Tauseef
Mustafa is a war photojournalist at Agency France Presse (AFP) based at
Srinagar. Born and brought up in Srinagar Kashmir. He has covered Kargil War of
1999, Afghan War, Iraq War, India –Pakistan border tension, Common Wealth Games
in Delhi, Syria war within. His photographs have been published in many
national and international organizations including Time Magazine, Herald
Tribune, Washington Post, The National (Saudi Arabia), etc.
In
an exclusive interview with Ahmad Mukhtiyar and Aqib Javid for The Kashmir
Standard, Kashmir’s War Photographer shares his experiences and his message to
budding Photojournalists is “Keep shooting images.”
Q1. How
would you define photojournalism in Kashmir?
TM: Photojournalism is as challenging in Kashmir as it is anywhere else in the world. But the conflict situation here makes it more so. The beauty of photojournalism is that it is a form of absolutely unmediated representation of aspects of the reality.
Q2. How did you initially get involved into photography and how did you cultivate this interest?
TM: I think it was a complex realisation of being able to show to others what I could see myself. Cultivating the interest was a conscious decision and it takes consistency and hard work to realise it.
Q3. Can you tell us about your history as a professional photographer?
TM: I have reported/covered different political and armed conflicts including Kashmir, Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. I have also covered wars like Kargil 1999 and also some sports action besides fashion and generic events around many parts of the world.
Q4. What is the most memorable in your photography career?
TM: Taking photos of a man in the aftermath of a powerful blast at Sabzi mandi at Batamaloo. A man was lifting dead bodies of people one after another and he was very composed in the face of such brutality when he discovered that one of the bodies was that of his son. I found it very difficult to deal with his trauma on the spot.
Q5. Is there anything you want to photograph that you have not yet photographed?
TM: Every situation is a new experience. I would welcome any opportunity to photograph anything and keep looking out for them.
Q6. How has the introduction of digital Cameras altered the way you work?
TM: Introduction of digital cameras made the job of photojournalists comparatively easy, especially for photojournalists working for global wire services where speed matters as much as the quality of work.
Q8. What is the one book that you recommend to the cub photojournalists?
TM: Reading books on photography helps but it is more important to be shooting pictures and learning that way. Nothing can replace actual experience.
Q9. What advises would you give to the budding photojournalists?
TM: Keep shooting images.
Q10. What is the scope of photography in Kashmir and outside Kashmir?
TM: There always is a great scope for good photography anywhere.
Q11. What do you think is the primary objective of a photojournalist?
TM: To record important instances of history as it happens.
Q12. How do you prepare yourself before any assignment or reportage?
TM: I am always prepared for any situation. A photojournalist has to be ready always.
Q13. One incident during any your reportage or photography journey?
TM: The answer to this question cannot be given in the short form. I have two decades of experience as a photojournalist behind me.
Q14. In your perspective what difference can a photo story or reportage make to a particular social issue?
TM: Sometimes a photo can bring a perspective into the public domain unlike any other form of journalism. Because an instance or a moment captured can reveal much more than can be written about that moment in history.
Q15. What is the future of photojournalism in Kashmir?
TM: Photojournalism is going to stay for ever anywhere and will always have potential. All one needs is to be good at what you attempt.
Q16. Being a photojournalist what is expected out of you and how do you make time for your personal life?
TM: Sometime your work as a photojournalist does affect your personal life, but I guess that is how it is in most professions. One has to keep learning how to strike a balance between personal and professional life in different situations.
Q17. What tips or advices do you have for other aspiring photojournalists?
TM: Keep shooting images. That is the only and surest way to improve and understand more and more.
TM: Photojournalism is as challenging in Kashmir as it is anywhere else in the world. But the conflict situation here makes it more so. The beauty of photojournalism is that it is a form of absolutely unmediated representation of aspects of the reality.
Q2. How did you initially get involved into photography and how did you cultivate this interest?
TM: I think it was a complex realisation of being able to show to others what I could see myself. Cultivating the interest was a conscious decision and it takes consistency and hard work to realise it.
Q3. Can you tell us about your history as a professional photographer?
TM: I have reported/covered different political and armed conflicts including Kashmir, Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. I have also covered wars like Kargil 1999 and also some sports action besides fashion and generic events around many parts of the world.
Q4. What is the most memorable in your photography career?
TM: Taking photos of a man in the aftermath of a powerful blast at Sabzi mandi at Batamaloo. A man was lifting dead bodies of people one after another and he was very composed in the face of such brutality when he discovered that one of the bodies was that of his son. I found it very difficult to deal with his trauma on the spot.
Q5. Is there anything you want to photograph that you have not yet photographed?
TM: Every situation is a new experience. I would welcome any opportunity to photograph anything and keep looking out for them.
Q6. How has the introduction of digital Cameras altered the way you work?
TM: Introduction of digital cameras made the job of photojournalists comparatively easy, especially for photojournalists working for global wire services where speed matters as much as the quality of work.
Q8. What is the one book that you recommend to the cub photojournalists?
TM: Reading books on photography helps but it is more important to be shooting pictures and learning that way. Nothing can replace actual experience.
Q9. What advises would you give to the budding photojournalists?
TM: Keep shooting images.
Q10. What is the scope of photography in Kashmir and outside Kashmir?
TM: There always is a great scope for good photography anywhere.
Q11. What do you think is the primary objective of a photojournalist?
TM: To record important instances of history as it happens.
Q12. How do you prepare yourself before any assignment or reportage?
TM: I am always prepared for any situation. A photojournalist has to be ready always.
Q13. One incident during any your reportage or photography journey?
TM: The answer to this question cannot be given in the short form. I have two decades of experience as a photojournalist behind me.
Q14. In your perspective what difference can a photo story or reportage make to a particular social issue?
TM: Sometimes a photo can bring a perspective into the public domain unlike any other form of journalism. Because an instance or a moment captured can reveal much more than can be written about that moment in history.
Q15. What is the future of photojournalism in Kashmir?
TM: Photojournalism is going to stay for ever anywhere and will always have potential. All one needs is to be good at what you attempt.
Q16. Being a photojournalist what is expected out of you and how do you make time for your personal life?
TM: Sometime your work as a photojournalist does affect your personal life, but I guess that is how it is in most professions. One has to keep learning how to strike a balance between personal and professional life in different situations.
Q17. What tips or advices do you have for other aspiring photojournalists?
TM: Keep shooting images. That is the only and surest way to improve and understand more and more.
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