Kajal Krishna

Hi, I’m Kajal Krishna, a Melbourne based photographer originally from New Zealand. My photographic work blends fashion, fine art and portraiture. I started photography four years ago during my first solo trip to Hong Kong.

I had the idea of taking street photos in Hong Kong to focus my attention on something during a particularly difficult time in my life. I was hooked immediately.

I started to see faces and everything around me in a different way. The wrinkles on an old person’s face became intriguing and beautiful, old derelict buildings held mystery and wonder. At this point, the last thing on my mind was equipment. All the photos I took on this trip were with a Panasonic Lumix point and shoot, which by the way is an awesome little compact travel camera.

I would then go on to make three visits to India for photography related trips. These trips were invaluable for my growth, they also taught me to work with less and lighter equipment.

Most of my travel portraiture was shot with a humble Nikon D3300. This camera feels like a toy to me now, but the photos I shot with it are still among some of my favourites.

I fell into fashion photography, at first, as a way to continue and build on my skills between trips away, but it has now become my main area of interest.

As a lot of photographers can attest, once you become passionate about photography, it can become very expensive. I much prefer to have a reliable but small amount of equipment.

I try not to fall into the trap of wanting the latest and greatest piece of equipment. I love the quote by Ansell Adams: “You don’t take a photograph – you make it.” More important than the gear itself is the creativity you bring, for me, it’s about the execution of the concept. It’s about colour, the vision…the story.

The equipment is simply the tool you use to capture it.

Cameras

My first DSLR camera was a second-hand Nikon D3300. I absolutely love this camera. In terms of a beginner camera, I can’t fault it. For the price, reliability, and size it’s amazing. I still use it when I need something lightweight.

After my Nikon D3300, I upgraded to a Nikon D610, this camera has also been a great, reliable piece of equipment. A huge downside is the not-so-great battery life. After using this camera for about three years and after much deliberation I bought myself a Sony A7 III.

Buying the Sony A7 III was probably my most expensive purchase, I researched it for months before committing, but this camera has been a game-changer for me. I love the electronic viewfinder, the fact that I no longer have to chimp for exposure is awesome. The battery easily lasts me two days, which is a huge bonus for me.

Lenses

I currently only own about three lenses. I have a Nikon 50mm f/1.8G and I love how light and portable this lens is. I also have a Nikon AF 80-200mm f/2.8D ED which is an older lens, it’s quite heavy but boy, for the price it is a great lens. My one and only Sony lens is the Sony FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3, it’s really all I need and it’s a great all-around lens.

Lights/Triggers

I recently purchased the Godox AD200, I love this flash. One of the biggest pluses for me is how easy and user friendly it is. I have a Godox X1T-N Trigger for my Nikon and a Godox XPro-S for my Sony.

Hardware & Software

I use a Macbook Pro 15″. My editing is pretty basic, I currently use Adobe Lightroom CC to edit all my images. Using and becoming more proficient with Adobe Photoshop is something I’m always putting off but is definitely a focus for me this year.

If I can leave you with one of the best pieces of advice I read from the incredible Zhang Jingna. It is a statement that I always keep in the back of my mind: “If you are already satisfied with yourself, then you lack the hunger that will push you to get better.”

@kajalkrishnaphotography