Photography arrived in India in 1839, earlier than other countries, and was mostly used by the British. Despite the lack of quick transportation and communications. Photography’s early history in India dates back to the 1850s. With 200 members, the Bombay Photographic Society was founded in 1854.
In 1856, similar committees arose in Madras and Calcutta. There are few natural history photographs from this time period that have survived, although museums and individuals have paper negatives and calotypes, as well as albumen prints of exceptional quality. For official documents, travelers, and other purposes, the East India Company determined photography to be the most accurate and cost-effective method of capturing Architectural and Archaeological monuments.
Between 1840 and 1900, Bombay had over 70 studios and Calcutta had over 40, with many more in other cities, such as Delhi, Hyderabad, and Agra. At the same time, Lala Raja Deen Dayal had some studios in Indore, Hyderabad, and Bombay..
In fact, European operators with names like Wartenburg and Schultz worked at Dayal’s Bombay facility. Dr. N. Dajee, Nasserwanjee, S.H. Dagg, Ahmed Ali Khan of Lucknow, Shivashankar Narayan, Rajendra Lal Mitra, Prodyot Kumar Tagore, Raja Ishwar Chandra Singh, Ganpatrao S. Kale, C. Iyahsawmy, and the renowned – Raja Deen Dayal were some of the first names in Indian photography history.
At the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, Dayal’s display of vistas of India got a special honor. Following that, he won multiple awards in photography exhibits in Jaipur, Indore, and Delhi. Testimonials, appointments, and letters of gratitude poured in.
At the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, Dayal’s display of vistas of India got a special honor. Following that, he won multiple awards in photography exhibits in Jaipur, Indore, and Delhi. Testimonials, appointments, and letters of gratitude poured in.
Queen Victoria gave the company a Royal Warrant in 1897. Another notable photographer from Bombay, Shahpurjee N. Bhedwar, won a gold medal and the international challenge cup for his photograph “Day Dream.” He was selected as one of Queen Victoria’s Royal Photographers.
Photography is more than a method of record; it is also an art form that deserves the same attention as painting, sculpture, and other well-known art forms. Photographs, like paintings, are artificially made depictions that require meticulous composition, lighting,
Leave A Reply