17 January,2012 06:47 AM IST | | Dhara Vora
Street Photography, a book by Kashish and Maansi Parpiani, son and daughter of city based senior photographer Mukesh Parpiani, is a salute to the drama and essence of city life, across its streets and roads
Give a click-happy person a camera and in a few day's time, chances are that he/she will boast of a drive filled with images to choose from. Now, imagine compiling a set of photographs that span four decades that are set in a city that doesn't sleep.
Street kids enjoying all the attention by a tourist
This is exactly what brother-sister duo of Kashish and Maansi Parpiani did with a photo compilation called Street Photography: See! Shoot! Showcase! which showcases their father, respected photojournalist Mukesh Parpiani's finest works around the streets and gullies of aamchi Mumbai.
"We wanted to have an experimental format instead of the typically boring textbook look that would just showcase our father's photographs. These pictures cover four decades of Mumbai and serve as a guidebook to students of photography, be it BMM (Bachelor of Mass Media) students or photography enthusiasts," shares Maansi.
The portrait of a Parsi gentleman shot in the 1980s
Maansi says that people feel that street photography has no money but in fact photography has become easier today because of digitalisation. Also, the number of people taking up photography has increased with many colleges and private institutions teaching the subject.
The book has selected photographs that would help to elaborate on the tips that are included inside. The images cover various themes including the monsoon, Mumbai police, life in the slums, though not in a touristy way says Maansi.
Two boys lost in their own world during Namaz
19-year-old Kashish, a Jai Hind College student, shot most of the coloured pictures. Kashish has slipped into photojournalist mode: already, heu00a0 has covered several events for leading city newspapers.
Maansi's favourites include the one which shows a tourist wincing back from street kids whereas the portrait of a Parsi man with policemen in the background is Mukesh's favourite.
Maansi, a former student of History says, "These frames are rich archival sources that cover the general mood of Mumbai.
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Rather than having them lie around, a compilation helps get a glimpse of the city over decades." Mukesh Parpiani, who began his career as a freelance photographer in 1979 now heads the Piramal Gallery and the Centre of Photography as Art at the National Centre of the Performing Arts (NCPA).
Cost Rs 1,000
Log on to www.parpiani.com
