Interviews What you feel positivity for, will ensure your success and enjoyment...
His work encompasses everything from industrial to fine art photography and he has shot for nearly all of the Indian Corporate Industry at some point in his 22 year long photography career. But he enjoys shooting people the most- fashion photography in particular. Meet Mr. Waseem Khan, a brilliant photographer by profession and a chef by heart. In an exclusive interview with FotoFlock, Mr. Khan shares the secret behind his sensuous photography, his love for dark chocolate and more.
You started professionally back in 1987. What are the changes you have seen at the workplace?
The real significant change began with the advent of digital cameras and the ability of the photographer to edit his/her images using Photoshop. The transition has been meteoric. And it has been no different for me – from shooting film with all its inherent requirements like polaroid tests, loading film in separate film backs, E-6 and C-41 processing and printing to complete the process. And now it takes a quick glance at a beautiful 3” or larger screen at the back of the camera to see what you just shot and download it onto a 17” laptop / 24” desktop to see it in unbelievably, crisp detail.
It takes someone who shot millions of rolls of film for around 15 years to truly appreciate and marvel at the transition. But somewhere deep down inside you miss the film age for its purity and even the mystery of the unknown which at that time was perhaps quite frustrating.
Your work encompasses everything from industrial to fine art photography. Which genre of 
photography has been the most challenging? Why?
I would say shooting industrial machinery and products was without a doubt the most challenging. I am most comfortable shooting with people. My persona, natural ability to make friends and communicate easily especially with the fairer sex made shooting fashion so much easier. The machines, computers and multitude of other products that came to me regularly for shoots would leave me stone cold and extremely irritable before, during and well after the job was done. I advise young photographers constantly now to stay true to their inner calling and “feel” their photography. And what you feel positivity for, will ensure your success and enjoyment and vice versa.
The phrase – “labour of love” – is perhaps more apt in photography than in any other form of creative or commercial effort.
Some of my most revered time has been spent in helping chefs make a certain mousse or cake and then shooting it before the obvious conclusion.
We have heard of your addiction for chocolates, the dark varieties in particular. So we are surprised that you are yet to shoot for a leading chocolate brand...Or have you?
You guys have done your research well. Yes I am a chocolate snob. I love eating and cooking with the best dark chocolate I can get. I have done work for Cadbury’s Five Star in the 90s – typical shots of kids biting into the chocolate bar and smiling happily into the camera! And someday I still hope to get the opportunity to shoot a big campaign for Godiva or Scharffen Berger or Neuhaus or Lindt.
But what has been and continues to be most fulfilling is when I get to shoot some really creative work with chocolate made by arguably the best chefs in India and overseas. Some of my most revered time has been spent in helping chefs make a certain mousse or cake and then shooting it before the obvious conclusion. My favourite chocolate destination has and will always be La Maison du Chocolat in Paris.
What got you interested in fashion photography? 
Watching my photographer friends, Sudhir Ramachandran and Radhakrishnan shooting models in their respective studios sometime in ’86 got me interested in fashion photography. Their contrasting styles yet equally brilliant results had me over awed. I will always owe them a huge sense of gratitude for being completely open in sharing their knowledge with me. They continue to be an inspiration to me now as they still consistently shoot amazing images.
Your fashion portfolio features an even mix of colour and black-and-white photography. But do you prefer one over the other? Why?
Not really. I guess it is experience or that “feel” factor I was talking about earlier. I just instinctively seem to know which image would be better in colour or B&W. And of course it is so easy now to just do a quick check on Photoshop to see if a certain image works better in B&W.
What is the secret behind your sensual photographs?
I think it has to be my intense respect and admiration for the human form. I truly believe that this honest expression of my respect attracts a certain freedom that I enjoy from my subjects. My attraction is neither invasive nor evasive. It is always direct but consensual; engaging yet encouraging; humorous but always without malice. The interaction therefore is always entertaining and progressive leading to repeated collaboration with a constant sense of trust.
Are most of your shoots restricted to your studio?
No! I love shooting on locations – the more varied the better. In fact I fell in love with photography shooting landscapes and sunsets. And that has continued as I am constantly looking for dramatic skies or doppled lighting through trees, anything that is likely to give me that special set of shots.
I’m constantly trying to convince clients to shoot in the many locations that I keep travelling to. For example I just did an amazing two month trip driving around the national parks of the USA. I consider this a recce for any job that comes along in the near future.
What would you regard as your best work so far in your more than 20-year-long career?
My best work has to be judged by my peers and critics. The work I enjoyed shooting most - and if I can pick two – they have to be:
1) A campaign I did for Odel, a fashion store in Sri Lanka in 2007. The concept for the shots, the models, the production values, my execution and of course the final result was intensely satisfying.
2) A dual ad campaign and catalogue I shot for Lee jeans. It was a huge success and it earned me the Photographer of the Year 2004 award from the Bangalore Ad Club.
How does a photographer walk the fine line between commercial commitments and his personal work?
Image enhancing software in photography is simply just another tool we use to let our creativity stretch beyond our limitations.
Each one obviously impacts the other. My clients have drawn inspiration from some of the personal projects I have shot and it has had the same effect on me because some of my personal ideas have led to a commercial job.
Tell us some more about your ongoing fine art project, ‘Nudescapes’.
This personal project is very special to me. I have been working on this theme since my first set of shoots in Australia and New Zealand sometime in 2003. Many galleries are interested in displaying it but having put in so many years and so much love into this project I would like to ensure it has the right launch. Again, it is based on the tremendous respect and artistic view I have for the human form and it will be very interesting to see how it will be received in India.
What are your thoughts on the increasing use of image enhancing software like Photoshop in photography?
Coming from a film initiation and background I found it difficult to convert to digital immediately. I felt like most other purists that it [using Photoshop] is like cheating.
But just like any other lens filter or darkroom technique we used to enhance/create/morph or edit our images before, Photoshop was again just another tool. Image enhancing software in photography is simply just another tool we use to let our creativity stretch beyond our limitations.
Interpretation of these images by our peers is what sets our work apart.
How much time do you spend in the darkroom?
Not much. I did enjoy the entire process many years ago. But I don’t feel the need to do that anymore.
With digital becoming the norm, how do you look at printing now? Is it as essential, especially since you shoot fine-art?
Printing has also improved tremendously to keep up with our needs. And photographers have always felt their prints could have been better. But now companies like Epson have revolutionised printing technology and given us simple and reasonably priced printers to ensure we get exactly what we shoot.
It is very essential to make excellent printers available to photographers in today’s demanding photography scenario.
What does your digital darkroom set-up include?
My team primarily works on pc. Contrary to popular belief, my team and I have researched and found enough reasons to keep our work on the pc platform.
I am yet to have an Apple official convince me or my CGI team that Mac can do my work better than pc. So I have two very high end quad core systems running with 8GB RAM to ensure I get quick and brilliantly calibrated images every time.
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Photos by Waseem Khan | Fotosocial
