We all have smartphones in our hands by this point, and clicking just a few good pictures doesn’t make us a good photographer, right? Like, sure, if you really want to take it seriously and do something about it, you can level up your skills and show your creativity, no two ways about that. But you’d certainly agree that there are a few objectively the best and top photographers, especially right here in India. And we’re not just saying this for the sake of it, they have clicked and portrayed some of the best photographs for the world to see. That’s why we’re talking about these top 10 famous photographers in India. So, let’s just get to it then, shall we?
1. Raghu Rai
If the discussion is all about the best photographs and the photographers in the world, there is literally no way you can skip over Raghu Rai’s name, but why’s that exactly? Before that though, here’s a fun fact: You see, he was the first Indian to join Magnum Photos, the most prestigious group in the world for photographers. Well, that changes if you think about events such as the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, or the touching portraits of Mother Teresa, or rather everything else between: for Raghu Rai, he has seen it all through his lens. Did we say he grabbed the Padma Shri in 1972? Yes, that’s another thing right there!
2. Dayanita Singh
Dayanita Singh is known for creating images or, better yet, creating photography beyond the pictures themselves. If you know just a little bit about her, well, she’s famous for Museum Bhavan, her kinda brainchild, which is like carrying an art gallery in your pocket-literally. Sure enough, Dayanita shows you photos but tells you stories really about memory and association in ways you haven’t seen about Indian identity, you know? That is, photo books that are so beautiful and worthy of a place in an art museum.
3. Raghubir Singh
Well, sure enough, he is the one individual who can truly prove India to be much more colorful than any black-and-white photograph. Like, when everyone was hung upon monochrome, Raghubir Singh became all brave and bold with colors to show India’s beautiful chaos like no one can. Just so you know though, his photo books portray India from the divine Garg into the hustle and bustle of Rajasthan: every bit of the country captured in all of its disarrayed magical glory. Just in our opinion, not mere photographs but more in the form of a colorful love letter to the country.
4. Gauri Gill
Have you ever wondered about life in rural India according to the view of the camera lens? Well, Gauri Gill has indeed come up with that and some more! Like? Well, Notes from the Desert, a long-term work is a moving description of life in Rajasthan because it represents people whose lives have gone unnoticed. But that’s not really the interesting part-Gauri does not just take pictures, what then? Well, some of her work has been with other artists and traditional art forms such as in Fields of Sight along with photography. If you like photos of heart-wrenching, untold stories, you will be awe-stricken by Gauri’s work, we can say THAT for sure.
5. Sohrab Hura
Well, if you think about a famous photographer who’s known to always break the traditional photography rules and still clicks the most iconic photos, then it had to be Sohrab Hura, and we’re all here for it, right? He is a photojournalist but somewhere he said to himself, “Let’s make this one personal now.” Projects such as Life is Elsewhere or The Coast involve India’s quirks, and life experiences along with the other’s. Just so you know though, his images have a moody, sometimes a bit dark aura within, but always make you think about them later.
6. Pushpamala N.
Theater meets photography in Pushpamala N. Has anyone ever cast themselves in their own photographs? That’s all her! The elaborate scenes she creates are part satire, part social critique, and 100% interesting, we can say THAT for sure. All in all, one thing we’d say for sure is that if photography gives you drama, Pushpamala’s work presents a visual performance to remember.
7. Sunil Gupta
Alright, now sure enough, it is none other than Sunil Gupta who’s bringing the change to the photography scene of the country, but how exactly? Well, he invigorated the already existing voices of the LGBTQ+ community in India when such views were still far from being in the mainstream, you know? Like, he captures beauty and boldness through his series Exiles, which illuminates the clandestine lives of gay men in India during the 1980s.
8. Ram Rahman
Now, this is what urban India looks like through the camera lens of Ram Rahman, it really does catch the heartbeat of Delhi. But hold on, let us not forget that he is not just a photographer but a designer, curator, and activist too. You know, well, he has also fought for artistic freedoms by being a co-founder of the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust advocating democracy through art. The perfect balance of art and activism, we’d say.
9. Ronny Sen
Dark, gritty, and thought-provoking, that’s how Ronny Sen’s photography can be described, have you seen it yet? Well, things like the project End of Time consist of haunting imagery of the Jharia coal mines, which have been on fire and covered with ash for decades. Well, if it is raw, real, and hits hard between the eyes in photography that you want, Ronny is the guy you need to look for.
10. Manjari Sharma
Well, there is no way that we could just end this list without even mentioning Manjari Sharma, and you’ll come to know why. You see, only she divinely shows mythology in contemporary art without substitutes. Her series Darshan reconceives Indian deities into amazing, life-like images, and much more with contemporary techniques. Manjari Sharma has been based in Brooklyn, though, just as comfortably, her work feels very Indian and yet infinitely relatable.
Conclusion
That’s pretty much it. And it is not like there are no other good and famous photographers in the country, there sure are, but by far, these are the top and most famous ones. We truly hope that today’s post justified how really amazing their work and portfolio are.
