1st place
gold star award
Arjun Kamath
india
title
The Anxiety Series
With this thought rooted in me, I spent the next six months researching and ideating. I read papers on mental illnesses and studied talks, spoke to mental health practitioners, and heard firsthand encounters from friends who were fighting anxiety. I then took up the task of understanding my overarching intent, finalising on photo narratives as the medium, and finally, building the characters and their respective fictional worlds. And thus, The Anxiety Series was born.
The shoot demanded intricate mis-en-scene, so I decided to use a space that would let me create uninterrupted. I discovered an abandoned mill in Bengaluru and transformed it into a moody canvas to craft these important stories. Five sets were hence fabricated, with carefully chosen characters, props, attires, colours, and lighting. The result was five human stories which tapped into the lives of five characters, each pertaining to different backstories, situations, and crises. The stories explored the root cause of various anxiety disorders such as PTSD, GAD and social anxiety.
Made with heart, the series holds importance for me as an artist as well as a human. In today’s day and age where the pressures of work and life are high, it's crucial that artists express the importance of mental health through their work.
In the world of creative photography, my photo stories have been lauded by an international audience, published by the likes of the United Nations, Nat Geo, Vogue, BuzzFeed, and HuffPost.
My love for photography extends to the genres of fashion, travel, street, and wedding photography. Herein my work has been recognised by renowned award programmes such as the International Photography Award (First place, IPA 2020), Monochrome Award, and IPOTY. My fashion collaborations feature like-minded personalities from the Indian film industry, including Shweta Tripathi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Neha Sharma, Rashmika Mandanna, Simran, and Malavika Mohanan.
Furthermore, I am fascinated with smartphone photography, a skill I passionately pursue on my travels & occasionally during fashion shoots. Seattle based renowned smartphone lens manufacturer—Moment—has featured my Macro Series. The world-renowned Hamdan Bin Mohammed International Photography Award has honoured me as a worldwide finalist for my smartphone-only photograph.
Whereas in the capacity of a Director and Cinematographer, I have worked with an international team & filmed in countries like the USA, Scotland, & Canada. My work has been featured and awarded at prestigious international film festivals, like the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Cleveland Film Festival, and Seattle International Film Festival. ‘Scotch: A Golden Dream’, a documentary I led the principal cinematography for, streams on Prime Video and Hulu.
You can learn more about my work on my website (kamatharjun.com) or my Instagram (@arjunkamath87).
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entry description
The Anxiety Series is a photo story coalescing a fusion of art, poetry, and a social message on mental illness, drawing inspiration from my own encounters with anxiety. In 2019, I unwillingly ventured into the sombre world of mild anxiety and bouts of unprecedented panic. And while I was fortunate enough to recover through the support of my loved ones, I realised how many people have it worse. How, in many countries and households, mental illnesses are not given the attention and empathy they deserve, or even worse, still considered a taboo.With this thought rooted in me, I spent the next six months researching and ideating. I read papers on mental illnesses and studied talks, spoke to mental health practitioners, and heard firsthand encounters from friends who were fighting anxiety. I then took up the task of understanding my overarching intent, finalising on photo narratives as the medium, and finally, building the characters and their respective fictional worlds. And thus, The Anxiety Series was born.
The shoot demanded intricate mis-en-scene, so I decided to use a space that would let me create uninterrupted. I discovered an abandoned mill in Bengaluru and transformed it into a moody canvas to craft these important stories. Five sets were hence fabricated, with carefully chosen characters, props, attires, colours, and lighting. The result was five human stories which tapped into the lives of five characters, each pertaining to different backstories, situations, and crises. The stories explored the root cause of various anxiety disorders such as PTSD, GAD and social anxiety.
Made with heart, the series holds importance for me as an artist as well as a human. In today’s day and age where the pressures of work and life are high, it's crucial that artists express the importance of mental health through their work.
about the photographer
I’m Arjun Kamath, an award-winning photographer and filmmaker based out of Bangalore, India. A storyteller at heart, I have several titles to my name such as Canon Maestro, Profoto Mentor, and IPA winner. My professional skills are enhanced by a Master’s degree in Film & Television Production from one of the world’s finest film schools, the USC School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles.In the world of creative photography, my photo stories have been lauded by an international audience, published by the likes of the United Nations, Nat Geo, Vogue, BuzzFeed, and HuffPost.
My love for photography extends to the genres of fashion, travel, street, and wedding photography. Herein my work has been recognised by renowned award programmes such as the International Photography Award (First place, IPA 2020), Monochrome Award, and IPOTY. My fashion collaborations feature like-minded personalities from the Indian film industry, including Shweta Tripathi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Neha Sharma, Rashmika Mandanna, Simran, and Malavika Mohanan.
Furthermore, I am fascinated with smartphone photography, a skill I passionately pursue on my travels & occasionally during fashion shoots. Seattle based renowned smartphone lens manufacturer—Moment—has featured my Macro Series. The world-renowned Hamdan Bin Mohammed International Photography Award has honoured me as a worldwide finalist for my smartphone-only photograph.
Whereas in the capacity of a Director and Cinematographer, I have worked with an international team & filmed in countries like the USA, Scotland, & Canada. My work has been featured and awarded at prestigious international film festivals, like the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Cleveland Film Festival, and Seattle International Film Festival. ‘Scotch: A Golden Dream’, a documentary I led the principal cinematography for, streams on Prime Video and Hulu.
You can learn more about my work on my website (kamatharjun.com) or my Instagram (@arjunkamath87).
back to gallery