How I got the shot: Tristan Bejawn on capturing Jaipur's arts & crafts scene

Tell us about this image.

A craftsman hammers silver into paper-thin sheets in Subhash Chowk, the heart of Jaipur’s metalsmith quarter. The area has been home to artisans ever since Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II made it a tax haven in 1734. Being half Indian, this assignment was always going to be close to my heart. The city is truly beautiful to photograph — a playground of shadow, dusty light, vibrant fabrics and friendly faces.

How did you achieve the shot?

I shot this on a Leica M-P240 and a 35mm F1.4 lens, wide open at F1.4. This lens was perfect — wide enough to see the subject and the details of the environment, shallow enough for a nice portrait with no distortion. I used the same focal length lens for almost this entire assignment, which forces unconventionally creative shots and creates a fluency between the photographer, camera and environment. 

What were the challenges at play?

For shots like this, where the subject is lit within an environment that has strong shadows, exposure is everything. If you’re light-metering with your camera, make sure to use spot metering and take a reading from the subject’s face; if the camera makes the decision all by itself, it’ll often overexpose it. You don’t need to worry about the exposure of the shadows.

What advice would you give to photography enthusiasts visiting Jaipur?

Think about frames within frames — they isolate subjects in busy scenes, provide depth to pictures and allow you to be creative with how you add the textures and colour of the city to your images. Down Jaipur’s many winding streets, there are loads of opportunities to find interesting frames for your subjects: you can make one with doorways, with light and shadow — even between the legs of a passing elephant. First, you might spot the frame — a window, perhaps; then, hang around until the stars align. A great photograph takes patience and creativity — as well as a bit of luck.