by Ayesha Taleyarkhan
“Writing is not about words. Painting is not about pigments. Music is not about tones.
As long as pho-tographers insist that photography is about photographs, the art is limited and self-containing.” These words by Brooks Jensen reflect in the images presented in the coffee- table book ‘The Black & White Edition, A Ret-rospective’ by professional photog-rapher Ayesha Taleyarkhan. In fact, The Black White Edition – A RetrospectiveBook Reviewshe has tried to reflect on how the image of a delicate flower, or the grandeur of a panoramic landscape, or for that matter even the expres-sion on a child’s face; without any vivid explosion of color would look like. Precisely the monochromatic im-ages in her book convey the essence of the picture with a kind of depth that transports the viewer to another level, whereby they can feel the im-age and interact with the images.
The jacketed glossy book, measuring 11 x 11-inches with 214 pages, is a collage of photographs from different genres – everyday objects or scenes, that people without a photographic mindset would just pass by without even noticing them. The book, which has a foreword by noted film maker Shyam Benegal, does not have a specific theme, but is a compilation of images as ‘seen’ by the author in her mind’s eye. It’s an abstract concept stitched together by sub-categories, including topics ranging from street-life to architecture, cityscapes to nature’s beauty, and abstracts to wildlife. With the absence of color, black and white images really throws open the highlights and shadows, enabling shapes and patterns gain prominence in the photograph all the more. Black and white images convey a more realistic feeling because its starkness stirs our innermost emotions. Even though good lighting and composition are the basics of a good quality black and white picture without the distraction of color, the images re-invent themselves into an enhanced avatar, which is really incredible.
Ayesha Taleyarkhan started her professional career as the first photographer for Business India and this is her fourth photo book. The book is a collection of photographs that depicts life as she sees it on her various journeys. The book is printed on 170 gsm art paper by JAK Printers, Mumbai, and the production values, including the printing of the book really stands apart. It is priced at Rs.2500, and is available at all leading bookstores in Mumbai like Oxford, Nalanda, Strand Book Stall, Kitab Khana, Warden Book House. You can find it online on Flipkart.
Reviewed by Mathew Thottungal
Book Title: The Black White Edition – a retrospective
Photography & Published by: Ayesha Taleyarkhan
Website: www.ayesha-taleyarkhan.com
Printed by: JAK Printers P. Ltd.
MRP: Rs. 2,500/-
