A journey that started seven years ago caught Kolkata-based photographer Anirban Ray in a strange magical world. His camera captured people on the streets,their faces blissful and content. It caught majestic structures of Mughal and British era that skirt Delhis skyline,while in Kolkata,the frames held decaying structures in Botanical Garden and Ahiritola Ghat with vines snaking up Gothic-style pillars,speaking of a history frozen in time. In his latest coffee-table book,Light & Shade: A Personal Journey (published by JAISSP,Kolkata, Rs 6,700),Ray brings to life such sights from the streets of Kolkata,Delhi,Mussoorie and Rajasthan. These are images that we cannot escape. I often go out with my camera and see the reality of the country. Since I live in Kolkata,I see adversity,yet there is a sort of resilience within these people, says Ray,who is also an IPS officer. Light & Shade includes urban landscapes,portraits,animals and faith,mostly in black and white.
