The period 2026-2027 marks two centuries of photography. The first permanent photograph, captured by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, showed the sunlit rooftops and buildings of his family estate in Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, France.
In this landmark year, Metrolife talks to photography groups in Bengaluru about how they see the city through their lens.
The city has a thriving photography culture, with clubs routinely organizing photography walks through markets and historic districts, studio meetings focused on improving technique, photo printing talks, treasure hunt-style shoots, review sessions for beginners, and national and international salons.
Contrasting scene
Manish S started IgersOfBangalore (IOB) 11 years ago as a solo quest to showcase his city. Because he is a “proud Bengaluru huduga”. His work attracted other young photographers and the IOB grew into a community.
According to him, there is always something happening in Bengaluru. “As a photographer, you have the opportunity to document different cultures, food scenes and events,” he says.
Zeeshan Mallick runs the much younger group Bangalore PhotoWalks. He says the city’s green cover, walkable streets and pleasant weather allow photographers to shoot outdoors for longer hours compared to hotter cities like Chennai. “Photography is how I embraced the city,” says Mallick, who moved here from northern India.
Newbies Photo Club, running under the auspices of Bangalore Newbies since 2024, finds inspiration in the city’s contrasts. “Glass buildings and greenery, or hawkers near tech parks – Bengaluru automatically fits into the photographer’s eye,” says one of its earliest members and current leader, Sayak Sajith.
Bang BW (Bangalore Black and White), founded by Sabir Ahmed in 2004, is dedicated to analog photography. The group documents the city in intimate ways, from the architecture of its buildings to the craftsmen at work and what the city looks like at different times of the day.
Changing perception
However, members of these groups say that street and candid photography is no longer as easy as it once was. Mallick says people today are more careful about being photographed in public. Ahmed understands the hesitation. “Before, the public would ask curiously, ‘Where are you from?’. Now they often resist because there are so many photographers out there,” he explains. Sajith insists that photographers must act responsibly because the camera has power and “images shape people’s understanding”. He says photographers should approach sensitive subjects with sensitivity, be aware of their biases and seek consent whenever possible.
Emotional quotient
The Youth Photographic Society, a non-profit club founded in Bengaluru in 1971, sees the bicentenary as a reminder of how far the medium has evolved. Its president, Vikas Sastry, says, “From glass plate negatives and film to digital and mobile photography, photography has become accessible to everyone.” And that matters because “the photograph changed memory forever,” says Sajith. “It preserves the stories of families and cultures long after we’re gone. The medium is constantly changing, but we still have to preserve the emotions,” he adds.
May 28 – 31: Exhibition of photographic prints
Confluence 2026, an exhibition of handmade photographic prints, will be held from May 28 to 31, from 11 am to 7 pm, at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Kumarakrupa Road. Featured artists include Debanjan Das Gupta, Rajkumar Krishna, Raghavendra Udupa, Ramesh Adkoli, Sabir Ahmed and Shankar Kiragi. The exhibition will showcase 70 works created using more than 10 alternative processes, from cyanotype and salt printing of the 19th century to FerroBlend, a process developed by Udupa.
