advertising of the company’s leading product lines .She was married in 1967.

She joined Bhartiya Kala Kendra in 1968 and was the first Manager of Kamani Auditorium. Shobha went on to specialise in designing of costumes and ornaments- a field in which she become a trailblazer. Later on, she took over the task of script writing and directing of the Kendra’s ballets. During the past four decades she has for over thirty ballets/dance dramas of the Kendra.

During this period, in 1977, she also completed her degree in “Bachelor of Performing Arts”. She received her diploma in theatre direction in 1996.

In 1992, she joined the Direction Course of Living Theatre under the tutelage of Mar. E. Alkazi During this tenure, she was responsible for the music of several plays. She was Assistant Director to Mr Alkazi, for four of his eight lays.

Shobha has a natural flair for photography and has actually been shooting for four decades.

She has had several solo photography shows.
Her Photographs have been used extensively in leading newspapers and magazines.
Many a time , her images have been used to make a book.
Analogue photography is her forte.
She is self taught, never used a flash and has a bank of 300000 negatives.
Her mentor is E Alkazi and she believes that she would like to capture movement in dance and emotion in theatre.

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