Sujata Setia will be on the Behind the Lens stage at The Photography & Video Show 2025 giving her talk ‘A Photographer’s Exploration of Purpose' on Saturday, March 8, 2.45pm to 3.25pm. I asked her what we should expect to learn…
How did you get started in photography and did you study it formally?
I was never formally trained, but art has always been my anchor. In 2013, after my daughter’s birth, I began using our Canon EOS 450D to photograph her. It became a healing act – an intimate theatre where we both played equal parts, free from the burden of authority. Photography helped me find balance. My practice is deeply autobiographical, rooted in identifying my strongest emotions and translating them into visual narratives that reflect my inner world.
For anyone not familiar with it, how would you describe your photography?
Art is like language to me – more inclusive and democratic than words. I started my practice with works akin to magical realism – portraits of childhood, family, and elderly love set in utopian worlds, subconsciously erasing memories of my own traumatic childhood. Losing my mother in 2019 transformed my practice. I shifted to socially engaged work, starting with ‘Changing the Conversation,’ which interrogates beauty norms, and ‘A Thousand Cuts,’ which examines domestic abuse in South Asian culture.
What will your talk at the show be about?
I will go through my artistic trajectory, showing how photography is much more than the art of taking photos. It can be meaningful, purposeful and a thriving full-time profession. I’ll share insights from my career building a successful family photography business and speak about gaining visibility and platforms for your work.
The session will explore the potential of photography as a career, offering practical tips on sustaining a creative practice. I’ll also discuss how photography can serve a greater purpose – allowing artists to give back to the wider community through their work.
How do you find a distinctive photographic voice in our image-saturated world?
Finding a voice comes from understanding that photography is more than just a tool – it’s a language. When you approach it as a form of communication, rather than a way to capture fleeting moments, your creative stance emerges. The ability to make that connection is what gives your photography a unique voice.
Book your ticket to The Photography & Video Show and save 20%
The Photography & Video Show 2025 is at the London Excel exhibition center, running for four days from Saturday, March 8 to Tuesday, March 11. It is open 10:00 to 17:00 every day. You'll find everything you need to know here.
The Photography & Video Show is presented by Future plc, which is also the parent company of Digital Camera World.
