You cannot take memorable photographs with auto-click technology: S Paul

Maverick. Genius. Legend. Recluse. The words used to describe photographer S Paul may sound hyperbolic but a quiet examination of his work shows them to be all truth.

And it's a truth that holds across genres. He's a photojournalist. A street photographer. He takes portraits. He's shot fashion. His work demonstrates a sharp understanding of technique. And equally, of emotion. It recognises that photography is part science, part art - and always, a little bit of magic.

He was the first Indian to have his images published in all three of the UK's top photography magazines simultaneously.

He has five images in The World's Greatest Black & White Photography Book, a title three years in the making, with images selected by 47 judges. He's won every photography award that counts. And he has shaped what photojournalism in this country looks like even while remaining one of its most understated figures.

As part of World Photography Week, Catch caught up with the master photographer for a quick chat.

Photo: S Paul

Digital technology has democratised photography. It has also opened the field up to laymen. How do you feel it has changed photography?

Digital photography is a kind of revolution. It has made the job of a photographer easy.

Earlier, photography was demanding in many ways including the physical. Photographers spent most of their time sitting in the dark room and developing negatives. Now, you can instantaneously see what you have shot. You can always click again, if not satisfied with your frame. This wasn't an option available to us in the age of film. We realised our mistakes only in the darkroom.

Clearly, digital photography has helped professional photographers. The technology takes care of itself and the photographer is free to work on his subject and frame. But that has its own side effects. Many newbies wield a camera and claim to be an expert photographer. But photography isn't the mere clicking of a camera. It is about good composition and evoking emotion. Any picture that doesn't have these ingredients doesn't deserve to be called a photograph.

In an era when absolutely anyone can take a photo, who is a photographer? Is there still a role for professionals to play in the field?

Yes, professional photographers are relevant. Technology can make photography easy but it cannot make you passionate about the art. It cannot drive you to keep on taking pictures. And it cannot give you an expert eye.

We must recognise that the camera does not take a picture - it is only the medium. It is always the man behind the camera that matters. An everyday scene becomes a memorable photograph only when someone puts emotion into it. A good picture comes only with a great passion.

That doesn't mean it necessarily requires formal training. To my mind, a photographer is a person who puts his whole being into his pictures. The one with a visceral connection to his work. Not necessarily the one with an expensive camera.

Does that mean practice is more important than training?

Both are integral to the art of photography. Practice makes you capable of taking a shot even with your naked eyes. It is imperative to hone your skills. Training is necessary to understand the nuances of this art. Your skill is incomplete without proper training. An untrained photographer is akin to a writer who has a great story, but no words to share it.

Photo: S Paul

What is your definition of a great photograph?

One that can hold the viewer. Any photograph that touches my heart is a great picture for me. It should be able to connect me with that time and place where it was taken. That is only possible if the photographer possesses the art of capturing not just an event but emotion. The combination of emotion and technology makes a memorable photograph.

Does that include mobile phone camera technology?

To me mobile phone photos are a form of hell. The cellphone is meant for talking. You cannot pursue memorability with auto-click technology. It cannot come with Photoshop or auto-enhance software. I may be in a minority but I don't consider it photography at all.