Documentary & Photo Stories | Nishant Ratnakar Photography

The Democratic Photographic Republic of India

The Democratic Photographic Republic of India is a project that celebrates the democracy in photography craft that is seen today. The subject of this project are the non-professional wedding photographers at Indian weddings. These photographers are essentially the guests at a wedding - the family and friends of the couple getting married. They are not the photographers who were commissioned to photograph the weddings. In fact, It was I who was commissioned to photograph these weddings, and in the course of these assignments I pursued this project on the sidelines. Chennai, 2014.

The Democratic Photographic Republic of India is a project that celebrates democracy in photography craft that is seen all over the world today. The subjects of this project are the non-professional wedding photographers at Indian weddings. These photographers are essentially the invited guests at a wedding – the family and friends of the couple who… Continue reading The Democratic Photographic Republic of India

In the Life of Romal

Romal Michael Laishram Singh. © Nishant Ratnakar

‘In the life of Romal’, is an ongoing project where I am documenting the life of my friend, Laishram Romal Michael Singh. Romal is gay. Being gay isn’t the end of his identity, isn’t it? But being gay can be enough to pass a prejudiced judgement in Indian society where homosexuality is still shunned upon.

Chinnara Manasa : Right to participation

Chinnara Manasa - Newsletter run by school children at Raichur, Southern India

Prakash is a boy studying in 10th standard at Government High school Yappeldini village, about 25 kilometers from Raichur. But he lives in Donga Rampur village which is about 7 Kms away from his school and he has to cycle up and down everyday. His village school has classes only up to 7th standard. Many… Continue reading Chinnara Manasa : Right to participation

Of Love and Longing

Indian migrant Dharmanand Sharma and his wife Soni share an intimate moment during a family picnic. Siem Reap, Cambodia. 2008. © Nishant Ratnakar

India, the home of over one billion people is a third world economy. One of the problems of the third world is unemployment, and with one billion people having few job openings, it is natural for huge number of people migrating overseas in search of opportunities to make a living and earn a better life.