Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month Through the Lens of 3 Photographers
We're celebrating South Asian Heritage Month with a series of Q&A's with 3 South Asian photographers: Mathushaa Sagthidas, Avel Shah & Raajadharshini!
Welcome to our South Asian Heritage Month special blog, where we shine a spotlight on three incredible photographers from the South Asian community. In this blog, we welcome you to engage in an insightful Q&A session, delving into their journeys in photography, their captivating personal projects, and the advice they have for young and aspiring photographers and creatives.
Mathushaa Sagthidas
Can you tell us about yourself, your background, and how you got into photography?
Hey guys I'm Mathushaa, a London-based freelance Tamil photographer, stylist, set designer and art director (studied at Camberwell College of Arts, UAL) with an interest in fine art and contemporary fashion but I also do work within production and editing, as you can see I'm someone who likes to keep busy.
I remember taking part in this workshop during work experience for my school and it was the only creative opportunity available, and it ended up being a photography workshop. That was when I started questioning what my next steps would be, especially in terms of choosing what to study at university.
After that, I decided to do a foundation course where we got to explore our creativity. By doing this I started to combine fashion photography with my own personal interests and history, especially regarding my identity and culture, specifically my Tamil identity and culture.
I would say it’s been a journey of getting into photography, and I’m still thinking about what subjects I truly want to explore and that I enjoy exploring. One thing I've learnt about my creative journey is when it comes to a creative project, if your heart is not in it, it's going to show within the work.
What was your first camera?
My first camera was a Canon 1300D with a 35mm lens. I remember getting it when I was 17, and it was purely more so as a hobby back then but has now grown into so much more than that since.
I'm pretty sure I started off taking photos of landscapes and the streets of London which is very different to what I focus on now.
Was there a specific moment that inspired you to focus on your culture and heritage in your work?
I would say it was just before I started my second year of university, after having spent my first year further exploring and understanding photography. I was trying to discover what I was really interested in and by the end of first year, I realised that a lot of the projects that I had created I wasn't passionate about.
I remember spending that summer and part of my second year trying to figure out the things that I was interested in. During this time, I happened to get involved in a South Asian collective for the first time and remember reaching out to a couple of creatives within the community asking if they were interested in building a project. At the time I had no idea what exactly, but it started off with exploring fashion as that was something within photography I really enjoyed bringing to life.
How did your project Not Just Brown Not Just Indian come together?
My Not Just Brown Not Just Indian project was something that I actually wanted to build for my final major project in my final year but was unable to due to Covid. It was always on the back of my mind, and I just thought it will be something that I create when the time is right but also when I had the funding too.
When I won the funding from Getty Images and Creative Access, I immediately thought this is the perfect time to bring this idea to life. I was at the point where I just left my first-ever creative job and decided to go freelance – it just felt like the perfect timing.
In terms of bringing the project together, Instagram was a key tool in finding other South Asian creatives that would want to be a part of the project. It was a lot of posting on stories and reaching out to people through messages. Once I found the perfect aim for each concept, we then worked together to visually portray each concept in a way that authentically represents each South Asian country.
What advice would you share with emerging photographers and creatives looking to create work that is focused on culture and heritage?
When I think about my work that especially focuses on my Tamil heritage and culture, quite a bit of it has either come from subjects and stories that I'm genuinely interested in. A lot of my projects have been built with my Amma (mum) as she has taught me so much about the significance of being Tamil, but also a Tamil woman.
With that being said, some of my other projects have either come from frustration of certain topics not being spoken about properly, or me just wanting to share part of our history, culture and heritage, especially when it comes to speaking about the Sri Lankan Civil War.
So when I think about this question, one thing I would say is to create projects that reflect something that you're truly curious about. Something that makes you want to dive in deeper to learn more about that certain story or person or topic because that's also where your passion comes to life for that project.
Keep up with Mathushaa and her work on her website and her Instagram and be sure to check out her exhibition Not Just Brown, Not Just Indian before the 17th of August at Bow Arts!
Avel Shah
Can you tell us about yourself, your background, and how you got into photography?
I'm a self-taught photographer from London, England. I'm interested in capturing the beauty, emotion and hidden stories of everyday life. I like to shoot a variety of styles and I am drawn to bold colours and symmetry.
In recent years I've been blessed to work with some amazing clients such as International Women's Day, Huawei, Chalk, Dialled In and more.
What was your first camera?
The Nikon D90 was my first DSLR.
Prior to that, I was shooting day-to-day on point and shoot cameras using 35mm, APS and 110 Instamatic film.
What inspired you to begin documenting events, communities and movements?
I've always enjoyed capturing candid moments so this felt like a natural progression. I'm able to apply some of the technical skills I have acquired from shooting portraiture and fashion.
I really like the dynamic nature of events. They are often unpredictable and you can find lots of opportunities to capture unique moments. It's also really rewarding to meet people from all walks of life and learn about their stories.
What is your process in developing your niche in photography (focusing on Portraiture / Fashion / Documentary)?
For me, it’s been really useful to shoot different styles. At first, I was shooting only landscape images that required travelling somewhere and relying on good weather. After the trip was completed the camera would be untouched until the next trip.
Now, I have a camera on me at all times, whatever the weather and I shoot a number of styles such as street, night, fashion, portrait, minimal and macro photography.
It's through this process of the consistent practice of different techniques and learning and refining, that I'm starting to find my own unique voice and vision as a photographer.
What has been your favourite photoshoot or project that you’ve worked on?
I've really been enjoying music photography recently, capturing artists and especially crowd interactions. Notting Hill Carnival and Dialled In festival have been massive highlights for me the past couple of years. I've also loved working with the Chalk Jewellery team on past campaigns.
What advice would you share with emerging photographers and creatives who aspire to work more closely with people and different communities?
Firstly research and plan your project, what do you hope to achieve and by when? Creating a mood board is a good way to visualise your ideas.
Then, approach the person or group for a conversation. Pitch your project and tell them a little bit about yourself and what you hope to achieve with your photography.
Keep up with Avel and his work on his website and his Instagram!
Raajadharshini
Can you tell us about yourself, your background, and how you got into photography?
I am Raajadharshini (she/her/they), a Tamil-born and London-based image maker whose style revolves around treading a line artfully, between documentary, fashion, and portraiture. I focus my practice on exploring a variety of raw emotions, real people, identities, communities, and human connections. What empowers my work is the strong sense of vibrant colours and energy that reflect my cultural background.
I have always expressed myself in the form of visuals since I was 3 years old. What started with painting and visual design transformed into photography when I moved to Delhi for my undergraduate studies. I was always fascinated by people and how humans interact as a culture exploring our differences, privileges, struggles, hope and emotions.
As a photographer who works a lot around fashion narratives, I have always been keen on working on authentic narratives that explore visibility and representation. Fashion is not something that will only comfort white, rich, Western people and be displayed on storefronts and billboards. It is yours and mine. It's everybody's. Fashion like culture continually undergoes change.
As image makers like me who act as cultural intermediaries in fashion, we almost have a moral obligation to challenge this complicated industry which looks very inaccessible. I aim to create work that challenges mainstream representation in fashion and visual culture - where fashion and image doesn’t seem very alienating to people.
What was your first camera?
In the start, I literally just used my Motorolla Moto G3 phone camera and explored imagery. To me, the medium doesn’t really matter in image-making. Be it a phone camera or the most expensive mirrorless, it's what you see and you interact using the medium.
What inspired you to document the people of the Chadong Village in Manipur for your project The Sun Came Up?
It was the people. I didn’t plan on it being a full-blown series before I visited. I wanted everyone to view their warmth through this series.
How did you navigate documenting people and a place that was unfamiliar to you?
I am so thankful to my friend Worshangphy who welcomed me into her home and her community. To date, they were the most humble and kind people I have come across. They always came to us addressing us as “sisters” and always complemented me and my other friends who looked completely different.
I am dark-skinned (probably the only dark-skinned person in their area), had a bowl haircut with micro bangs whereas my other friend was bald (which is not very conventional at all in India), but no one stared at us or treated us any differently. I used to be getting stared at ALL the time in my hometown Tamilnadu and even in Delhi where is studied at that time. I felt so accepted in her place.
It was such an intimate experience because a lot of us (more than 10) slept in the same room the night after the wedding in the bridegroom’s house. Time was moving so slowly there. There was so much time for us to talk and get to know each other. I wanted everyone to view their warmth through this series.
I carried my camera everywhere with me. I took several pictures of their everyday activities, the wedding, the bride's welcome and so on. I also asked a few people how they want to be photographed or shown in an image.
What are some of your favourite projects you’ve worked on / your favourite images?
Most of my favourite projects are focused on communities. The one I really enjoyed was during my MA major project at Central Saint Martins. I started my ongoing project “Koothu” during my time in CSM which celebrates my background - the people of Tamil Nadu, their lifestyle, clothing, and culture in an effort to anchor my community in contemporary visual culture and fashion imagery.
Frames of real houses and real people in Tamil Nadu oscillate between youth, joy, leisure, and inner conflicts of characters placed against the vibrancy and chaos of the State.
What advice would you share with emerging photographers and creatives in documenting communities and stories?
For photographers and creatives who are starting out, I advise them to understand that they hold a lot of power through their medium by showcasing a representation of something outside their immediate body or surroundings. As with power comes responsibility. That medium should be used wisely and with a lot of thought and empathy. Being considerate of the subjects and making sure that they are okay with being photographed in a certain way is quite important.
I refuse to treat subjects as mere objects for reporting; instead, I strive to capture the essence of human connection, the moments of love, intimacy, and friendship that weave the fabric of our communities.
Keep up with Raajadharshini and her work on her website and her Instagram!
A huge thank you to all three photographers for sharing your time and answering our questions on your practice and on your photographic journey!
Which South Asian photographers and creatives are you celebrating this month? Let us know in the comments of the blog below ⬇️
Love the interviews and the pictures. Keep it up!