A rather unusual assignment led pandemic-hit Bindu Studio at Kasturba Nagar and Indira Nagar in Adyar to find some work amidst lockdowns. It has to do with framing photographs of those who have lost the battle to COVID-19.
Owner of Bindu Studio, T Prasad recalls receiving calls from bereaved relatives with this request, during the first wave.
“There is the tradition of framing the photo of the deceased with a ₹500 or ₹2000 note on it,” points out 52-year-old Prasad, adding that this tradition followed by some people ensured some work for local photographers.
The framed photo is required for the ceremony performed on the third day after the person’s death.
“I had a couple of customers who got the necessary official permission to allow me open my shop and frame the photo within the given time,” says Prasad, adding that as it was a ritual that cannot be skipped, a rare exception was being made. As the work could be done without compromising on any of the COVID-19 protocols, it was made possible.
“Some did not have individual photos of the deceased and would ask me to crop an image from the album and enlarge it as per their budget,” says Prasad.
Prasad would do outdoor shoots, which were out of the question in the times. Framing photos of the dead filled a part of the void.
“With the earnings I received from framing photos of the dead, I managed to make ends meet, for a few months,” reveals Prasad.
Prior to establishing this studio in Adyar in 1998, Prasad was in the cinema field where he had developed many contacts. “Even if my studio was closed, people would track me down, that’s our network in the area,” says Prasad.
That however did not mean Prasad was flourishing in his trade. “I was incurring an expense of ₹60,000, which included the rent for two of my shops and my home,” he says.
Bindu Studio had three staff on its rolls, but with lockdowns clamped in place, two decided to go to their hometown.
Other assignments
For many months, his house doubled as a studio. “I had taken my printer along and whenever a customer wanted a printout of a photograph, I would hand it over to them, but would not entertain them at home,” he says.
A meeting point near Prasad’s house would be decided upon, and the hard copy delivered.
Prasad points out that wedding photography lost some of its sheen as people did not want to invest in albums when the guests would all be in masks. “They only wanted CDs, bringing down our profits,” he says.
With a semblance of normality having returned, Prasad is witnessing different demands: Photos as proof for pension and bank-related formalities; and even for college admissions.
“Not many want to set foot in a studio; they call me home. It’s a risk but I need to earn a living. I take all precautions and head for my assignments,” says Prasad, who tested positive during the second wave.