Jain Spirit 2002 10 No 12

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 36

ART & LITERATURE
FROM A FEMININE
VIEWPOINT
Alison Kent talks to Jain photographer Bunshri Chandaria about her exhibition at the Nehru Centre in London
and finds out what makes a good photograph
BUNSHRI CHANDRA
The skill in photography is in recognising the moment and capturing it
n HOTOGRAPHS ARE GREAT WAYS OF CAPTURING SPECIAL P moments and memories. They are frequently
displayed around the homes, provide us with inspiration and help us retain special experiences in our lives. Today, photography has become a major art form; there are photography competitions and exhibitions all the time. In this article, we examine the photographs of a Jain who has worked hard to practise her art.
Bunshri Chandaria is a trained photographer; she was invited to exhibit a collection of her work at the Nehru Centre in London. The exhibition covered three important aspects of her life: a visit to northwest India, images of Africa where she grew up and visions of Vietnam, which holds a special fascination for her.
Bunshri was born into a Jain family in Kenya. She came to the UK when she was twelve. She was first introduced to photography quite by accident when some twenty years ago her husband presented her with a manual camera. Being inquisitive, she wanted to master how it worked and to understand about the depth of field; how different films react to various light conditions and the implications of using colour or black and white films.
She discovered that she was hungry for knowledge and quickly her interest moved beyond technicalities. “Soon you realise that you see things in a different light," she said. She took up life drawing classes in order to further her knowledge of the human form. Equipped with some technical knowledge and increased visual awareness, she
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Jain Spirit . September - November 2002
lain Education International 2010_03