Indian photographers at par with world standards: Dabboo Ratnani

Indian photographers are at par with the world in terms of quality, feels ace fashion photographer Dabboo Ratnani.

"I would say the quality is at par. It's just that you have to know what market you have to capture. There are some who have gone abroad and settled down. There has to be some signature style to make it into the international market," said Ratnani, while inaugurating the International Institute of Photography here Saturday.

Ratnani's portfolio boasts of a star-studded international clientele. including Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Sachin Tendulkar, late Michael Jackson and Boris Becker.

His most significant work, however, is his annual calender that regularly features top Bollywood stars, including Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Having recently captured veteran actors Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu, Ratnani called it a "legendary photoshoot".

"I shot Dilp Kumar and Saira Banu together and even photographed Amitabh Bachchan with Kumar," revealed Ratnani, who is working on two untitled films under Karan Johar's Dharma Productions' banner.

Spanning 19 years, his romance with the lens has earned Ratnani the coveted position of official photographer of leading Indian fashion and film magazines like Cosmopolitan, Filmfare, Hi Blitz, Ok India, Elle, Verve and Femina.

"Innovation and rediscovering yourself year after year is very important. It is important to stay in touch with technology and what's new. You can't get lazy about it," said Ratnani, who loves to shoot in natural light.