Almost three century back, Photography was a very expensive, specialised and tedious endeavour in its first many decades, it was not standardised, the chemicals and the sensitive materials which we call film or photography plate today were not readily available off the shelf. Processing, printing was also limited to a few experts who dedicated their lives and time to understand and improve the photography technique.
Almost 100 years after the photography was invented a few enthusiasts from India came together in Mumbai, then Bombay and established a photography club in Mumbai, then Bombay. Named it "photographic society of India." At 195, Saheb Building, Dr. D. N. Road, Fort Mumbai G.P.O. Mumbai India,
Established on August 29, 1937, this institution has been continuously active for the past 90 years. It was founded through the initiative of C. R. Gerard (Director of the J.J. School of Art) and with the encouragement of the late Ambalal J. Patel.
As I said before, in those times to acquire a camera, purchase plates or film and chemicals, photosensitive papers to arrange for a darkroom took a lot of efforts and expenditure. Information was not easily available, communication channels were very limited. And in this environment the dedicated photographers pesued photography as an art form.
Today's generation must appreciate the efforts, dedication and organisations involved in those difficult times. A mobile has made everyone a photographer without a need to understand the nuances, principles and technology. Any child with a pencil, colours and paper could draw and paint something very easily, similarly a click generates an image. But to create meaningful beautiful art requires organization, understanding, study and guidance. PSI fulfilled this void and provided the necessary guidance, facilities and platform for amateur and advanced photographers.
The enormous contribution of "photographic society of India" In nurturing photography and photographers, new budding as well as stalwart artists is so far not documented in detail. This is an attempt to enumerate the merits and achievements of "photographic society of India", its ongoing activities and to showcase exceptionally talented photographers associated with the society as members and members of managing committee
PSI provides Guidance by senior accomplished photographers on International Salon participations as well as, guidelines to approach National and International Distinctions and Social Media Groups for Learning and Sharing Photography Information inculcates the salon participation culture.
Photo outings with experienced and highly talented photo artists provides the photographers to interact with stalwarts from this art field, learn from them and clear any doubts. A very large proportion of top commercial photographers and photo artists took their baby steps at PSI and then nurtured future generations.
PSI is the oldest Photography Society in India, pioneering the creation of creative, aesthetically excellent, artistic photographs and sowing the seed of Salon participation, exhibition culture. Generations of exceptionally talented photo artists are indebted to PSI for timely guidance, providing a platform for getting together, achieving highest international standards in technique, aesthetics’ needed for participation in national and international salons and other activities .
Subsequently, individuals such as J.N. Unwala, R.R. Bharadwaj, B.B. Funibunda, Mittar Bedi, Ashwin Gatha, and K.G. Maheshwari made significant contributions to the organization and photography. Prominent figures such as Jamsetji Tata, the Gaekwad Maharaja of Baroda, the Maharajas of Travancore and Porbandar, Abdul Hussain, Akbar Ali, and Adik Shirodkar, Sharad Devare, Sham Manchekar, Prof. Shrikant Maluste, K. G Maheshwari , R. A. Acharya to mention a few, were also members of the institution. The exceptional success of these doyens of Indian photography showcased the importance of PSI as a place for like-minded photographers, to meet, exchange knowledge, technique and aesthetics’ of photography and photographs.
Digital photography created a need to understand the use of computer, the image file, resolution and image processing software. PSI evolved with these changes and provided guidance, training, discussions by involving expert experienced photographers to explain the world of digital photography.
- Anirudha Cheoolkar
