Street photographer tells how he captures everyday life with a fresh eye

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Photographer Jignesh Chavda frames the hustle and bustle of India's streets with creative perspectives for his project "People at Work"

Street photography
This shot shows a group of workers on scaffolding at an industrial construction site and forms (Image credit: Jignesh Chavda)

Street photography is all about providing candid insights into everyday situations, so being in the right place at the right time is extremely important. Often, it is assumed that these shots are unplanned and document a coincidental moment and though this may be true in many cases, it is not a necessary prerequisite. Photographer Jignesh Chavda illustrates this with his shot taken in Ahmedabad, India.

“At the time, it was the rainy season. I had planned to capture this moment with my camera a long time before but the right moment did not happen due to the rain,” he says. Jignesh’s work documents everyday life, capturing the essence of humanity in a series of candid moments. “Art doesn’t come to you, so you need to go to it,” he says. “I always look for complex frames with multiple layers that tell an interesting story or have a strong message.” This approach is evident in his work.

Jignesh’s shot offers the viewer an abstract perspective on everyday life. “There are three small novellas in progress in the shot and I like the way they are separated from each other so that each has a voice,” he says. The industrial scaffolding where the people are working contrasts with the plain white background. In post-processing, the colors were reduced and levels, curves and cropping were adjusted in Photoshop.

Tech details

Sony A7 III

(Image credit: Sony)

Camera: Sony Alpha 7 III

Lens: Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 

Aperture: f/11

Shutter speed: 1/250sec 

ISO: 800

Photographers portrait
Jignesh Chavda

Jignesh Chavda is a self-taught street, travel and nature photographer and curator by profession. Based in Ahmedabad, India, Jignesh has a flair for candid situations and his philosophy when it comes to photography is “be patient and anticipate the shot”. A finalist in the Environmental Photographer of the Year competition, Jignesh’s work has been published on many platforms locally and internationally, including India Photo Art, Better Photography, Shutter, Street Photography, Eye Shot, nature.org and many more.

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This article originally appeared in Digital Photographer, a monthly magazine, and the kitbag essential for pros, enthusiasts and amateurs alike!

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Kim Bunermann
Kim Bunermann
Technique Editor

Kim is the Technique Editor of Digital Photographer Magazine. She specializes in architecture, still life and product photography and has a Master's degree in Photography and Media with a distinction from the FH Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences in Germany. While studying, Kim came to the UK for an exchange term at the London College of Communication. She settled in the UK and began her career path by joining Future. Kim focuses on tutorials and creative techniques, and particularly enjoys interviewing inspiring photographers who concentrate on a range of fascinating subjects including women in photography, the climate crisis; the planet, its precious creatures and the environment.

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