J. Swarup Photography

Acharya Vihar is where I've set up my photography work. It’s a quiet enough area most of the time, which suits me fine. I don't have a big flashy sign outside, just a small one so people know they’re at the right house. I’ve been living and working around here for a long time. My studio is basically just a room I converted, so it feels more like a home than a shop. I have my backdrops on one wall and a computer on the other. Sometimes the neighbors’ kids come around and peek through the door. I don't mind it. I started doing this because I liked capturing things around the neighborhood, and it just turned into a job eventually. I do mostly local stuff, people coming in for portraits or asking me to go to their family functions. It’s a simple way to make a living. I don't use any of those high-end filters or spend hours making things look fake. I just want the photos to look like the person standing in front of me. The light in Acharya Vihar is actually quite nice in the evenings, so I try to do most of my outdoor shots then. I’ve got some old cameras sitting on a shelf that don't work anymore, but I keep them for the memories. It’s a one-man show here, so if I’m out on a shoot, the door stays locked and I'll be back later in the day.