![\"Lights,](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-130531267,imgsize-8756857,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/ai-generated-images-used-only-for-representational-purpose.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nSeedhe baitho! Chin up, look a little to the left\u2026 and perfect!<\/span>Remember those classic studio photos you grew up with? The dark velvet curtains, a plastic flower vase or a carved chair tucked to the side, and that soft glow on every face. Maybe it\u2019s a passport photo, a neatly dressed family portrait, or that slightly stiff school picture but you must have come across at least one such image in an old album, tucked away with documents, or framed on your living room walls.But that era of \u2018OG\u2019 images is now far behind. Those neighbourhood photo studios, once packed with people chasing the perfect frame, are now struggling to stay afloat. That curious trip to the nearby \u2018Suresh Photo Studio\u2019 has quietly been replaced by the search for that perfect filter.It all began when cameras moved beyond studios and into everyday homes. While photography had existed in India since the 1840s, it only became truly common at a household level in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when digital cameras started replacing film.Before that, most families relied on film cameras from brands like Kodak<\/a> and Agfa, or visited local studios for important pictures, as film rolls were limited and developing them cost money.<\/p>\n The shift came with affordable digital cameras from companies like Sony, Canon, and Nikon, which made photography instant and unlimited. By the 2010s, smartphones from Samsung and Apple made it universal, turning photography into an everyday habit rather than a planned event, and, in hindsight, making those old studio portraits feel even more special. <\/p>\n Ironically, even a photo giant like Kodak, which invented the digital camera in 1975 through Steve Sasson, failed to benefit from this shift and ultimately collapsed. Despite knowing digital would replace film, it clung to its traditional business, making weak strategic and leadership choices. By the time it tried to adapt, competitors had already taken over, turning Kodak into a classic example of missing a revolution it helped create.But Kodak wasn\u2019t the only one that took a hit. The impact was felt just as strongly by neighbourhood photo studios that once thrived at the centre of it all. <\/p>\n Those small shops where people would patiently wait their turn for a single good picture are now left in an eerie silence. Over time, the need to capture everything began to fade as what was once an occasion turned into a habit. Now studios are left wondering where they fit in.For many photographers, the change has been hard to miss. Navneet Kumar Sharma, a generational photographer with 35 years of experience, recalls how different things were in the 1990s. \u201cWhen I first entered the business, I would work anywhere between 16 to 20 hours a day, and even then, the work never seemed to end. There was always something pending,\u201d he told TOI. \u201cBack then, studios were almost always full, barely a moment to pause.\u201dToday, that rush has all but disappeared. The Jaipur-based photographer says the rise of smartphones and easy access to cameras has taken a clear toll on his business, with bookings nearly drying up. \u201cWe hardly get any appointments now, even during festivals that once filled our registers,\u201d he says. \u201cOccasions like Gangaur, Diwali, or even birthdays used to be a steady source of income two decades ago, but now they\u2019ve almost disappeared. Now customers only come for passport-size photos.\u201d <\/p>\n Info credit: Statista<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Romi, a middle-aged photographer, voices the same situation. \u201cWe used to think photography was a safe profession because people will always want their photos clicked, that\u2019s how memories live,\u201d he says. \u201cBut the shift has been both sudden and gradual at the same time. Smartphones were basically the AI of that era, taking jobs here and there.\u201dAnd for some, adapting wasn\u2019t enough. Girdhar, another photographer, says the shift pushed him out of his family\u2019s studio and into a different job altogether. \u201cI still work with cameras because growing up, that\u2019s all I knew. I saw my father do it, and it became my world too. I\u2019ve been obsessed with the profession.\u201d\u201cThe thought of learning something else never really crossed my mind,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n From busy studios to silent waiting rooms<\/span>\u201cTo sum it up in one word, everyday now looks like a struggle,\u201d Sharma said, reflecting on how drastically his work life has changed over the years. \u201cIt is almost the same every day\u2014unlocking the gates in the morning and then sitting and waiting for customers to walk in,\u201d he added.He explained how even the nature of customers has changed. \u201cThe footfall is already down, and those who do come are mostly here only for passport-sized photos. The whole job gets over in five minutes,\u201d he said.When photo sessions became five-minute jobs<\/span>Recalling earlier days, Sharma spoke about a very different atmosphere inside the studio. \u201cEarlier, people would come in for proper photo sessions. They would pose, we would adjust the lights, fix the curtains, change props here and there, it felt like a full setup. There was a kind of liveliness in the studio all the time,\u201d he said. \u201cNow, it\u2019s just the hope of getting a new order, a birthday, a wedding, a corporate event, anything that brings some work in.\u201d <\/p>\n Digital disruption and other challenges<\/span>Sharma also pointed out how the entire profession has transformed with technology. \u201cEarlier photography and today\u2019s photography are like day and night, there\u2019s a huge difference,\u201d he said. \u201cBack then, there was a standard rate and a standard way of working. But now, with digital, there is no reel cost, no cassette expense, everything has become smart and digital, stored on cards. Because of this, it is very difficult for photographers to stick to one fixed rate. One person does a job for Rs 1000, another does the same for Rs 500, someone else even for Rs 700.\u201dHe added that the transition wasn\u2019t easy even for those already in the field. \u201cWhen technology changed and new systems came in, we old photographers had to adapt too. The younger generation joined later. Earlier, people learned the work directly on the job. Now, there are colleges that even offer degrees in photography, students study it formally,\u201d he said.Also read | <\/span>‘If you’re not close enough, your photo is not good enough’: Remembering Raghu Rai<\/a>\u201cIt\u2019s very typical now,\u201d Romi said with a sense of resignation. \u201cWhen I first entered this field, days used to feel like moments because there was so much happening. Now, it has slowed down a lot. The waiting feels longer than the work itself.\u201dSharma also highlighted how the entire medium has shifted away from studios. \u201cEarlier photography was done on cellulose tapes, and videos were recorded on VHS tapes, but everything has become digital now,\u201d he said. \u201cMost of the work that still exists has moved beyond studios, it is happening outside, on location.\u201dHe also spoke about how smartphones have changed customer expectations. \u201cCustomers often tell us that their smartphones take better pictures than we do, and they even question our pricing,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n Many times I feel that I should leave this field. Because during the off-season, there is no work at the studio, no outdoor events. After April or May, there is very little work. And after May\u2013June, the wedding season also ends completely. It becomes very difficult to spend four to five months like this. At that time, I feel I should leave this and do something else. There is so much family pressure and so many responsibilities that it becomes difficult to manage them. But what can I do? I have never learned any other work, I have never gone anywhere else. That\u2019s why it becomes very difficult. If I leave, where should I even go?<\/p>\n Navneet Kumar Sharma A profession in transition<\/span>Girdhar, too, reflected on how the studio life has nearly faded away. \u201cA day in my life is no longer the same that it used to be,\u201d he said. Like many in the trade, he eventually had to shift careers as business declined. \u201cI have a job now. After I realised that earnings were falling quickly, I joined a local news channel as a camera person. It is not the same, but I still have what I know best, the camera skills. Thankfully, I can still work with a camera.\u201d<\/p>\n All is not lost for these photographers, slowly adapted to the changing times, even if the transition hasn\u2019t been easy.Sharma reflects on how the shift was unavoidable, but also something the older generation learned to accept. \u201cYes, when technology changed and new tools came in, we were among the first to adapt.\u201d Still, the struggle for steady work continues. For Sharma, outdoor events are now the main source of livelihood. \u201cWithout weddings and functions, there is hardly any work\u2026 most days just feel empty,\u201d he admits quietly. The wedding season, he says, brings a brief sense of relief. \u201cHaldi, mehendi, pre-wedding shoots, these keep things going for a while. But once the season ends, everything goes silent again. Then it\u2019s just waiting\u2026 waiting for the next big moment,\u201d he adds, capturing the long stretches of uncertainty that define his work life now.Romi, who has been working on regional film projects, said this has now become a key source of income. \u201cIt\u2019s no longer just studio photography. Work comes from different places now, sometimes a film shoot, sometimes an event. You have to keep moving with the work, otherwise you get left behind,\u201d he said.Girdhar still sometimes works with outdoor photography. \u201cStudio work has reduced a lot, but outdoor shoots still come up, providing a little extra income\u201d he says. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the end, the decline of neighbourhood photo studios reflects a larger shift in how society creates and consumes memories. What was once a skilled, time-consuming craft built around patience, composition and personal interaction has been replaced by instant, self-driven photography on smartphones.For many studio photographers, the change has meant shrinking incomes, irregular work, and the constant pressure to adapt or move out of the profession altogether. Yet, even as the business fades, their role in shaping visual memory remains significant, capturing moments that once required intention and effort. Sharma suggests that some form of government support, such as minimum wage protections or skill-based assistance, could help stabilise incomes and allow the sector a fair chance to survive amid rapid technological change.These studios now exist on the margins, no longer the first choice, but still a quiet reminder of a time when every photograph carried weight, preparation, and permanence.<\/div>\nA gradual shift<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Evolution](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-130528987\/evolution-of-photography.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFrom long queues to silence<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Info](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-130529011\/info-credit-statista.jpg\" "\\"Info")
<\/p>\nThen VS Now \u2014 How a day in your life looks?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Making](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-130529335\/making-a-photo-process.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nA ray of hope<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Whate](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-130529921\/whate-are-they-doing-now.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe bottom line<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n