Being a student of design, Raj Chakraborty was always interested in the concept of angle, perspective and framing but hailing from a business family he had to struggle to take out time to take his passion ahead. "Things changed after marriage when my wife Paloma motivated me to pursue photography a bit more professionally. Thus Charcoal Marks was born and I became a photographer," recalls a very humble Raj.
His interest in photography was triggered back in 2006 when Raj got his first camera phone. "It was a Sony Ericsson model and since then my journey with Sony started. The first picture I clicked was of a cat sitting on the stairs of Dakshineswar Temple. Social media was not so active then and physically sharing images with close friends and families was the mode of sharing happiness. I gathered a lot of appreciation and that motivated me to pursue photography more seriously," says Raj, who now uses a SonyAlpha 7 to click pictures.
Interestingly, Raj has never learned photography professionally but picked up the nuances while on the job. "When I started I was only focused on capturing little moments, moving objects, and all unnecessary things that played a big role in my film but for the technical part like the shutter speed, aperture, focal length, and other big terms I did go through a few books. In fashion photography, composing a frame, emphasising the subject, and showcasing the outfit at the same time is a difficult task. Professional models are experts in playing with moods and expressions but in the case of amateur models, I prefer highlighting the eyes. I always prefer natural light, rustic background, and busy streets over artificially built setup," he tells us.
Among the models whose pictures he has submitted for this column, Raj feels Prakriti Sengupta's eyes are very expressive while Archika Gupta has the most powerful looks, a chiselled and toned face and powerful eyes. "Medha's height, her sharp features make her a perfect muse and Anushka has a charming persona. They all have their own individual identity which makes them very special," tells Raj, who looks up to Prabhuda Dasgupta, Rafique Sayed, Joseph Radhik, Aditya Venkatesh, and Dani Diamond for inspiration.
Raj Chakraborty can be reached at 8583922777 or
Prakriti Sengupta | 21, height: 5 ft 2 inches
A student at the Presidency University, a chef of her cloud kitchen, a singer, and an amateur model, Prakriti is the perfect example of a multitasking genius. "I prefer comfort with style and love boho chic clothes. I like kurtis, one-piece dresses, tops and jeans in unique print designs that are true to my personal style. I like to buy things from sustainable homegrown labels and I love black and white and all things in cotton and Ajrakh prints," she tells us.
For occasion wear, she loves saris. "Weddings means traditional kanjivaram saris from my mom's wardrobe and I like accessorising the look with custom-made oxidised or silver jewellery. I love earrings the most but I am also fond of chokers. Makeup means smoky eyes and keeping the rest as natural as possible with nude shades of brown on lips," she signs off.
Instagram: @prakritisengupta 5 ft 2 inches
Archika Gupta | 22, height: 5 ft 3 inches
Apart from being a classical dancer, singer and drama enthusiast, Archika also loves modelling when free. "I love experimental clothing that will inspire others. For summers I love all the oversized outfits since they are roomy and comfortable. I also like joggers and tees. For winter, I like paring saris with balzers. My favourite colour is black and I love comfortable fabrics like cotton, linen and khadi," she tells us.
For occasions, she loves pairing saris with jackets or shirts along with oxidised chunky earrings. "Makeup is always light with dark kohl and lips done in nudes shades of pink," she adds.
Instagram: @hiaarchikagupta
Medha Nandi | 31, height: 5 ft 6 inches
A working woman, a fitness enthusiast, and a cook, Medha loves to model during her time off. "Casual comfort wear is my choice of clothing for daily wear. I like athleisure like joggers, tees, denim and shorts, and knee-length one-piece dresses among other outfits. I like black and monochromes like grey, white and black, though, at times, I also like wearing bright shades of yellow and neons," says Medha.
For formal occasions like weddings and pujas, it's always a sari. "Weddings means Banarasi saris and for Puajs, they can be handwoven saris with stylish blouses. I like wearing interesting blouses and sometimes I pair my saris with a t-shirt or bikini top. I pick my jewellery from different exhibitions and I like wearing designer hoops or interesting chokers and even oxidised ones. I like keeping makeup minimal with a little blush, eyeliner, kohl and a touch of lipstick.
Instagram: @medha.nandi
Anushka Banerjee | 29, height: 5 ft 4 inches
An engineer, a blogger, and a dog mom, Anushka loves wearing smart casuals like jeans, kurti, saris and dresses. "My favourite colour is white and I love wearing cotton outfits," she says.
For dressy occasions, she likes wearing khadi and handloom saris and for weddings, it could be fine silks with blouses she designs for herself. "I like tailormade blouses that I design myself and I like them with glass sleeves or three-quarter sleeves. I don't like many accessories except watches and rings. I don't apply makeup but for weddings, it is as simple as a little base, kohl and lipsticks," she adds.
Instagram: @anushka_bee