Imaginative imaging

Styling herself as a natural light photographer is Yasmin Khambatta Shastri who relocated to Bombay from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania about a year ago. The 46-year-old specializes in maternity, baby and children’s photography, a field that is "very much in vogue in the West” where "soon-to-be-mothers love to have their maternity snaps clicked… a beautiful time in your life which you want to capture, to look back and reminisce (over) later with your loved ones,” she explains in a write-up sent to Parsiana.
Her interest in drawing and painting was kindled as a child when she watched her mother "draw animal figures, cute little houses and smiley happy faces to keep me entertained,” Shastri recalls. So she enrolled with Sophia B. K. Polytechnic to study Applied Arts and later worked with various advertising agencies in Bombay as a visualize/art director. She would observe photographers shoot and watch her ideas come to life. Seeing them at work, she soon picked up the finer nuances of photography. When she tried her hand with the camera, she found she really enjoyed the experience and decided to branch into photography.
Marriage took her to Dar es Salaam where she "would go berserk photographing the animals at Serengeti National Park, the beautiful coastline in Zanzibar, Mount Kilimanjaro and the hues and colors of nature at Ngorongoro Crater.” Her husband Nikhil, recognizing her talent, gifted her with a professional camera and "after that there was no stopping me.” She soon realized that working in natural light showed up nature in all its beauty.

Child studies photographed by Yasmin Shastri

After the birth of her children, she began to take pictures of them. "Children are a sheer delight to work with. I love capturing their angelic looks and their naughty smiles. Soon I was taking snaps of other babies as well, children of relatives and friends.” In Tanzania Shastri was called upon to take maternity photos, and as a natural progression of the babies when they arrived. Parents wanted to record "every step of their life. The newborn, the toddler, and as children, every year till they reach adolescence… They prefer it to be done by a professional to give it that ‘special touch.’” Now that she is back in Bombay, this is a concept she hopes to popularize.

Yasmin Shastri with son Aryaan and daughter Akeshya

Shastri is open to shooting other subjects as well, having handled family portraits, children’s parties, pets, wildlife, nature, interiors and products. She acknowledges the support of her parents Gool and late Nariman Khambatta. Her son Aryaan, now 11, is a budding photographer, while five-year-old daughter Akeshya loves posing for her mother and brother.
Though married to a Gujarati, Shastri stresses that she retains her Parsipanu. "I do the divo/chalk chandan daily and visit Aslaji Agiary every Friday.” Her mother, an excellent cook, taught Shastri to whip up Parsi dishes. There were seven Parsi families in Dar es Salaam who met regularly and celebrated festivals and happy occasions together. She still remains in touch with them.
Shastri’s photographs may be viewed on her Facebook page: Yasmin Shastri Photography. She may be contacted over the telephone at: +919820985145.