Seeking light in a dark year

A Bengaluru-based photographer has documented his experiences of being stuck in Australia during the pandemic in a new book

Stuck in a new place amidst strangers during a pandemic, Bengaluru-based photographer and filmmaker Parabjeet Singh did what he does best: weave stories of inspiration with images to back them. Back in Bengaluru after being away from home for close to a year, Parabjeet has documented his experiences of being stuck in Australia, in a book titled ‘Light.’ The book, which was launched recently, features 15 stories with photographs. Excerpts from an interview

How did the idea of documenting your experiences in a book take shape?

I took the first flight as soon as the borders and flights opened up early this year. After I moved back home, I would often sit and think about all the beautiful things I experienced while in Perth and how I had met and photographed many locals during my stay. Whenever I shoot, I follow a process of getting to know the person a bit better, whether it is through a quick coffee before the shoot day or a few hours before the shoot. Getting to know the person a bit more is something that helps me get the best out of the shoot. I had a lot of stories when I got back and I chose 15 of my favourite stories. I wasn’t too serious about it at first, but after I put the stories together and read them all at once, I knew instantly this was something I really wanted to do.

What were the struggles and challenges involved in getting the book going? Were people forthcoming with information?

Writing a book doesn’t get over once you have written things down. The process involves finding a publisher, paperwork, designing the book, editing it, printing, distribution and so on. It has been a great learning experience for me. The people featured in the book were very forthcoming and had no objections whatsoever. I already had the stories written, all I needed was their consent to be able to use them. Most of the stories are very intimate and personal. There is a story of a 106-year-old grandma and her experience of living through two global pandemics. A story of a model who at the age of 36 found out that her parents aren’t her biological parents and how she plans to go back home to Africa to find her roots. There is another story of a model who is battling a disease called ‘Ehlers Danlos’ that currently has no cure and a story of a 15-year-old-budding model who did her first ever underwater shoot with me. These people have trusted me with their stories and I hope I have been able to do justice to them.

What helped you adapt to a new place after unexpectedly being stuck there?

The plan was to meet a couple of friends in Perth and head over to Japan in the month of March. After the first wave of Covid-19 hit us, I stayed back with the same friends and they were humble enough to open their doors to me and let me live with them through the rest of my time there. My friends Abhi and Neha have been in Australia for a long time; living with them made it easy to understand life there.

Is this book a tribute to people you met along your journey?

Yes, I chose to title my book ‘Light’ for a couple of reasons. The first one is a bit obvious as light is one of the most important elements to learn, understand and keep in mind for photographers. And second because 2020 was a disaster of a year for me personally. I was a wreck and I had hit rock bottom mid-year. The people who came into my life after this became the light at the end of the tunnel for me. Their stories inspired me, taught me to be patient, persevere, work hard and to never give up.

The book is available for purchase from www.parabjeetsingh.com and is priced at Rs 1,499. A part of the proceeds from the sale will be donated towards Covid relief.