No Filter: This Maddy loves to keep his photographs raw and real

There is more than one Maddy in this city. It’s photographer Madhavan Palaniswamy. He uses photography as his medium of choice and a variety of skin colours in all their glory. There is an ethereal quality to his photographs — be it advertising or fashion — a model is no longer just a display stand for clothes but a person you want to get to know. Like the women in Ravi Varma’s paintings, Maddy’s photographs feel like masterpieces that would inspire and intrigue generations. 

What makes his work seem so subtly subversive is the lack of self-promotion on social media and finding like-minded clients to collaborate with. You will find ad campaigns and hoardings with images shot by him, where not only the jewellery and sarees look beautiful but also the person wearing them whose complexion hasn’t been retouched. You can spot lines and dark circles on his/her face. In a world where a billion dollar eye-cream industry fuelled by women looking at airbrushed filtered images wanting the same in real-life, purchase ‘miracle eye creams’ and fillers, Maddy with one campaign normalises dark circles.

We had one of the most intriguing conversations about photography, art and advertising that included life experiences and influences. “I have been influenced by the quality of images from when people used to shoot on film. I often find myself reaching for a film camera though it comes with its limitations. Paintings, films and portraiture inspire me. Whether I’m shooting a CSK campaign or Indian Defence personnel or fashion brands, I approach it as shooting people who are beautiful and strong so that their personality shines through. That’s why I don’t retouch their complexion. It’s more important to connect with the human being so you can admire them or want to buy what they are wearing from that image,” he said.

The art of knowing when to say no is one that takes a lifetime to master and Maddy seems to have done that. He is happy to have found collaborators with whom he can work — from his creative director Radha to makeup artists and clients. He tells me that as a photographer, he get calls for a variety of projects and knowing when he can do justice to a project is important. Finding the ones that resonate with you will help you, he says. The surefootedness that comes with finding your aesthetic as a photographer is invaluable. It is important to be an original and Maddy intuitively embarked on this journey from a young age. You will see a similar visual language in his images as an amateur and a professional now. His repertoire of techniques and experience bring greater nuance. However, the images are still raw and unpretentious and it seems like Maddy hasn’t lost his child-like curiosity, innocence and playfulness when he is viewing the world through his lens.

As most of us cringe when looking at our past works, I have grown to look at mine and embrace where I came from. As our conversation veered into philosophy, I was curious to know what Maddy’s thoughts were on this subject. He fondly remembers one of his earliest gigs for Shilpi. With all the bravery that comes with the naiveté of a young photographer with a limited portfolio, he approached Arundathi to let him shoot for her brand. She agreed and the brief given was to give her something to dream about when she or anyone looked at those images. Without a doubt, he met her expectations and more, thus marking the beginning of an illustrious journey.

Based on his experience, his advice to budding photographers is to not restrict themselves in terms of art but learn from various sources such as fine art, photography and films across genres. “Whatever you do, don’t forget to be original with your art,” he shared.