WHO?
I am Yash Sheth. Born in 1994, I am an Electronics Engineer. I have been doing Photography since 2015. I am based in Mumbai, India.
Photography is something that puts a smile on my face. I love how street photography allows me to open a door to enter into the lives of strangers and document moments in the form of photographs by being an observer–and sometimes a participant too.
I learn from everyone. We are all learners. I take photographs so I can freeze moments and feel them again–years later–by looking at them again. I believe photography is a powerful tool to make good connections with strangers.
WHAT?
I am just a simple person and a simple photographer who wants to do something he loves every day. That’s photography. When I am walking the streets, I am pretty much open to anything. I never look for anything specific. I just keep observing what’s happening in front of me. Whenever I find something interesting, I try to work the scene for as much time as I can. I work the scene through different angles, and I always keep a smile on my face. A simple smile can often do wonders. I just want people to see me as person, not as a photographer.
The street is fascinating. It always gives you something. If not photographs, then the conversation we make with people, the connection we make with strangers, our experience, etc. This all stays with us for lifetime, and that’s the beauty of photography.
WHEN?
What I would prefer would be to shoot everyday. I tend to make at least one photograph a day. Street photography is an approach. It can be done anywhere. Out there on streets, in your home, while going to collect groceries, your work place etc., etc. For me I don’t mind shooting anytime of the day, but I mostly go out during early mornings and early evenings, that’s when the light is warm and colour pops up. India is heaven for colours.
Wherever I go, I always (mostly) have my camera with me. You never to know when any moment is going to pop up. You have to be ready.
WHERE?
I am from Mumbai, and this city is much more than the touristic places we all know. It has 18 fishing villages, highways, pipelines, forests, zoos, salt pans, beaches, markets, industrial areas, playgrounds, caves, religious places, dhobi ghat (open cloth washing), thief market, monuments and more. To be honest this city has everything. You will find almost each festival of different religions being celebrated in Mumbai.
So my aim is show my own, and different perspectives of Mumbai that haven’t been documented. I just explore these different parts of Mumbai every day. I am working of four projects currently:
1) Mumbai – Through this I wish to showcase my city where I was born and brought up.
2) Uttan – A fishing village near my home which I have been documenting in various ways since late 2020.
3) Bombay (Mumbai) Monsoon – This is a long term project where I wish to document my city during the rainy season.
4) Wedding Project – This is also a long-term project, specifically of weddings of different cultures and religions in Mumbai and around India.
So the answer to ‘WHERE’ is that right now I go the places where I can document Mumbai with my ongoing projects.
WHY?
What else would I do if not for photography? As humans, we do what gives satisfaction to our souls. We do what gives us peace of mind. When we walk, we don’t just make photographs. We make new connections with people. Sometimes they become our friends. When you are doing photography, you are in your own world, it’s your own version of reality, how you see things, how do you observe them, how do you document them–you have all these liberties. The simple answer to ‘WHY’ is, ‘LOVE’.
