‘A Day with the Lovers’ is an ongoing series by photographer Raqueeb Raza. The series IS where he documents the subtle intimacies, pleasures, stolen moments and all the moments that make a relationship. Through his stills, he aims to capture raw emotions and moments that we live through together throughout our everyday lives.
Describe your creative process and the purpose with which you create.
So, I try to document people, and hence, most of my process involves a lot of talking. To make my subjects at ease with the camera, I firstly talk to them for hours before I start shooting and then once I start shooting, there’s no hard and fast rule as to how to pose or where to pose, I let people be themselves and try to capture their raw essence.
What are some things you learned while putting this project together?
That every relationship has its own quirks and charm, and it is different from any other relationship. Also, projects like these reinforce the idea of love inside me, which is slowly a dying phenomenon. In this day and age, of fast life and cold people, finding love is perhaps something that this project pushes me towards.
What are some of your biggest influences as an artist?
I think city spaces influence me a lot as an artist, and the environment around me does too. Kolkata, the city that I have grown up in influences me a lot, and also the people and the relationships around me. I like to look at life as the biggest source of inspiration rather than visual references.
A project you wish you were a part of?
Nothing as such, I have been lucky enough to do projects that I have always wanted to.
Who are some artists who are currently on your radar?
I really love the music of Anoushka Maskey and am looking forward to working with her someday, in some capacity. Matt Lambert has always been an aspiration and I always manifest that I get to work with him someday.
You can follow Raqeeb here.
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