Manasi Sawant on how giving her hobby a serious chance changed her life forever

Being raised in an artistically inclined family doesn’t guarantee thriving as a creative, but it definitely helped Manasi Sawant—her mother, an art teacher, and her father, an artist, never restricted her from following her dreams. In fact, Manasi was keen on becoming a dancer at one point but later decided to pursue a five-year course in commercial art from Sophia College for Women, Mumbai. It was only during her final year in college that she discovered she had an eye for photography: “In my last year, photography was one of the two specialisations I had to choose from. Coincidentally, I had just received a camera as a gift from my father. Till then, photography wasn’t something I was even interested in. But when I started becoming acquainted with the camera, I was often made aware that I am skilled.”

The accolades she received for her novice attempts paved the way for her to give this hobby a serious chance. However, once she graduated, she was unaware of how to steer her passion for storytelling through photography into a profession. Manasi then took the tried-and-tested route of joining an ad agency, up until she encountered Ooty-based Light & Life Academy’s exhibition in Mumbai. “I enrolled for a course at the institution and specialised in fashion photography. However, I recall how difficult it was working on my final project—an editorial fashion shoot that I had to put together. It was tedious as I didn’t know many people from the industry. It was then that my HOD (Head of Department) suggested I assist someone, and I apprenticed under photographer Farrokh Chothia for two years. That is where the actual learning happened.” Post a solid tenure with the genius photographer, Manasi started her career as an editorial photographer with an Indian fashion magazine. The first day on set, she recalls, was overwhelming as she was shooting with some of the industry’s most recognisable names: “It was special; the editor later appreciated my work and my five-page story was expanded to 12 pages.”

Ask Manasi if her gender ever was a hindrance to her growth in the field, and she adds, “Everybody’s experiences are different and I am sure people have faced it. I cannot comment if it is because of my personality, but as far as I am concerned, I have never faced discrimination because of my gender. My mentors and those I’ve worked with never treated me as a ‘female’ photographer. Even clients have been extremely accepting—I was given opportunities while I was eight months pregnant, and also commenced shooting right after my child was two months of age.”

We probe into this again and she remarks, “No matter what your gender is, if you’re not assertive, anyone—from the light boys to clients—can take you for granted. When you’re a photographer, you’re the captain of the ship, and if you’re not headstrong, things can fall apart. Put your point across keeping the other person in mind. It is imperative to find midway as it’s a creative process.”

Given how sanguine Manasi is about the rise of women in this realm, we nudged her to share any learnings she’d had that a female professional can keep in mind. Manasi concludes, “Trust your vision and don’t be afraid to take risks. Also, get your techniques right so you can walk onto a set with the knowledge of what you’re doing—because there are people putting their money on you to get this right. Fashion shoots can be chaotic, but it is important to stay calm and think on your feet when things don’t go as planned. Also, learn the business of photography. Most of all, remember why you fell in love with photography in the first place, and enjoy the journey without taking yourself too seriously.”