Last year, on the occasion of World Photography Day, we acknowledged the stalwarts from the field of spatial photography. This year, we put 10 young stars in the limelight — a selection taken from the many, many talented souls who put good design within easy reach of enthusiasts like us. To make it easy for them, we asked them to send something exciting from their architecture and interior portfolios — and one interesting ‘detail’ shot that has resonated with them.
Curated by: Deepa Nair Photographs: Courtesy The Photographers
Dhrupad Shukla
Dhrupad Shukla is a photographer, artist, cinematographer and director based in Rajkot. This trained interior designer loves to capture the realness of a project during his shoots, so that he can take a viewer through the same experience when they see the photographs. At the same time, being an artist, he also wants his work to be open to interpretation.
The images he has chosen for us captures the play of light and shadow on spaces; and the interaction of humans with spaces and objects.
A five-piece, cement-finished bespoke creation by Shreyas Patil Architects.The Business Centrum Sales Pavilion designed by Playball Studio in Rajkot.The Ancestral House at Meta designed by D’WELL.
Ira Gosalia is an alumnus of Balwant Seth School of Architecture (NMIMS) but realised that her calling was photography. She assisted architecture-interior design photographer Sebastian Zachariah (founder of Photographix India) for many years and immersed herself in mastering the craft. She is currently a partner at Photographix India and her training as an architect helps her in understanding the nuances of a project, and her skill in photography lets her express them in her own unique way. Her experience with Photographix India has seen her mature as a photographer with more than just interior-architecture as her forte.
When combined (seen in a grid format), shots of details tell a story of the site/the design firm. The details in this image are from sites designed by R+R Architects in Ahmedabad.Alignment of light, space and elements in a space is very essential for that perfect composition — as seen in this shot of a residence designed by Ego Designs in Ahmedabad.Apart from shooting at the correct time, I always try and include the nature/surrounding along with the structure. It adds a layer which makes the composition look interesting, and give viewers a better idea of the site. Seen here is the entrance shot of Aquatic Gallery designed by INI Design Studio in Ahmedabad.
Ishita Sitwala’s passion for documenting and capturing architecture budded quite early — while studying architecture; going back to the basics of photography through Lomography; and later in Chicago, documenting buildings during stay there. But it was her husband, photographer and educator, Ravi Mistry, who inspired her to pursue architecture-interior design photography as a career. Since then Ishita has documented some fantastic projects and worked with an impressive line-up of architects and designers.
This shot shows a part of the bedroom from one of the most experimental homes — designed by The Act of Quad — I recently documented in Mumbai. I’ve tried to capture the very tactful inserts of bright colours in the white and nude space the design team created.This courtyard was the highlight of a residential project designed by MODO Designs in Ahmedabad. The home has semi-open spaces and this shot from the courtyard shows the interestingly detailed wooden facade of the first floor passage. The exposed concrete and wood is softened by the bottlebrush tree in the foreground.At the heart of this residence in Gurugram by Iram Sultan Design Studio is a gorgeous staircase and a magnificent chandelier above it. These elements just took my breath away when I walked in.
Justin Sebastian is a Kochi-based architecture photographer whose passion in the subject motivated him to pursue a post-graduation in photography from Light and Life Academy, Ooty. Justin was an artist who made pictures with pen, pencil and brush strokes, and also took part in photography competitions that came his way. All the self-learning won him many prizes which motivated him to explore his love for photography.
The Varadharajan House was captured in the month of February for architect, Swanzal Kak Kapoor of Saka Architecture. The daylight that followed the downpour has a unique quality in this picture, which points to the importance of lighting in photography. The beauty of Coorg’s landscape and the post-rain golden shades of light makes this image look like a painting.Project Koshish is architect Koshy P Koshy’s abode and workspace in Kochi. The enchanting factor about the design of this place is the usage of traditional clay roofing tiles in the construction of the walls using a light steel structural frame work. It’s a space created with materials close to 100 years old, which were brought back to life by the architect. This image is a reminder of how the setting sun can dramatically influence even interior photography.This exterior view of the house, Wall of Being — designed by architect Muhammed Ashiqe of Evolving Radical Aesthetics — in Calicut was captured at twilight through the coconut trees. It exhibits the raw finishing of the concrete wall and Corten steel.
Kunal Bhatia studied architecture at KRVIA, Mumbai and has been working across the three disciplines of photography, writing and design since 2010. Kunal finds inspiration in cities around the world, in the people that he meets and in encounters that are often fleeting. After initially practicing architecture and interior design, he now focusses on photography, writing and conducting workshops for architects and interior designers.
This farmhouse on the outskirts of Ahmedabad designed by Workshop Inc consists of two pods — one for the living space and the other for sleeping. I timed this shot for twilight to establish a connect between the indoor areas of the pods and the outdoor landscape. Under the deep blue sky, the two pods glow silently and their characteristically yellow structural elements appear more vibrant and eye-catching.Biophilia is an integral part of the design concept at this plant store in Pune, designed by Concept by SOWE for brand Ugaoo. Wooden forms that suggest branching trees create an environment for plants to take over the walls and ceiling. While we did want the plants to form a prominent element in the frames, we also didn’t want to hide the design elements completely. Balancing the two was critical while photographing this retail space.Detail from an ice-creamery in Bandra, Mumbai, designed by Studio Lotus. Colourful tiles, whimsical forms and bent metal pipeworks create an environment that is fun yet elegant; playful yet restrained. The frame highlights these details while also showcasing a bit of the space.
Monika Sathe is based in Hyderabad, and specialises in architectural photography. Monika received a Masters Level Degree at the University Of The Arts, London, where she developed a strong conceptual approach to her work along with specialised technical skills. She has worked extensively with leading architects, interior designers and property developers In India.
Tinkerbell Farmhouse an English country-style farmhouse designed by Keystone Design Studios is located outside the city of Hyderabad. The farm animals certainly approve of the architecture as they wander about the front porch!The Circus House, a creation of Sona Reddy Studio, definitely keeps those lockdown blues away with its cheerful interiors. The kitchen doors here have a Shire-inspired frame.Detail of the brick work reflected in the water body of the Brick Mask House designed by Spacefiction Studio. Located outside Hyderabad, it’s the perfect hideaway amongst mango orchards.
Niveditaa Gupta is an architecture photographer based in New Delhi. Her work is an experimentation on photography, collage and film, to find representations of space that go beyond documentation. The studio works with the post-photographic nature of photography as a critique on the hyper-realism in architectural imagery today.
The perks of reaching the Centrum Clubhouse — designed by Abin Design Studio — at six in the morning included this gorgeous orange light that completely transformed the interiors.Shot during the construction phase, this image — of Samira Rathod Design Atelier’s under construction project, One Tree Hill — for me perfectly represents the relationship that Samira construed between the granite monolith and the tree.It was especially tricky to photograph details in this residence, V-House designed by MOAD, in which the walls are not parallel or perpendicular to each other. I feel like this composition captured that complexity well.
Purnesh Dev Nikhanj is an international award-winning photographer, architect, screen-writer, and mixed-media artist based out of Chandigarh. He draws from deep psychological interests to represent space in various contexts. His forte lies in experimenting with illusions, patterns, and abstract perspectives for storytelling. His personal work is majorly in the field of architectural and landscape photography and video-making. In all his signature series, such as Lost in Paradox, Beyond, Child’s play, etc. he explores psychological, philosophical, and existential ideas. He has closely worked with international and acclaimed design practices like Woha, Blocher Partners, MMoser, Mindspace architects, Studio Ardete, etc.
Capturing the relationships between different balconies — Never Never Cube designed by Studio Ardete.Capturing minimal chic aesthetic — Carbonado Residence by 23DC Architects.Capturing finer details — Carbonado Residence by 23DC Architects.
Studio Suryan//Dang is a collaborative practice for visual storytelling through various available mediums. The studio is partnered by Saurabh Suryan and Lokesh Dang who formed the practice to help architects and designers document their works. Suryan//Dang hosts a variety of works ranging from architecture-interior design photography and films to portraiture, landscape and documentary photography.
Designed by architect Sameep Padora Mumbai’s plush Eau Bar is a congregation space created around a tree. It has large windows framing the spectacular Queen’s Necklace at Marine Drive and the sea beyond, making it a cosmopolitan spot for the visitors.Brick Residence designed by RLDA Architecture is a cactus-like set of planes and volumes in New Delhi. It is a self-shading terracotta fabric which makes spaces inside habitable. The playful layout makes the project visually appealing.Tagra Residence designed by Studio Organon is home to artist Princess Pea and Sumir Tagra in Gurugram. This image captures a detail which aligns well with the artworks created by the artist in residence, and they blend in with the frames perfectly well.
Talib Chitalwala is an architectural photographer based out of Mumbai. He spent his formative years working at the photo-desk at Architectural Digest India before branching out to set up his own practice. His work focuses on capturing light as it reveals itself inside homes and spaces.
The three images chosen by Talib are of iconic buildings and structures; but the reasons for them being iconic are very different today.
A frame from Geoffrey Bawa’s beautiful country side home in Sri Lanka. Lunuganga continues to outgrow everyone who comes in touch with it.The Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue in Mumbai has been restored by architect Abha Narain Lambah with great detail to ensure its beauty is retained without any distortion.The abandoned Premabhai Hall in Ahmedabad designed by celebrated architect BV Doshi is crying for the attention it once had.
Dhrupad Shukla
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