How did your journey in photography begin, and what keeps you motivated after 18 years?
As a kid, I would sit in the dark room with my dad when he printed his black-and-white images. Seeing an image appear on a piece of paper out of seemingly nothing was pure magic to me—that's what first sparked my interest. In school, we had photography as a subject, and by the time I finished, I knew I wanted to be a photographer.
What keeps me motivated even today is the exhilarating challenge of choosing the perfect moment to capture—and that too in a split second. As a photographer, I have just a fraction of a second to ensure the light is right, the composition is on point, the expression is perfect, and the story comes through. And all of that happens in a blink!
What was the moment you knew photography was your true calling?
I think it was when I won the 'Budding Photographer of the Year' award in my school. That recognition felt like a confirmation that this was more than just a hobby—it was my path.
How has your approach to people and lifestyle photography evolved over the years?
Early in my career, I focused heavily on the rules of photography and stuck to them while shooting. Over the years, knowing when to keep the rules—or when to break them—has become second nature. Now, I concentrate more on the story being conveyed and the emotion I am able to capture. The technical aspects have become instinctive, freeing me to focus on what truly matters: the human connection in the frame.
Share a photograph that best represents your people and lifestyle photography style.
I will speak about the first picture, 'Echoes of a Lifetime'—the portrait of the old lady in a room. This window light portrait was shot on her last day in a house that had been sold to builders, destined to be demolished and replaced by an apartment building. This house was where she grew up and later spent most of her married life with her husband, who has since passed. This particular room is where her husband breathed his last, holding countless memories for her. I thought it would be a fitting place for one last picture of her. She looks satisfied with the time she spent there and was, for sure, looking forward to the new house where she was moving in with her son.
What makes this food or beverage image stand out to you?
I will speak about the splash shot of the matka kulfi. I was bored of seeing perfectly manicured ice cream images with flawless scoops in every shot, so I decided to think outside the box. I did a test shoot with my food stylist where the scoops were messy and milk was flying all around. That chaotic, real shot became part of my portfolio. When presenting my food work to an agency, they loved these unconventional shots and pitched them to the client—and the idea got approved.
This shot was technically very difficult. Rigging the matkas was tough due to their weight, and since kulfi is made from condensed milk, we had to match the consistency perfectly. Dense liquid doesn't splash well! A lot of research and development went into executing this shot, but in the end, team Khichke Doonga got it right. This image has also won a couple of international photography awards in the F&B category. It is a classic example of how thinking outside the box can lead to remarkable creations.
Share a behind-the-scenes image from a recent shoot, showing your lighting setup or working environment.
This is a behind-the-scenes shot from a beauty shoot we did for Lakme. I have the main light on a beauty dish with an octagon for fill. We used a raw softbox for the hair light and a honeycomb for lighting on the side of the hair. On the background, I have a light with a reflector pointing down to create a glow. The final result was really great, and the client loved it, which is why I chose to share this moment.
What was your approach to capturing the emotion in that portrait?
I will talk about the color picture of the angry girl—she is my niece. We were on a family holiday, and in the morning, I was sitting in an area right outside her room, enjoying the lovely light in the corridor. I was hoping to use that light to shoot someone's portrait. Just then, my niece walked out of her room. I called her to pose and look at me, but she was not very happy and naturally gave me that expression—and I captured it! This was a classic Henri Cartier-Bresson decisive moment portrait. He defined this style as capturing a fleeting instant where visual, emotional, and psychological elements align perfectly. I had anticipated an expression, so I was ready to shoot when the moment presented itself.
Tell us the story behind the image from your Architecture of Justice project.
This image is from the Mumbai High Court, specifically the corridors right outside Court Room No. 1. This is where Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak argued his case and made his famous argument: 'Freedom is my birthright, and I shall have it!' Being in the same space where he stood so many years ago gave me goosebumps—and it is giving me goosebumps as I write this now. There is so much history in these buildings that you have to see it to believe it and experience it fully.
How does this image reflect your philosophy of 'Keep It Simple, Stupid'?
Hahaha, this question is actually a double-edged sword. There is nothing simple when it comes to splash photography! The key is simplifying the approach. The shot looks complicated, but when you break it down into elements and use technology wisely, it becomes much simpler. It always helps to have a clear idea of the final output you want. In situations like this, I always start with a sketch. Once you have that, it's easier to execute the shot. I figured out a simple three-light setup for this image. I then shot the kulfi and mango pieces together on a rig, followed by individual splashes. Since we had the final image sketch before shooting, it was easier for the post-production team to put it together. Simplicity here meant breaking the shot down into elements and not overcomplicating the lighting. With so much happening in the splash and the ingredients flying around, there was no need to complicate things further. So, the KISS philosophy came into play during the planning and breaking down of the shot into simple, manageable elements.
What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring photographers starting today?
With the advance of technology and the intrusion of AI into art and photography, my advice would be to develop your eye and your ability to see. Technological know-how and knowledge of software are givens these days, but what will truly set you apart is the way you see things and imagine them. That is what matters most in today's world, where tech and AI are everywhere—the human perspective remains irreplaceable.
Contact and Follow
Email: khichkedoonga@gmail.com
Website: https://www.khichkedoonga.in/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khichkedoonga/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khichke-doonga-amogh-v-thakur-3998657/
