Photography and its art and craft:

Learning from the Heart

Deepak John Mathews interview with Imagineers.

A design Teacher and a practicing photographer living and working in India Working as a professional
photographer, Illustrator and painter. Deepak John Mathew is the coordinator of Photography Design at the
National Institute of Design. He has a PhD in Design Education and postgraduate degree in graphics. He has
an experience spanning over 23 years in professional photography, painting and graphics. He has received
many awards and exhibited his work in many international and national exhibitions. His interests include history
of art, color and form, illustration, printmaking and painting apart from photography. He is the author of the
bookPrinciples of Design through Photography.

1. Fine Art photography is one genre that most photographers tend to

avoid, mainly because of the artistic complexity it involves. How would
you define Fine art photography and how does it differ from other genres
of photography?

Fine Art photography meant different things at different times. When photography
began to be practised, it was described as painting with light; it was also
predicted that it would replace painting as an art form. There was a lot of emphasis
on rendering a realistic picture for painting. After romanticism Realism was the ism
that was most prominent during that time. Gustave Courbet and Jean-Franois Millet
are good examples of artists who have worked in this genre. And Photohgraphy was
emerging as a medium that captures reality. So there were a lot of discussions on
the future of painting as a machine that could do the job of a painter was
invented. This argument did not last long as the impressionism, expressionism,
cubism and many other art movements came to existence and painting deviated
from capturing reality. So earlier, photographers were trying to look for painting-like
qualities in photographs in order to impart the feel of Fine Art. For a long time,
pictorial photography was considered to be Fine Art photography. Photos of beautiful
landscapes, glimpses of village life, mother and child, smiling children, and old
people were passed off as Fine Art photographs. This could be related to the
Romantic Movement in painting. Even today, many people consider a photograph to
be a work of Fine Art only when it is pictorial in nature. Treating photographs
differently to impart a painting-like effect was another popular methodfor
instance, creating grains, tones, textures, solarisation, and partial colouring. Later,
photographers began looking at abstract patterns or organic shapes. So, shooting
extreme close ups or aerial views became an easy way to create abstract pictures
from everyday life; art movements such as Expressionism and Abstract
Expressionism were major influences. Another approach was to bring in symbolism
in the photographs. Photographs became symbolicthey depicted a particular
concept or object, but their meaning was far from what was obvious to the viewers.
This became extremely popular because of its interpretational possibilities and the
ease with which new imageries could be created.

Today, the real challenge in Fine Art photography is not just pictorialsm, abstraction,
technique, or symbolism. It is about how one is treating a subject in the present day
context. The choice of subjects has changed from looking out to looking in;
issues have become more personal. Instead of pictorial beauty, the content has
become more important. What one is saying is more important than how one is
saying it. Photographers are exploring their personal experiences to create pictures.
Nan Goldin shot in her immediate surroundings, so the idea of packing ones bag
and going far far away to create a Fine Art photograph has now changed; it is
now a journey within. The current subjects of painting share a lot in common with
the subjects in photography. Earlier, photography was treated as a Fine Art only
when it had a painting-like quality. This means, the aesthetics of painting were used
to judge photography; Ansel Adams and his contemporaries challenged this.
Photography is an independent medium and it has its own aesthetics.

Today, Post-modernism has opened the possibility of thinking in a pluralistic way. It

has already been 150 years since photography came to the scene; it has changed
the way one sees the world and the art has transformed itself. Photographs are no
longer required as images that merely reflect the world back at us in a simple one
to one translation; rather, they construct the world for us.
2. You were closely associated with poor people during your days of
struggle before you established yourself. Are you into any kind of social
work or social awareness activities at present?

I was involved with educating the underprivileged when I was working as a teacher
in Thiruvananthapuram. I would go to Vinobhanikethan to teach them art, spend
my Sundays with them trying to teach painting and theatre, and also interact with
them a lot.

Now, I focus mainly on teaching photography and not so much on social work, and,
by teaching the subject, I attempt to create awareness about the same.

3. For you, photography is a hobby as well as a profession. How do you

promote your work in the domestic and international markets? What must
be kept in mind with regard to issues such as money transfer, copyright
issues, and legal matters while dealing with international customers?

An activity is called a hobby because one enjoys doing it for ones own
satisfaction. When such an activity becomes ones profession, it serves both ways;
ones personal satisfaction as well as the means of earning a living. Most people
find it difficult to price their own work. I support my art with my educational
activities.

If one practises as a full-time photographer, especially wanting to sell ones works

as a piece of art, then galleries are the best places to do that. Now in India, there
are galleries that are dedicated to selling photographs. One must find out the
galleries that would market ones work. Making ones work visible is very important
if one is a practising artist. Creating ones own website or blog can be very helpful.
Participating in group shows is a good way to make ones work visible.

With regard to the sale of photographs, if one would be selling prints, one needs to
decide whether to go in for a limited or unlimited edition. If one were to produce a
limited edition, it could command more price than an edition with unlimited
numbers. Many times, one might sell photographs to newspapers, magazines, or
calendars; in this case, one could negotiate a fee for the use. In earlier days, when
one was in possession of the negative, it was easier to prove ownership in case
there was a dispute. In the present times, when data storage and creation is
predominantly of a digital kind, proving ownership could become difficult. So, it is
very important that paper work be done meticulously; one must ensure that the
terms of use, releases, and certificates of edition are in place and are agreed upon
before any transaction.

In case one was selling a photograph for a corporate annual report or any other
brochures for one time printing the basic usage right(which is a term used to
denote the usage rights) is for one year and the copyright remains with the
photographer. Unless mentioned in the agreement, the buyer must pay for using the
same photograph, a year after it continues to remain in his or her possession.

If one were selling the print, then the buyer retains the rights on that print.

4. We are delighted to see a tab called, Students Work on your website.

What is your view of the teacher-student relationship?

A teacher is like a catalyst in a chemical reaction. A good teacher helps students to

achieve their goal in an effective way without taking away their focus from goal
attainment. I believe in mentorship than teaching. A healthy discussion and
feedback is what a student seeks from a teacher. As a mentor, one should
understand the students projects and help them develop their concepts in an
effective way. Teaching is sharing and learning from each other. In fact, the student
and teacher both stand to gain from the teaching-learning process. A good teacher
is also a good learner.
5. You have travelled across India to pursue your dream. Could you share
with us the experience and lessons you learnt from those travels?

I believe travelling is the best means of education. Gaining a firsthand experience of

things is very important. When I was travelling, I never thought it would have any
purpose. I simply wanted to travel; so, I went ahead. When your mind is restless,
travelling brings in a great amount of maturity.

The people I met, the places I lived at, the food that I ateall have greatly
influenced me as a photographer. I think my travels taught me a lot. In those days I
was staying with whomever I met and hitch hiked on trucks etc.I had stayed in
dharmashalas, gurudwaras, bus stands, and strangers homes All that I learnt from
my travels are indirectly appearing in my work now.

6. You are a teacher, photographer, writer, and a painter. Which of these

roles do you enjoy the most?

It difficult to choose any one role. I enjoy all of them; in several ways, they are
inseparable. I practise so I have experience; I share this experience through my
teaching and writing. I learn through photography and painting; both are important
to my teaching and writing activities. I learn quite a lot from teaching photography.
So, one role feeds the other.

7. Like many other photographers, you also use torch light, gelatin sheet,
and candle light to introduce the Fine Art element into photography.
These days, many photographers depend on editing software such as
Adobe Photoshop to create a similar effect. How did the things change for
you after Digital Photography (cameras and post-processing software)
arrived on the scene?

For me, the camera is a tool. In the beginning, one is fascinated by the technicalities
of the tool. It is akin to cooking; when one starts cooking, one is interested in the
utensils and the kind of spoons and knives to be used, but after a point, one forgets
about these, and the taste of the food becomes primary.
I am a self-taught photographer and I use a lot of techniques. Photography requires
technical skill. The techniques become immaterial if one does not know how to use
them. To put it simply, the techniques are akin to swimming, if one does not have
the skills, one cannot swim or float in the water. But while one is swimming, if one
thinks about the hand movements and leg movements, it would become difficult to
swim.

I use analogue and digital media; my choice of the medium depends on the
purpose.

Software such as Adobe Photoshop might appear to be easy. Technology is a good

thing; it is like salt in food, it has to be in just the right quantity. The process of
printing in the dark room and working on a computer are different experiences
altogether. Similarly, painting with a torch light and painting with a digital tool
involves different processes and provides a different kind of experience.

8. What are the pros and cons of publishing ones work on online fora such
as Facebook or Flicker?

Social media is a great tool for networking; it gives more publicity to one. So, one
could become very popular among friends; at the same time, one should
understand that the likes and wows one receives are not real. One should not
judge the quality of ones work on the basis of such superficial views.

9. You dropped your M.Sc. course midway against your parents wishes
and left home to achieve your goal. Many young people struggle to set a
goal in their life and to cut out a plan for achieving their goals. In some
cases, parents may not be that encouraging. What would be your advice to
such young people?

I do not think parents are against their children; parents wish for the good of their
children and want them to be safe always. However, this concern of theirs might
lead to mediocrity many times. When the child expresses a wish to take a hitherto
unexpected path, parents might get skeptical. But now with the internet, it is easier
to convince the parents, as they can also be informed about the possibilities of a
particular field of study or career.

If ones parents are not convinced about what one wants; a strategy that one can
adopt is to gather all the information about a field of study and keep sharing it with
them. If they are not convinced and if one still wants to depend on them financially,
then it is only prudent to follow them because they are funding ones education.
However, if one is strongly determined to pursue a select field of study, then one
must dedicatedly follow ones heart.

10. You deal with different genres of photographyFine Art, Fashion,

Product, and Industrial. How does your approach differ in each of these
genres with regard to your preparedness, photography gear used, and the
post-processing stage?

Nowadays, I work on each project for a long time. Some ideas germinate in my mind
and I keep improvising them. Many times, the idea gets changed in the process, and
there eventually comes a point when one arrives at the best possible idea. In some
of my photo projects I keep shooting on a theme for many years. And the visual
language goes through a lot of changes also during this time. Some times new
aspects and points of views gets added during this process. From the germination of
the idea to the final stage (where I am ready to exhibit my works) it may take many
years.

Since I take a long time in completing one project I prefer to work on many projects
at the same time. This allows me to shoot on different themes during the same time
period. Every project that I do is stored in hard disks; therefore, when I sit for
editing, I concentrate only on a specific project. I keep refining the work till I am
happy, metaphorically speaking, I am the client for my own projects.

While doing a project for a client, I have detailed discussions about the related
aspects of the concerned project with the other people involved in it. A project
involving photography is a process of co-creation. The designer, the model, the
creative team, and the photographerall work together to create the desired
image. In every genre, the mindset of the photographers is more or less the same;
one must do all homework and be prepared to deal with the accidents or situations
that might occur in the course of the project. Sometimes, if one does not face
accidents, chances are, one might end up having a rigid problem-solving ability. So,
it is essential to remain open; while at the same time, attempt to minimise
constraints so that the project does not go haywire.
11. How should upcoming photographers work on creating a professional
portfolio of their own?

Staying updated is very important. Ones work needs to be relevant to the present
context. Familiarity with the work of the masters and contemporary photographers
definitely helps.

While preparing a portfolio, due attention must be given to editing. Do not select
too many pictures from the same series; at the same time, the number of photos
should not be too less, else the cohesiveness of the portfolio will be lost.

It is important to work around a script. Too many images should not be included. In
addition to presenting a portfolio with aesthetic appeal, it is important to be oneself,
that is be fully aware of what ones strengths and weaknesses are. The portfolio
must be updated regularly and one must be very critical while editing ones own
work.

12. What advice will you give amateur photographers who wish to take up
photography as a career?

They need to introspect on why did they decided to become full-time photographers
and what is the genre they would want to specialise in. If one is not sure of which
genre to get into, then experiment with all possible genres and gradually decide
which would be the best for one.

It is essential to prepare a good portfolio that can help one acquire the job. One can
attend portfolio reviews and share work with ones peers to strengthen ones
confidence and bring about improvements in ones work.

The moment ones hobby transforms into a full-time career, there will be
tremendous responsibility, because metaphorically speaking, one becomes ones
own client, that is, the expectations and perfection demanded from ones work
increases manifold, a high level of objectivity and commitment has to be brought
into ones work as it moves beyond the sphere of mere interest or liking.