Faces And Places: The Journey of an Economist And a Photographer

It is not always that an economist, and an internationally reputed one at that, has the time or the inclination or most importantly the talent and creativity to indulge in a ‘hobby’ that is far removed from the world of numbers and statistics.(One uses the word hobby in inverted commas as when it comes with the level of professionalism that you will glimpse below, it remains not just a hobby but much more). 

Deepak Nayar, a man greatly admired for his grasp on economics, and his refusal to compromise with what he did not believe would further India’s interests despite the rah rah about growth and development, has now revealed another side of him that not many knew of.. A brilliant photographer who has clearly put his world travel to good use, capturing the flavour of the cities he has visited, and doing so with a clearly creative eye that not all have, with the moments captured in perfect frames. 

Faces and Places, is exactly that--- a journey of an economist armed with a camera, clicking faces that emote through the lens, and Places that bring out the beauty of countries that we might have visited but never really seen. And clearly photography has been a passion with Nayar, submerged under the intellectual, as he tells us of his first Agfa box camera in school as a 12 year old in school, and his first upgrade to a Voigtlander compact 35mm camera in college. And subsequently through several more upgrades, his reluctant entry into the digital world with the Canon that has now almost converted him to the new technology he was initially reluctant to embrace. 

The photographs span four decades, and almost all continents. That the book has been so long coming is clearly a reflection of the profession taking over the passion---although here one has to correct oneself as the profession too is a deep passion and commitment for Deepak Nayar. Hence perhaps, the struggle with one eclipsing the other until time and family managed to persuade him to go public with his absolutely breathtaking array of photographs. The cover photo shot in Edinburgh and the back cover picture of Kolkata set the pace, and the flavour of what is in between. 

This is not a coffee table book as many such books are. It is a journey of insights, and a record of faces and places that all carry their own story. A must read and see! 

Just a few photographs below from 
Faces and Places 
Roli Books 

1. Wrinkles and a Smile,Uttar Pradesh,1970 

2. A proud Aztec, Teutihuacan, Mexico, 2009 

3. Budding musicians on Grafton Street, Dublin, Ireland, 2012 

4. Bicycle among the carpets, Bukhara, Uzbekistan, 2012 

5. Plaza de la Constitucion, commonly known as Zocalo, is the historic centre of Mexico City for more than seven centuries. It was the main ceremonial centre in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan and the main plaza in the colonial era. It has been the main ceremonial space for national celebration since independence, hence named as the Constitution Square. It is also the venue for national protest. So it was in the late afternoon on 15 October 2009, when I witnessed a massive demonstration by trade unions to protest against the austerity measures adopted by the government in the aftermath of the global economic crisis, which had a strong adverse impact on Mexico, particularly in terms of economic and social costs imposed on people. 

6. The crowd gathering for the demonstration in Zocalo, bordered by the Presidential Palace to the north in front and the Metropolitan Cathedral to the east on the left. It turned out to be a massive gathering. Newspaper reports the following morning estimated that there were 120,000 people at the demonstration. This photograph is taken from the terrace of the Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico. A photo journalist and a street musician watching the gathering crowd at the demonstration. 

7. Multiple modes of transport on a busy street, Calcutta, India, 1981. 

8. Zebras in Kruger National Park, where is this threesome going? South Africa, 2010 

9. Iguasu Falls, spectacular, stunning and awesome, at the borders of Brazil with Argentina and Paraguay, Brazil, 2012. I woke up early in the morning hoping for a picturesque dawn, but met with a menacing sky and pelting rain. Mercifully, it stopped raining after a while. The faint rainbow and sunshine on the falls provided a silver lining to the cloud. 

10. Chichen Itza, the largest city built by the Maya people in the 9th century AD, Yucatan province, Mexico, 2009. El Castillo, Pyramid of Kulkalan, named after the Maya snake deity