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Lyrical in words too
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T.S. Satyan evokes spellbinding simplicity not in images alone but in words as well, as his latest work exemplifies
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I am not comfortable with modern gadgetry because my mind is tuned to the simple. I have always depended on what I am tuned to T.S. SATYAN PHOTOJOURNALIST
DUAL SKILLS T.S. Satyan: `I would like to emphasise that photojournalists should learn to write just as reporters should learn to take photos' Photos: V. Sreenivasa Murthy
"When you spend 80 summers on one planet with a camera in hand, things happen, events occur, and you have a bunch of experiences and encounters because you were there at the right time at the right place," says T.S. Satyan one of the finest photojournalists the country has known. Had Mr. Satyan he taken to writing early, like he did with photography, he would have been one of the country's finest writers. Lucky he didn't, because as someone put it, he would have had many others in trouble if not R.K. Narayan himself. His prose is easy, relaxing and so uncluttered. He now has four books to his credit, the latest one being Alive and Clicking a memoir published by Penguin India. The book captures a variety of his chance encounters and meetings with great personalities in his career, his experiences in India and abroad and Mysore of the thirties and forties. On the occasion of the release of his book Saturday last, Mr. Satyan shared a few thoughts on photojournalism. Excerpts from an interview:
How would you look back on your life as a photojournalist?
Many people tell me I am one of the pioneers of photojournalism in the country. That may be because I took to photojournalism at a time when the concept was not yet accepted and when there was no realisation that pictures were vital for newspapers, for communication. To branch into a risky option needed courage. I think I had that element in me, much like R.K. Narayan, who wrote at a time when it was difficult for Indian writers to be successful.
I liked Narayan and Narayan liked me because we probably strode the same path professionally. While Narayan became a national figure, I am happy I have been able to give something to my countrymen. I feel overwhelmed about this occasion because I started my career in this very city.
What would you like young photojournalists to be doing?
They should be well trained and very committed. The question is not about monetary benefit alone. Photojournalists will be a witness to their times, they should realize their work in totality and give back to society a legacy. Being committed is not being idealistic. I would like to emphasise that photojournalists should learn to write just as reporters should learn to take photos. This will make a difference to the world of the newspaper.
What has digitalisation done to photojournalism?
Digitalisation and modern technology seem to have made photography easier, but it is not true that all problems of photography will be solved. The parameters of good photography will not change whether it is a digital camera or a normal camera because capturing an image requires sensitivity, understanding of a situation, compositional acumen and interpretation of content. These are lessons still to be learnt.
But there must be some gains from digitalisation.
Certainly digitalisation is a great help. Modern equipment allows for pictures to be taken in far greater variety and it helps save space. The negatives will fade away in time, in the next 100 years or so. Digitalisation offers greater scope for preservation of content, like on a CD. The content will last for a long time and we can always duplicate it in any number at any time. Everyday there are changes in all walks of life and we need to document all these through the lives of philosophers, writers and artistes. We have already lost material of great archival value. We should be working towards building a positive legacy for the next generation who should benefit from what they have not seen.
How comfortable have you been with modern equipment?
I am not comfortable with modern gadgetry because my mind is tuned to the simple. I have always depended on what I am tuned to. As I said, modern equipment by itself won't give you a great photograph. You need to have the right sensitivity. The equipment could then be of great help.
Your most memorable moments...
This is very difficult to dilate. But yes, the encounters with the greats C.V. Raman, Satyajit Ray, Jawaharlal Nehru, R.K. Narayan, R.K. Laxman, the Dalai Lama...
The kind of photography you are inclined to.
I am always comfortable photographing people, people who do not hit the headlines but who matter. Like Narayan writes about people and Laxman caricatures the common man, I, in the same vein love to capture ordinary people.
PRASHANTH G.N.
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