When a photo is seen like a piece of poetry, one can easily say that a photo series is like an anthology, thanks to its diverse layers of interpretations. Make sure each element in the series is carefully created to tell a story
Goddess of hustle; Bangkok, Thailand
The right moment
Idea: Durga does the daily commute on the busy streets of Bangkok
How I did it: It took us a few tries to get the perfect shot, with curious onlookers and other commuters constantly disrupting the flow. A wide-to-mid zoom lens comes very handy in such occasions
What clicked: The calm Durga amidst the crowd instantly draws attention to the frame & leads to the main story
The framing
Idea: To capture symbolically how women are the driving force of modern society, with an everyday Durga taking the wheels
How I did it: It’s a tighter crop to focus only on the subject, and to not get distracted by the bright sports car. Sometimes, just a hint of the surroundings is enough to convey the atmosphere
What clicked: The confident expression and the red car as the perfect prop to show an uptown Durga
Phuchka above all else
Idea: Pujo isn’t complete without pet puja (eating) and the iconic phuchka of Kolkata
How I did it: It was a moment in-between shots where we all took a break to enjoy a quick snack. Slightly low angle, and at an open aperture to blur out the background
What clicked: The expression of sheer joy is what works in this photograph. It is a heartfelt emotion that the audience can definitely connect to
Tips to elevate your photography
Goddess of hustle; Bangkok, Thailand
The right moment
Idea: Durga does the daily commute on the busy streets of Bangkok
How I did it: It took us a few tries to get the perfect shot, with curious onlookers and other commuters constantly disrupting the flow. A wide-to-mid zoom lens comes very handy in such occasions
What clicked: The calm Durga amidst the crowd instantly draws attention to the frame & leads to the main story
The framing
Idea: To capture symbolically how women are the driving force of modern society, with an everyday Durga taking the wheels
How I did it: It’s a tighter crop to focus only on the subject, and to not get distracted by the bright sports car. Sometimes, just a hint of the surroundings is enough to convey the atmosphere
What clicked: The confident expression and the red car as the perfect prop to show an uptown Durga
Phuchka above all else
Idea: Pujo isn’t complete without pet puja (eating) and the iconic phuchka of Kolkata
How I did it: It was a moment in-between shots where we all took a break to enjoy a quick snack. Slightly low angle, and at an open aperture to blur out the background
What clicked: The expression of sheer joy is what works in this photograph. It is a heartfelt emotion that the audience can definitely connect to
Tips to elevate your photography
- Street photography during festivities should focus on the emotions. The highlight should be capturing people at their candid best
- To get a smooth AI retouch in your shots – it’s all about HDR shooting so capture the highlights well
- For optimum results, use highlight-priority mode to capture your frames
- Push shadows and pull highlights in post processing. Use the contrast slider to get the right grunge-like effect
- Don’t use preset filters – treat each image on its own
Kaustav Saikia is an art and fashion photographer based out of Kolkata and co-owns studios in Bangkok and Goa. With a career spanning over a decade, he has shot and executed multiple campaigns for various fashion designers, brands and organisations, both nationally and internationally. He is also an educator and a guest faculty at various institutes in India.
