PICTURING A CENTURY

Picturing A Century captures the story of a photo studio located at the very heart of the historical journey of photography in India, the Mahatta Studio. It does so through photo frames from the deep archive of the studio. Narrative captioning supplements the rich visual history of Indian photography that the book brings to its reader.

The book is divided into sections which approximate various genres in Indian photography, such as, Framing the History of a Young Nation, Portraiture, Matrimonials and Wedding Photography, Madan Mehta’s vast archive of Architectural Photography, and the Mahatta Studio’s contribution to Industrial and Commercial Photography. Throughout the book, important discursive strands associated with the field of photography, such as the photo studio encompassing the universe via the lens, or the transition from the specialist photographer to ‘anyone can shoot’ are highlighted.

In Picturing A Century, the history of photography of a country, and the story of its innovations and lost skills is told through a visual narration of an iconic photo studio’s story. Photographers, students of visual arts, students of history, and lay readers interested in the history of photography in India will find this an exciting read.