q & a with Madhumita Gopalan

Her photographs are like dreams. Ethereal and enchanting. Enigmatic and interesting. Take a look yourself to see how Madhumita works magic with her camera.

q. Please tell us about yourself – where are you based, your growing up years, education, professional background, talents, interests.

a. I grew up in Hyderabad, soaking up the city's unique culture and heritage. My parents are originally from Tamil Nadu, and settled in Hyderabad when I was a few months old. I have post-graduate degrees in Physics and Computational Techniques, and work on algorithms and mathematical modelling. I also love music - I was trained in classical music as a kid, and I love gardening. But Photography, is my biggest passion. I met my husband through our shared interest in photography, and we’ve been married for a year.

q. What is your blog about?

a. My blog Aadab Hyderabad is all about capturing everything I love about Hyderabad. I do a bit of research to find more things that I can love about Hyderabad, and go hunting for little known remnants of its past that still exist.

q. Would you like to tell us about your photography - how you got started and your growth as a photographer?

a. I developed an interest in photography quite late - just about 3 years ago. But it had to happen sooner or later, considering that my dad loves photography and so did his dad. So it probably was in the genes! We spent a bit of time in Calcutta, and playing assistant to my dad as he shot pictures of life there must have played it's part in unconsciously inspiring me. I started playing around with a small point-and-shoot camera, and when I realized how much I enjoyed it, I decided it was time for a DSLR. My husband has played a huge role in my journey since then - sometimes a mentor, sometimes a partner in crime :)

q. What kind of projects and compositions do enjoy working on?

a. While I enjoy all kinds of photography and do portraits/event photography assignments, street and travel photography excite me the most. I enjoy outdoor photography in natural light, and love capturing everything on the streets including the people, the buildings, the art and the toil - everything that goes into making "the way of life". Aadab Hyderabad, in which I photodocument Hyderabad is very close to my heart, and I hope to continue to do it for years.