To start at the very beginning, how did photography first come into your life?
I actually have no idea when photography first came into my life. I never really thought much about taking photos until about six years ago, when I went somewhere with my father and casually took a few pictures. What surprised me was how the photographs somehow looked as good as the moments had felt while I was there. After that, I started noticing that whenever something felt beautiful, fleeting, or simply good, I wanted to capture it too. I think that feeling is what brought me here, and I'm still figuring out where the journey takes me.
Can you tell us about the first photograph you made that felt truly yours, one you were proud to have taken?
I think it has to be the earliest photograph I can remember feeling truly proud of, the fishermen series, I took on a trip to the coast in Alappuzha with my father. It was my first time there, and there was so much passion and energy in the environment that I found myself wanting to capture it. Honestly, I didn't even look properly at the photographs until I got back home. When I finally did, there was something about them that felt… complete. Like everything in the frame had somehow fallen into place exactly where it was meant to be. I thought it was perfect.. perfect to me, at least. And even now, years later, that series still holds a very special place in my heart.
Was there a person, a place, or even a single image that shaped the way you see and photograph the world?
I don't think there has ever been one particular person, place, or image that shaped the way I see the world. I started taking photographs simply because I liked what I saw, and then I kept photographing. Some images I love, some I don't, but I think all of them have taught me something. For me, photography has been one long process of learning to look. The moments I've witnessed, the people I've met, the places I've been, and even the photographs I wasn't happy with have somehow shaped the way I see things now. I'm still learning, still growing, and I think that's what makes the journey meaningful.
Which photograph feels most like you, and why does that particular frame resonate so deeply?
I think those five photographs capture the journey of my photography so far. Each one represents a different moment, feeling, or way of seeing that has shaped how I photograph the world. Together, they feel the most like me and reflect the kind of stories and details I naturally find myself drawn to.
What drew you to keep returning to that story or subject?
This isn't really a single story or subject that I followed, but more of a photographic path I've kept returning to. I became interested in creating a sense of movement and fleeting moments within a still photograph. I started experimenting with shutter speeds, blur and light whenever I felt they could capture the energy of a scene. Over time, I kept coming back to it, trying to understand and refine how I could make a photograph feel like it is in motion, almost as if the moment is still unfolding.
What is it about that setup that makes it the one you trust on a shoot?
I shoot entirely on my iPhone 13, so I don't really have a complicated setup that I reach for. It's simply the camera I have with me, and over time I've learned to trust it. I like the immediacy of it, seeing something, feeling the moment, and being able to capture it right away. For me, it's less about the equipment and more about learning to see with what I have.
What made that particular place or day so memorable to photograph?
The photograph itself may not be anything extraordinary, but for me, it captures a feeling I know deeply, the instability of always moving between home and the places we are bound to stay. It speaks of being in between, of constantly settling into unfamiliar spaces while carrying a sense of where you come from. Perhaps, more than anything, it reflects what it feels like to be away from home, a foreigner, always adapting, yet never entirely belonging to one place.
What are you hoping this new piece of work will become?
I hope this piece becomes a quiet exploration of light, stillness, and the small moments of comfort we find in everyday life. Through this image, I want to explore how something as simple as light falling on a familiar presence can hold a feeling of warmth, peace, and home.
Is there a story, subject, or place you have not photographed yet but really hope to one day?
Yes. Growing up outside India, I feel I have experienced certain parts of my own culture from a distance, and there are still so many traditions I have yet to photograph. I would love to document cultural art forms, dances, rituals, and celebrations in the way I see them, through the light, smoke, textures, movement, and fleeting moments. I want to capture these experiences through the visual language of Fuzzynraw, not just as documentation, but as a personal way of reconnecting with a culture I have always felt slightly removed from.
When a photograph finally comes together the way you imagined it, what does that moment feel like for you?
Honestly, it feels like a kind of euphoria. Sometimes I take photographs without expecting much, and then suddenly, while I'm there, I think, "Oh, this is happening. What if I can actually capture this feeling?" It could be something as simple as a quiet moment, a certain light, a gesture, or an ordinary scene that suddenly feels beautiful to me. When I see that the photograph has come together in a way that holds even a small part of what I was feeling or experiencing in that moment, there's this rush of adrenaline and excitement. And knowing that someone looking at the photograph might feel even an ounce of what I felt while taking it.. that, for me, is a beautiful feeling in itself.
Contact and Follow
Email: neenanissarak@gmail.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fuzzynraw/
