Inspiration Feeder: Mihir Hardikar

Our “Inspiration Feeder” presents to you short interviews with interesting visual artists from around the globe. Today in focus: Mihir Hardikar.

How old are you?

I am 36 years old.

Where do you come from?

I am from Mumbai, India.

How long have you been doing photography?

I have been doing photography since around 2005 but professionally started doing it from 2009-2010. So it’s almost 10 years now.

How would you define your style?

Major part of my photography has been advertising and commercial. So it is always governed by creative briefs. But I usually try to have enough tonal contrast in my images, because I love the way shadows define an image. In the last 4-5 years of focusing on food & beverage photography, I have tried to inculcate that in my personal work as well.I love to travel and shoot food related pictures or do personal stories about a place and its food & culture. I would love to develop this area of my photography more as I go forward.

How long do you think it took you to find your personal style of shooting?

I don’t really have an answer for that. But as a photographer, I would be happier if I can explore different styles over the course of my career and also if advertising allows us photographers to explore different styles. Since I deal with food, I would love if food photography becomes more experimental in terms of visuals, compositions, colours, lighting in Indian advertising. It is therefore an ongoing process. Rather than style, it was more the process of finding what kind of photography I love to do. It was always about trying different areas of photography and doing a lot more of the kind I like, personal shoots, collaborations with food stylists and shooting more and more food helped me realise I love this aspect of the craft.

What would you say is the thing that most inspires you? / What is your main source of inspiration?

The internet is a great tool.

Lot of senior & international photographers whose work I have followed for so many years, personal travel, coffee table books and a constant need to create different types of imagery inspires me. I wish to taste food from all over the world and use my craft of photography to tell stories about it to the world in as many visual ways possible.