Tito is an analog film photographer, zinester and a satiating conversationist on all things creative!
How would you describe your style of photography?
Spontaneous and colorful.
When did your journey with film cameras begin? What role, if any, did Calcutta as a city play in this vocation?
I grew up reading coffee table photo-books on Calcutta so in that way it might have had some influence, but more than anything else, it has to be when I started going through the tons of family photo albums we had lying at our house.
As for how I started, a friend of mine had given me his film camera as he wanted me to try out how it is to shoot on 35mm film. Back then, I had no idea how to even operate a camera let alone a film camera, so I just took him up and have been shooting ever since.
Tell us about some photographers whose works in 35mm you are completely drawn to, and borrow aspects from to your own work?
Definitely drawn to the work of Raghubir Singh, Daisuke Yokota, Saul Leiter, Giseok Cho...
What are some projects you have worked on that are completely close to your heart?
A Still Year - a zine I made recently covering a bunch of friends and people I knew and their experiences since the start of the pandemic last year. This was a personal project which I got to work on for a while. I remember editing the zine even through my sickness so it ended up being really close to my heart and something I looked forward to working on every day!
Your best subject to photograph so far?
Joan (https://www.instagram.com/thewhitehairedguy/)
Where do you think photography is headed in India? Particularly film photography?
Film, in general, has made quite a comeback. There was this period sometime in the early 2010ʼs when there was almost a radio silence in film forums here in India so Iʼm just glad that it's now being talked about so much more than before.
Digital or print? And why?
Print always. I love making small zines and photo albums for myself all the time. I like the fact that the stuff Iʼve made exists physically in some form and it's something I can just hold and look through.
What advice would you give to someone beginning their journey with film cameras?
Just start. Donʼt think too much about it, but just start. Thatʼs how I began as well. As for the technical aspects of it, I feel we always learn faster once we are practising instead of just reading up on it. And also donʼt get too attached to your first few rolls. 7/10 chances are that the prints might come back messed up, so best to keep your expectations low.
Out of all the cameras you own, which one is your favourite?
Probably my Canon Ftb QL. Love using that camera!
What does Pygnose do?
Pygnose is afraid of growing into a pyg so he spends all of his time trying all the remedies he can find online and ends up sharing his experiences through his visual journal - https://www.instagram.com/pygnose/
Why zines? When did you start?
2017—I was making photo albums but wanted to have something more controlled and compact. Started printing some stuff and figuring out how to compile the pages and all and printed my first zine - Monsoon Archives.
What's your favourite zine you've made so far? Show us.
Currently it's A Still Year. But aside from that, there is also Monsoon Archives - its a zine filled with black and white and some color images I'd shot on my phone during my travels from Kolkata to other cities.
Quickfire Questions
What does Tito do in his downtime?
Somedays I make a lot of music and other days I end up watching a lot of reality television and Youtube documentaries...
A film that inspired you most?
Ritwik Ghatakʼs Bari Theke Paliye
Tell us about your comic collection...
I started collecting when I was in the third grade of school. Back then it was just Gotham Comics and some random Superman issues since that was all that you could find. Since then I've been collecting more mint editions of comics while going through random book shops in Kolkata and Delhi. Sometimes you can find amazing stuff there.
So far, the best things I have are probably the zero and first issues of Savage Dragon, Youngblood, Spawn. All the original issues from Frank Millerʼs “Give Me Liberty” and the first issue from John Byrneʼs Superman run.
Whatʼs your favourite hangout spot in India?
Back before pandemic, Daily Cafe used to be a frequent spot.
Whatʼs an upcoming project?
SINK
Your role model and why?
Sion Sono. I feel like a kid when I watch his movies!
Cats or dogs?
Cats
Three things you care about most?
The first fountain pen I ever bought, a small sculpture made by my partner and my personal photo albums!
