An incredible body of work featuring Bollywood megastars and global luxury brands sets this fashion and celebrity photographer apart. He shares with HELLO! his thoughts on the evolving fashionscape as well as words of wisdom to keep going even on uninspired days.
For Mumbai-based fashion and celebrity photographer Rahul Jhangiani, the beauty of photography lies in capturing the intricacies of each moment, which eventually translates into the real craft. And nothing inspires him more than producing an authentic image that truly captures the nature of his subject.
“I’m quite interested in people and their stories, something that goes beyond a flat image. Creating an image that evokes a response from a viewer is what drives and inspires me,” he shares.
Not surprisingly, he looks up to such iconic photographers as Peter Lindbergh and Steven Meisel.
“They have a vision I particularly identify with, and their work is a great source of inspiration. Lindbergh really changed the face of fashion photography and the artistic representation of women forever. Editorially, I look up to Meisel’s fierce defense of his aesthetic independence, which has led to him creating some of fashion’s best stories,” he says.
Having shot the who’s who of glamourville, one couldn’t help but ask him whether there are any dream celebrities in India or from Hollywood he’d love to shoot.
“Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell... The list is never-ending! Kate Moss is stunning, but also unique looking and a dream to shoot,” he quips.
In the cram-full digital space where reels get maximum traction, one couldn’t help but notice the fashion editorial slowly losing presence.
“It seems that in an overcrowded fashion world, the influence of the conventional fashion editorial is fading, and the ultimate commodity is people’s attention. It was conventional to experience an editorial in print, but the majority of fashion stories are now online, fragmented in single images, inevitably scattering the original storyline,” he explains. “On social media, what works better are the more impactful, attention-grabbing reels. But to be honest, it’s a trend, and trends come and go. The fashion industry will ultimately track backwards to its core, which I think is editorial.”
Also, today one sees an array of new photographers walking out of every nook and cranny, and it’s a challenge to make one’s place in this saturated space.
“It’s easy to fall into who you think you should be as a photographer and lose yourself in the process. Always keep inspiring yourself and keep wanting to experiment and have variations with your work, which is a sign of growth; don’t be comfortable in your shoes,” he advises.
“Identify what you care about, find your visual voice and commit to creating a great body of work. Shoot as often as you can; every day if possible. Even if you don’t feel inspired or prepared, just do it. Nothing is better for creativity. As long as you love what you’re doing, everything else will come with time,” he adds.
This story has been adapted for the website from a story that was originally published in Hello! India’s August 2022 issue. Get your hands on the latest issue right here!
