The Untold Stories From Kolkata: Street Photography by Krishnendu Saha from “That’s Life”

Krishnendu Saha

Eric’s Note: I am pleased to share the work of Krishnendu Saha, a street photographer based in Kolkata. Krishnendu is part of That’s Life, an Indian Street Photographer Collective. He is a student and teacher of Mathematics, but has been honing his photography skills for the last few years as a way to tell the “untold stories” from his hometown. Keep reading to get a better insight about his philosophy and background in street photography!

Krishnendu: To me, street photography is a game that can never be played twice in the same way. A game that is played by me against the world, a game that I control. I decide when to start, when to finish, or when to have a tea break.

It’s a way how I react to the surroundings I am placed into at that time.

Not only that, it allows me to build relationships with different people whom I didn’t know earlier! When I go through my old archives and see the photographs, all those slices of life just start flashing on my mind. I can feel the connection with those persons present in my photographs, with those places.

How I got started in photography

Krishnendu Saha

It took me long to realize that photography is a form of art like music, paintings, etc. Growing up, I have always admired good photographs in my and my relatives family albums. I was fond of photographs actually but trust me didnt know the true meaning of “photography”.

In my place, in a lower middleclass family I couldnt expect that I would be gifted a ‘camera’ and that also 15-16 years before. Initially, I used to click with my friends’ or my relatives’ camera and that also only in vacations. So it took some time to explore a camera properly and to realize what photography actually is.

After doing good result in my undergraduate studies my father gave me a digital point and shoot camera as a present. I don’t know how he realized that I wanted a camera so badly then. Thanks to him, from the very next day I started roaming on the streets and clicking photographs of random people. That’s how I started my journey.

Those days photography was the only thing which used to make me happy. It was the only medium through which I could express myself. I took it seriously then and started reading articles, interviews , notes etc. whatever was available on internet and libraries and studying various photographs of Masters. It helped inspire me and continue on my photographic journey.

Photos by Krishnendu

krishnendu saha street photography

krishnendu saha street photography

krishnendu saha street photography

Krishnendu Saha

Krishnendu Saha

Krishnendu Saha

Krishnendu Saha

krishnendu saha street photography

Krishnendu Saha

krishnendu saha street photography

krishnendu saha street photography

Krishnendu Saha

krishnendu saha street photography

krishnendu saha street photography

Krishnendu Saha

About Krishnendu:

Krishnendu Saha is a self taught photographer based in Kolkata. By profession, he is a student and teacher of Mathematics but for the last few years he is nurturing his old interest in photography. To him, photography has always been a fascinating medium to write some untold and unheard stories. He photographs whatever and whoever he encounters in his day to day life so that time and space could merge with his conscious and subconscious in a diluted but strong narrative. Presently he is an independent photographer based in Kolkata, working on long term projects.

Krishnendu is a part of “That’s Life“, an Indian street photography collective. You can see more of his work here.

What do you think of Krishnendu’s work and how do his images make you feel? Show him some feedback and love by leaving a comment below!