Know Jatin Kampani and you know that no other can capture surreal to its best. His repertoire includes working for high-end retail hotshots, international magazines and the dignitaries from the feld of acting, sports, corporate etc.
1) MANY-A-TIMES WE SEE ARTISTS AND CREATIVE PEOPLE TONING DOWN THEIR WORK DUE TO SOCIETAL CONCERNS. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANTED TO DO BUT AVOIDED TO DO BECAUSE YOU GOT SCARED OF SOCIETY’S ACCEPTANCE OF THE SAME?
“In India photography has never actually seen it’s peak with its creativity and exhibitions. There are not enough galleries that even promote and encourage photographic art and there isn’t enough audience to appreciate and buy it. With that respect I don’t even think photography artists have even tried to really speak their minds with their works. A few like me who have shot a few series have only exhibited internationally, not due to society pressures but just because we found a larger open minded appreciating audience abroad.”
2) WHO ACCORDING TO YOU IS THE MOST PHOTOGENIC PERSON YOU HAVE PHOTOGRAPHED? / WHO WOULD YOU LOVE TO PHOTOGRAPH AND STILL HAVEN’T GOT THE CHANCE TO?
“I have a huge body of work with almost every celebrated beautiful and photogenic face in the Indian lifestyle, fashion and entertainment industry. It’s a tough spot to choose one. But yes, I surely have an ambitious list of people I want to photograph – Alek Wek and Marion Cotillard top the list.”
3) DO YOU FEEL OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKE INSPIRATION FROM YOU? HAVE YOU SEEN YOUR WORK GETTING PLAGIARISED?
“Oh it happens all the time. It doesn’t bother me now but makes me keep ahead in the game.”
4) IF NOT A PHOTOGRAPHER, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN?
“A painter.”
5) HOW WOULD YOU DISTINGUISH YOURSELF/ YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE FROM OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE COUNTRY?
“I think of photography as an art form and each photographer artist is unique with their personal style of works. My work has its own signature and I specialise in a lot of conceptual fashion works which separates my style from my contemporaries.”
6) HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH CELEBRITIES WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN PHOTOGRAPHED BY VARIOUS PHOTOGRAPHERS IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT WAYS?
“The beauty of my profession is that one ends up conceptualising new ideas every time on every shoot. Even when I am shooting with the same artist again, I try and make my images look different from the previous. Especially the younger artists, they are so full of energy and more willing to experiment. Such collaborations naturally helps you create a very different body of work.”
7) TELL US ABOUT A SHOOT THAT ABSOLUTELY DID NOT GO AS PLANNED/ WENT ABSOLUTELY HAYWIRE!
“Well, it was a while ago in Cape Town. We were shooting for a brand campaign which required us to create a set of wide pillars in an open concrete ground, giving the impression of a multi-storey parking lot. We were supposed to shoot in the evening and the set creation had been completed in the morning. Suddenly there was a huge climate change and we were caught into heavy stormy winds that blew our set away. The situation went out of control and we had to reschedule the shoot.”
8) WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST MEMORABLE SHOOT SO FAR?
“There have been a few actually but what comes to mind immediately is the cover shoot celebrating the iconic 100 years of Indian cinema with the 3 legends of the Indian film industry – Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, Mr. Dilip Kumar and Shahrukh Khan, when they all came together in one frame. I don’t think that moment could have being experienced in the past 100 years and will ever be possible by anyone again.”
9) WHO DO YOU LOVE WORKING WITH THE MOST?
“People with good sense for humour.”