Get, set, vroom!

The art of framing vehicles makes for a unique genre in photography. According to Piyush Baranwal, it requires a special skillset and knowledge, and offers its own set of challenges. It isn’t about pointing a camera at a bike and hoping for a great shot. It’s about breathing life into the otherwise lifeless subject.

Peyush is an experienced automative photographer who has worked with brand such as Royal Enfield, Maruti Suzuki, Mercedes, and Hyundai. He quit his IT job to pursue his passion for capturing the world through his lens, and it is fair to say that it was difficult for him. “Leaving an IT job, especially when you are the peak of your career, was a difficult choice for me. Photography was always my hobby; at the time of school, I used to have this basic camera with me and I remember clicking pictures every time I stepped out.”

“I remember mostly clicking photos of monuments when I started practising photography as a hobby, and I got bored of that. Simultaneously, I was exploring every genre of photography such as wildlife, fashion. Alas, nothing excited me as much as automobiles,” he adds.

Another reason why Peyush was inclined more towards the subject is his love for motorcycles. He shares, “I have a very strong bond with biking. I love to travel on bikes and when I get a chance to click them, it is altogether a thrilling experience for me. I always wanted to travel while doing photography, and this genre is completely fit for me.”

“When I entered into this game, there was hardly any mentorship, so it was quite tough. Arun Nair, a Dubai-based photographer, and the Ludhiana-based Harvarinder Singh, were two photographers who really inspired and guided me. Till date, I look forward to these two people to learn more and explore more, especially in automotive photography,” he adds.   

Talking about one of his most challenging projects, Peyush explains, “I did this project called ‘Rider Mania’ in 2018, we were asked to shoot custom houses with their bikes for a calendar and for a magazine. And most challenging part was to shoot the whole thing in four hours.”

According to Peyush, a photographer really needs to understand cars and bikes and what it takes to make them look great. One can’t rely on the automobile itself to make the shot great either. “Nowadays there are handful of people into this field who are good in their job.”