Lens talk

Get to know Kali Jal, fashion photographer, Studio Special Effects, Dubai.

My photographs reveal the real me.
In a way, they reflect my life. My camera is a medium that translates my thoughts into visual forms. It is my constant companion – an outlet to channel my moods and emotions.

I took up photography quite by chance.
A brief period of unemployment after my graduation in 1973 led me to participate in a photography competition in Mumbai, India. I borrowed a camera from a friend. This was the first time I had ever used a camera.

The contestants were to shoot a model who was dressed in an Amrapali [ancient Indian courtesan] costume. To my surprise, I was named the winner. It dawned on me that I could possibly make a career in photography, which I seemed to have an innate talent for.

This talent could be genetic.
My father was a textile designer and painter. He could create magic with his paintbrushes even though
state-of-the-art oil paints and canvases were beyond his reach. He would use the reverse side of old calendars as his canvas. I remember being mesmerised by the colours of his paintings.

My father was also a gifted sitar player. Music and art formed the backdrop for my childhood. However, my father discouraged me from dabbling in the arts as he felt it would not guarantee me a stable and secure future. He wanted me to focus solely on my studies.
Ironically, art has come to be my chosen path and I am sure were he to be alive today, he would have been most pleased to see that I've been successful at it.

I have never been an amateur.
My first photo shoot was at the Mumbai contest where I was competing with professionals.
I believe that if you approach work with dedication, professionalism will follow. Experience is not the only thing that counts (in photography); what also matters is how best you translate your ideas into visuals. In photography, your images must convey a message that touches the heart and mind of the viewer. Portrait photography has
been my forte and it is the only form of photography I practice. I feel instantly gratified when
the model is pleased with the results. If she is happy and I have made her feel beautiful, I believe my job is done.

I have worked with a host of Indian celebrities in the fields of film and fashion. (But) it is not the kind of work I most proud about. Celebrities are constantly photographed and are experienced enough to know how to pose for the perfect shot. They know which angle will capture them at their best, so at some level the photographs are all posed. I prefer working with people who haven't been endlessly photographed. These models are like a blank canvas and each one has a unique quality. They are not 'programmed' to pose for perfect shots. They are more natural before the camera and as a result, the pictures are more 'raw' and offer an authentic representation of the individual.

I have a deep appreciation for the human form.
This stems from my appreciation for all things beautiful. I do not believe that some people are photogenic and others not. All are beautiful. It depends on how you look at them, the respect you give and the manner in which you treat people or individuals.

In photography, I imagine my models [to be forms] made of clay.
I am the artist who shapes them using light and the right composition to bring out the best in them. The most beautiful model is the one who is in front of my camera at the time of a shoot. At that moment, when she strikes a perfect pose, she becomes the most beautiful person in the world.

I left India and came to Dubai in 1976.
Initially, I had thought it would just be a temporary stop-over before I moved to the US. I wanted to go to the US to buy better photography equipment which, in those days, was not available in India.

But when I arrived in Dubai, I was intrigued by all that I saw and experienced – the hospitality, creativity, the wind towers and the mystery of the desert.
Later, during my travels abroad, I realised just how beautiful this country is. So I decided to settle in the UAE permanently.

Super Reflections, my most recent exhibition, featured 500 photographs of Indianclassical dancers.
The music, rhythm, dress, make-up and evocative expressions seen in Indian classical dance inspired
me to choose this form of art as a topic for an exhibition. These dance forms are hypnotising to watch and I wanted to capture the trance-like nature of these forms in my pictures.

My next exhibition, titled Sensational Souvenirs, is a
tribute to Arab culture and heritage and is a photographic glimpse into the fascinating aspects of life in
this region.

My best critic is my wife.
I value her opinion because she is very honest and truthful and has a creative eye. Her suggestions have often improved the quality of my work. I welcome criticism as I feel you learn better from critical comments rather than from praise.

At one point, I tried my hand at teaching.
I was a lecturer in advanced photography at the Women's Higher College of Technology at Sharjah University and also Dubai University College. I gave up teaching because
I felt it was preventing me from learning. I believe a craftsman never stops learning – you need to constantly improve and innovate.

– As told to Sangeetha Swaroop, a Dubai-based freelancer