Digital invasion takes palace photographers’ share away

MYSORE: The advent of digital technology may have reduced the burden of shutterbugs across the globe, but for photographers, who eke out a living by offering a picture-perfect moment to tourists visiting the Mysore Palace, this seems to have turned a bane. Once upon a time, when photographers were a rare breed, they were in great demand for taking photographs of people visiting the tourist spots. They used analogue camera to click photos, took the address of their customers and then posted the pictures.

Recalling the yesteryears, Sridhar Sheety, who has been working as a professional photographer on the Palace premises for the past three decades, says: "Years ago, we used to click pictures, run to the nearest studio to get the photo printed and give it to the visitors. Sometimes, the tourists would have left by then and many photos remained with us only."

With the introduction of technology, they shifted to Polaroid cameras and now, they use digital cameras. Digital technology has in fact eased the work of photographers. Main advantage is that photos can be given to the customers instantly, but now there are hardly any tourists who want to be clicked by a photographer. All the photographers have the same complaint. Most of the tourists carry with them modern gadgets like iphone, ipad and digital cameras and there is no need for them to depend on photographers. There are 15 photographers in Mysore Palace and they pay Rs 6,000 per year to the government to get the licence to take photos on the premises.

"Our business has been affected as 90% of tourists carry their own cameras or mobiles with high pixel camera," photographer Nanjundaswamy says. Echoing the same, photographer Jetty said: "Earlier, people were ready to be clicked but they were disappointed as we gave them photos very late. Now we are equipped to give photos within a few minutes, but they do not need our service."Unlike in the past, when they used to get 30-50 customers every day, now they manage to get 10 persons. They get good business only in summer and on weekends when the tourist inflow is more. Tourist Jaiwardhan feels they all have mobile phones and there is little need to be clicked by professional photographers.