2020 isn’t going to stop Ritika Shah from making bold moves in the fashion world. Recently, the 1-Year Photography Conservatory alum shot a full fashion editorial for the highbrow style magazine, Harper’s Bazaar India.
The photos, which can be found in Bazaar’s November 2020 issue, featuring images that capture the “Magic of the Weave,” a concept by the magazine’s editor paying homage to clothes that have been made of traditional, handwoven Indian weave, “Brocade,” with a modern twist.
As an independent photographer, Shah revealed that her style has evolved over time to be “very minimal” which is emulated in her photos. “I had full creative freedom in terms of the location and frames used for each shot and the model’s poses,” revealed Shah. “I decided to follow my vision, but I had to make sure that the imagery aligned with the magazine’s aesthetic as well.”
One of the biggest aspects of shooting the project was the location of the shoot, something that Shah was very confident about when taking on the project. “Luckily, I had done a recce [pre-shoot] with this location on another project before, so I had kept it in mind. When I got a call from the fashion stylist for this shoot, I immediately suggested this location, shared the images, and it got approved.”
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The location ended up being a huge focal point for the spread and Shah’s vision overall. “It had elements of traditional Indian architecture, but in a modern setting; Just like the clothes were made of traditional handwoven Indian weave, with modern silhouettes. The location played a big role in supporting the concept of the shoot.”
Shah has been in the business for four years as an independent fashion photographer. Previously, she shot the cover for Verve Magazine and had her work featured in Contributor Magazine, Homegrown Magazine, and more. “It’s been a great journey working as an independent photographer and I am always grateful for all my learnings at NYFA,” explained Shah. “NYFA taught me to question everything that I liked and I still question myself as to why I like or dislike something; it helps in getting the creative juices flowing.”
New York Film Academy would like to congratulate NYFA Photography alum, Ritika Shah, for her stunning fashion photography portraitures featured in the November issue of Harper’s Bazaar India. For more photos from the NYFA alum, check out her Instagram here.