Khalid Mohamed in conversation with the celebrated lensman, Rafique Sayed, on the vital essence of photography, on his predilection for black & white images, and on the loss of purity with the onset of digital and Artificial Intelligence.

In an exclusive and in-depth conversation, acclaimed film journalist Khalid Mohamed engages with celebrated Indian photographer Rafique Sayed, known for his distinctive black and white photography, conceptual imagery, and minimalist visual language. From his seminal photo book Ways of Water to his resistance to the overuse of Artificial Intelligence in photography, Sayed reflects on his creative journey spanning over two decades. This compelling dialogue explores his inspirations—ranging from Irving Penn to Steve McCurry—his views on the erosion of photographic purity in the digital age, the power of natural light, and the spiritual undertones of image-making. For enthusiasts of fine art photography, fashion photography, and visual storytelling, this is a masterclass in the philosophy and evolving practice of photography in India and beyond.

Tracking Rafique Sayed’s images – essentially a collection of individualistic, deeply styled black & white images – has been a commitment for over two decades now. After being a media editor of The Times of India and then, around the mid-1980s, at the behest of the group’s management, editor of Filmfare, I was plunged into the world of glamour photography, which I was entirely ignorant of.
Thanks to the late Gautam Rajadhyaksha, my mentor in this area of image-making, I was advised to familiarise myself with the fashion photography by an image-maker he admired – Rafique Sayed. That wasn’t feasible at that point in the absence of the Internet. Once Facebook and Instagram opened up, towards the cusp of the new millennium, Sayed’s photography has held me in an addictive fix.
Initially, I sensed that he had a fetish for the female form, a questionable voyeuristic male gaze. That was inevitable for a novice. With more exposure and, dare I say, knowledge about the art form, it was evident that here was an artist who wasn’t vulnerable to simplistic interpretations. My opinion of Rafique Sayed altered dramatically, heightened with the passage of time and his estimable oeuvre.
On Google sources, his backstory is a blank, obviously because he has preferred to keep it that way. All I could glean was that he had studied at the University of Bombay. He is happily married and has a grown-up son. That’s it. Fine, none of my business — his work is.

My first go at interviewing him failed, what with him forgetting that we had agreed on a late afternoon appointment at his studio in Lower Parel, if I remember correctly. Second time around, to lasso Sayed was somewhat akin to chasing the proverbially elusive Scarlet Pimpernel, beset by bounced emails, remedied at long last by hitting the right email ID. Here then, are the master photographer’s responses, which are precise and punctilious and yet unfiltered:

On Rafique Sayed’s beginnings as an image-maker.

I don’t come from a family of ‘creative’ people. It was a family of professionals. It still is. Growing up, I was crazy about cricket like the rest of my family, though I played many different games. On returning from school, I would throw away my school bag and run to the playground. It was my college teacher, Ms Rosita Ferdinando, who introduced me to photography. Later, it was Mr Rusi Belihomji who taught me the ropes. My uncle Mustafa Rizvi, a well-known cinematographer in his time, took me under his wings and supported my growing passion.

On his private life.

My personal life is very much my personal life, always has been. I prefer that people talk about my creative life instead — my pictures, the concepts, my way of shooting a photograph. I have been invited to talk about these aspects at Jamia, Banaras Hindu University, Aligarh Muslim University, St. Xavier’s, Sophia’s, Symbiosis, and other institutions, which gives me satisfaction. I love photography and only want to concentrate on that.

On the marketing of his seminal book ‘Ways of Water’.

Ways of Water has been a significant work. The pictures are differently shot. Most who know me, or of me, did not expect a fashion photographer to shoot a subject such as water. And yet, I have been doing landscapes, portraits, and fine art — apart from fashion photography — for years. The book was released just before the pandemic. While the marketing could have been better, it was not a good time for the launch. Ways of Water was published by my client and dear friend, Mr Prakash Chhabria of Finolex. 

On his Instagram posts which largely focus on the female form.

Most of this is my personal work and not a part of any professional assignment. I like shooting the female form more than the male form.

On the deep saturation of black and white images and his interest, if any, in street photography.

I have been doing black & white photography for the last 25-odd years. Once in a while, I have done street photography. And seriously, I respect street photographers. As Henri Cartier-Bresson put it, you literally have 1/125 sec to capture the moment. It is an art by itself.

On whether the demands from ad agencies have changed for the better or worse.

The advertising universe has changed completely. I find print advertising very mediocre in concept and execution. It is a digital world today.

On gallerists approaching photography as an ‘art’ by itself.

I don’t find Indian galleries as aggressive as the international ones. Galleries still have a leaning towards promoting painters rather than photographers. As a result, photographers take forever to achieve some sort of recognition as artists. It is the painters who continue to sell. International online galleries, though, do good business with photography.

On photographers whom he has been inspired by.

Among Indian photographers, I have been impressed by the works of S. Paul, Raghubir Singh, and Raghu Rai. Internationally, I admire and love the work of Ernst Haas, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, and Brett Weston. I have found Irving Penn to be one of the most versatile photographers.

One of his evocative images captioned that every good picture needs a good assistant.

Assistants, as well as professionals like make-up artists, hair stylists, and maybe stylists, undoubtedly make life easier for photographers like me. I have been fortunate to have more good assistants than bad ones. Some stay for years, while others leave in months. The youngsters today want quick results, shorter internships. I believe photography improves when your observation and awareness improve. This comes with time and experience.

On why a majority of young photographers are into pretty images of sunsets, sunrises, monuments here and abroad which is quite tiresome.

I can’t say. The advent of digital photography has allowed everyone to take pretty images. The widespread use of Photoshop and Canva gave control in their hands. For those like me, however, it took away some of the creative satisfaction of photography. Photoshop is being used in commercial work to an extent that a photographer cannot recognise his or her own work. That’s why I have stopped doing commercial assignments for quite a few years. Covid was also one of the reasons.

My passion for photography, however, remained strong and I looked upon photo art as another way to keep me going. Selling images through national and international galleries seemed like a good idea. Even as I got access to Saatchi and other similar platforms, I continued to shoot and have not closed doors to creative work.

On the impact of any personalities or celebrities whom he has photographed.

Over time, I have shot many celebrities, some when they were not such big names. I don’t really enjoy shooting them because they often come with an idea of their own about how they want to be seen. Of course, they want to look attractive, which is fine. But I want to capture a character in my pictures. And therein lies the difference… I have shot many memorable portraits too and tremendously enjoyed meeting the subject in front of my camera through honest interaction.

On elaborate lighting schemes versus natural light.

I love natural light, which creates such drama all around — nothing can quite replace it or improve on it. I am a one-light photographer, indoors or outdoors. I get invited specifically to demonstrate my technique of single-light photography.

On cameras and films before the digital age which he has been most satisfied with.

Nikon was my favourite camera in the small format and Hasselblad in the medium format. I still love the Hasselblad XPan (70 mm) camera. I liked shooting Kodak films. I accepted digital photography when film and its processing was no longer easily available. Processing of digital work has really advanced today, though I still admire film photography. Some international fine art photographers still like to shoot film. I met a 38-year-old photographer in Germany who confessed that if they stopped manufacturing film, he would retire.

On technical knowledge of the art and craft of photography.

Technical knowledge is essential to begin with. And then you break the rules. I respect those who experiment with everything taught at the Schools of Photography and go on to create their own style and concepts. Images need not be beautiful; they must have individuality and character.

On the sudden omnipresence of Artificial Intelligence.

I think AI could take away your individuality. To quote Albert Einstein, “Be a master of technology, never allow technology to master you.”

On improvisations and unexpected candid images.

Of course, it can happen. Even though I like to plan a shoot, I am absolutely open to being surprised, and love it when that happens. Sometimes, it is the lighting, and sometimes it is the subject that surprises you.

On why he often doesn’t capture an entire face, body or ambience which makes the images more seductive.

I don’t usually shoot unless I have some kind of a concept in my mind. That is not to say that I don’t seize the moment. Often, I see the picture before the viewfinder sees it. And I select the right pictures from what I have shot. These are images which speak to me. Images speak in different languages — one for you and a completely different one for the viewer.

On John Berger's theory that there are disparate ‘Ways of Seeing’ and ‘Ways of Looking’ at photographed images.

I believe that when you look at a picture, you must feel it rather than see it. The eyes can only see an image, but the heart can feel the emotions portrayed by the subject and captured by the photographer. It is a little sad that people see only superficial beauty in a picture rather than the wide range of emotions conveyed. If the soul is blind, the eyes have no sight.

On Susan Sontag’s perspectives that, “Photography are ways of imprisoning reality, one can possess images in the present but one cannot possess the past” and “A photograph is both a pseudo presence and a token of absence — like a wood fire in a room….”

An image can create history and be remembered through the ages. War pictures remind you of the drastic events that took place in the past, conveying a strong message. However, they can recreate the horrors even in the present, to act as a reminder of the grim consequences of violence. In that sense, it is not a token of absence but an indicator of what can be.

People still remember the Afghan refugee shot by Steve McCurry, which appeared on the cover of National Geographic more than 40 years ago. It still takes you back to the horrific realities of war. So I agree that photography can be a very powerful medium that can imprison reality for posterity or possess an image in the present long after the event is behind us.

  

On whether he has gone through a sort of existential phase — What am I doing? Who am I?

The eternal question ‘Who am I?’ has bothered every human being for years. Speaking for myself, perhaps I am more of a Sufi. Rumi, Hafiz, and Ibn Arbi have kept me pondering on this unanswerable idea of ‘Who I am.’
I would say that I lean towards the idea of Ramana Maharshi’s philosophy that ‘There is No Other’. Love is the only way of communication, and silence is the only way to convey your love. Give, don’t expect. In the words of Hafiz, the sky does not ask the earth: ‘For how long will I give you light?’

So what would he have been if not a photographer.

To that, I would quote Mirza Ghalib: “Na tha kuchh toh Khuda tha. Kuchh na hota toh Khuda hota / Duboya mujhko hone ne, Na hota main, to kya hota?” (“When there was nothing, there was God; If there was nothing, there was God. / My being is drowning me, Would it really matter if I wasn't there?”)