Page 428 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

PHOTOGRAPHY 425

be mentioned in a discussion of photography of this period. Famous poet Golam Mustafa
was also an amateur photographer. Politician Khan Bahadur Naziruddin Ahmed (1889-
1976) took photographs of many Indian and local political figures in undivided Bengal
and after partition.
Among Bengalis, Upendrakishore Ray was the first to contemplate and write on
aesthetics of photography. In 1312 (Bengali year) Upendrakishore Ray wrote in his
essay ‘Photographir Charcha’ (The Practice of Photography), ‘ As in painting, there is
scope for poetic expression and beauty in photography. However, it is a very difficult
task, a great deal of care and hard work might result in little success.’ [Trans.]
35
In the essay titled ‘Photography’ published in 1318, Sukumar Ray, son of
Upendrakishore Ray wrote, ‘“Photography” generally indicates “taking an image” of
a visible object. This is the main point of photography, and to many the ultimate goal
of photography.…but those who seek a higher ideal in it know that there is enough
scope for cultivating beauty in the practice of photography. Taking a proper
photograph of a ‘beautiful object’ does not automatically result in a ‘beautiful
photograph’. Because there is marked difference between the vision of our eyes and
photographic vision.…this is why special care and judgment is required in choosing
photographic subjects and knowledge of how the subject will look through the vision
of photography is also needed. …it takes much habituation and experience to gain the
ability to properly judge various issues.’ [Trans.]
36
2.3 Women Photographers
The first women who got involved in photography in Kolkata in undivided Bengal
were the wives of foreigners living there. Names of three women photographers have
been found in the Bengal Photographic Society of Kolkata in 1858. They are Mrs.
Mouat, Mrs. T. Thomson and Mrs. C.B. Young. The first studio opened by a woman
is that of Mrs. D. Garrick in Waterloo Street of Kolkata in 1877. In around 1885, Mrs.
Wins took the initiative to go door-to-door in Kolkata to take photographs of women.
Among the Indian women Maharani Manomohini, the third wife of Maharaja
Birchandra Manikya first proved photographic skills. She photographed in around
1890. Sarojini Ghosh was possibly the first among Bengali women photographers to
take photography as a profession and to open a studio, in the 19th century. In around
1897, her studio was situated at 32 Cornwallis Street, Kolkata. 37
Between 1930 and 1940, Annapurna Datta (1894-1976) of Kolkata became very
famous as a woman photographer. Many Muslim families graciously accepted her and
she went to their homes to take photographs. She took photographs in the households
of Hasan Suhrawardy, poet Jasimuddin, singer Abbasuddin, Begum Rokeya and others.
2.4 Photographic Studios and Institutes
Hiralal Sen and Matilal Sen set up a photographic studio called ‘Amaravati Fine Art
Association’ in their own village in around 1890. Later they set up a studio named
‘Hiralal Sen and Brothers’ at 151 Cornwallis Street of Masjid Bari, Kolkata. A studio
named ‘Bengal Studio’ is known to have existed in Dhaka during the beginning of the