Straight answers

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">Hemant Khandelwal</span><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">, Fashion Photographer, On the prospects of Indian lensmen abroad</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Indian designers are venturing overseas. What are the prospects abroad for photographers?</span><br /><br />As with Indian designers, our photographers too are doing work abroad.Indian photographers go abroad to shoot for specific assignments and also do work for overseas assignments while in India. It''s not necessary to be based in London, NY, Milan or Paris to say one has arrived in the West.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Many feel one can become a global name only by being based abroad.</span><br /><br />The bottomline is that one''s work has to speak for itself. If a photographer can''t deliver, it doesn''t matter whether he is based in New Delhi or New York. In this context, while being based in India, I''ve done assignments for foreign publications including <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Vogue </span>and<span style="" font-style:="" italic=""> Destinasian</span>; and recently exhibited my work -- <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Fashion Over The Years</span> --at the Agora Gallery in Manhattan.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">How do Indian models fare abroad?</span><br /><br />At the Photokina photo fair in Germany recently, lensmen appreciated the skin texture, look and overall appeal of Indian models. Our models have a bright future abroad, but for this to happen, they need to start in their teens and be ready for the tough grind their counterparts abroad face.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">How important is exposure abroad?</span><br /><br />At international fairs, one interacts with professionals from across the globe --some of the contacts materialise into assignments. In the case of exhibitions, one''s physical presence at a gallery plus local reviews can kickstart a career abroad.<br /></div> </div>