Untouched by light

If weddings are happy occasions, why has photographer Ryan Lobo looked at the dark side of this event.

The first thing that pops out of photographer Ryan Lobo's works is that most of them shed light through dark pictures. Not only are the topics that he takes up dark, the way he uses light also produces very dark images.

"I don't wait for the right light; instead, I wait for the right expression," says the self-taught photographer, whose exhibition, The Wedding Season, is on at the Tasveer gallery in Bangalore till January 11, 2007. The Wedding Season captures lone moments in the midst of crowds.

"I like to capture people who are alone with their emotions," says Lobo. That's why the collection of wedding pictures showcase select images; a little boy dressed up in wedding finery who looks lost among all the wedding decorations, or photos of tired old people looking bored.

The loneliness is particularly relevant as Lobo created it in a particularly dark moment in his life. It was then that he captured the desolate moments of individuals in weddings.

"The woman I loved had left me, my dog had died and the documentary films I had dedicated my life to seemed far removed from the romantic visions I had when I first started making films. My constant travelling had removed me from my family and my lover; the world seemed smaller and, on reflection, so did I. An artist is always a part of his work and it shows in the pictures," says Lobo.

Ryan's favourite concept is to click pictures of people without showing their faces. He lets the body language do all the talking and this is one common feature of his collection.

The 33-year-old photographer also captures the changes taking place in India. So while he may capture images of traditional Coorgi ceremonies in the background, the same frame will also show young couples kissing.

The images often have diffused lighting and grainy textures. Lobo seems less concerned about sharpness and detailing in his images. In the past, the Bangalore-based photographer has covered topics like Veerapan's death and children in Tihar jail.

Photography is not what Ryan does for a living. He is a documentary filmmaker and has made films for Oprah Winfrey, National Geographic and Animal Planet. But photography is the artist's first love.

"When I make films, I work with a team, but while taking pictures I am with myself and my subjects. It is this freedom that I enjoy," says Lobo.

Lobo is one of the few younger photographers who still uses a Nikon SLR and has not gone the digital way "" his pictures are never worked upon digitally.

He has co-founded a production company, besides an advertising and marketing agency. Lobo's work is available in two sizes "" 25x16 cm, which sells for Rs 25,000 and 36x24 cm, available for Rs 75,000.