CREATIVE EYE GROUP MAGAZINE NO. 86 SEPTEMBER 2021
MY LIFE AS A PHOTOGRAPHER PALLI GAJREE OAM, HON.FRPS, FBIPP
AUSTRALIA
Palli is the longest serving member in Australia of the Royal Photographic Society (RPS), and of the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP), as well as The Photographic Society of America (PSA).
I
was born and brought up in Kenya, my parents having migrated from North India
back in the mid-20s. My interest in photography began at a young age of 15, when I saved enough pocket money to invest in a Kodak 127 folding camera just after the last War. It had only cost me an equivalent of $3.00 then! Enthusiasm in portraiture developed and in 1951 I added a twin-lens Rolleiflex to my equipment. Relatives, friends and anyone else who could be persuaded were posing in front of my new camera. Two years later, in 1953, this interest in portraiture took a new turn when I travelled to the United Kingdom to do a two-year fulltime course in photography at the Manchester College Contemplation
of Technology (now known as Manchester Metropolitan University). After the completion of studies, I turned to London and joined the West-End portrait studio with the wellknown photographer, the
which was to provide
portrait was subsequently
success. To be a successful
late Walter Bird, FIBP, FRPS.
even further incentive
selected and reproduced
portraitist one has to be
Two years’ experience gained
in competing with other
in The British Journal
very much aware of the
from this studio proved most
exhibitors around the world.
Photographic Almanac 1958
importance of recording the
beneficial and any success
My first exhibition success
as well as Photograms of the
human personality, coupled
I achieved in portrait work
came in 1957 when one of my
Year 1958.
with rules of composition,
is largely attributed to this
portraits taken at Walter Bird
great master of portrait
Studios was accepted and
Nairobi, Kenya to set up my
photography. Bird himself
shown at the London Salon
own portrait and commercial
was a keen Salon exhibitor
of Photography. The same
studio with some degree of
18
In 1958 I returned to
lighting, background and so forth. A couple of years later, a job offer as a senior
