Rammy Narula is a Bangkok-based street photographer, well known for his captivating photos that depict raw, unfiltered moments on the streets through his unique use of light and color, which, for me, make his work immediately recognizable. I had been curious to meet him for a while—his book Platform 10 had inspired me when I first arrived in Bangkok and decided to try my hand at street photography around Hua Lamphong, Bangkok’s central train station and one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. So, I was delighted when he agreed to meet me for a coffee.
Rammy’s journey into photography began as a way to cope with tinnitus and anxiety. What started as a means of escape soon turned into a deep passion. His photos are striking in their composition, emotion, surrealism, and light. They often carry a sense of mystery and ambiguity, which he defines as two essential elements for a good street photo. In our conversation, we spoke about street photography as a universal language, his exploration of self-portraiture to better understand the complexities of his inner self, and his shift toward incorporating more writing into his creative process.
I thoroughly enjoyed our time together, and I especially appreciated his thoughts and reflections on creativity and self-doubt—something many photographers struggle with but that often goes unspoken.
How did your photography journey begin?
In May 2011, I began suffering from tinnitus, and soon after, I developed pretty severe anxiety issues, mainly from being really scared that something much more sinister was causing the ringing in my ear. Staying at home became extremely difficult, so getting out of the house to try and drown out the ringing became one of the ways to get used to the condition that wasn’t going away on its own. My brother gave me a camera, thinking it might be a good companion to take along. Soon, photography became something I did whenever possible.
What first drew you to street photography as a genre?
Street photography did not come to me right away. I tried my hand at several other genres of photography while learning to use the camera at local photography workshops. During one of the workshops, I was introduced to several photographers’ personal work, which some referred to as ‘street photography’. The freedom of expression within these works really appealed to me, and I immediately connected with that aspect of it. Not to mention the ease of getting into it, which felt like a big bonus—one camera and one lens were all that was required, with no need to lug around several lenses everywhere. Prior to that, I did not realize photography could be that convenient while still producing such meaningful work.
What constitutes a street photo for you?
A tough question to define as words can never do the definition justice, but I will try. To me a street photograph offers a look at someone’s unique view of characteristics representing human life. Emotions. Behaviors. Signs and remnants of what it means to be a human being. It is made without altering or posing what is in front of the camera for the purpose of the photograph. A good photograph to me also offers room for interpretation and comes with some mystery and ambiguity. What was the photographer thinking? What did they see? Is what I’m looking at and feel drawn to the same thing the photographer felt drawn to? It opens up room for the imagination and it asks more questions than it answers. It’s all the better when it also makes me want to get to know the photographer and their views on reality.
Do you perceive street photography as a universal language, or do you feel that it differs across countries and cultures? What are your thoughts on the emergence of a global photographic aesthetic within street photography? Do you notice any fundamental differences between ”Eastern”and “Western” approaches to this genre?
Perhaps not the best analogy, but we could think of street photography like sports, for example. There are some basic principles in each sport that are universal, and everyone follows those principles, but there isn’t one fixed way or style of practicing it, and that can look very different from country to country. Each country has different influences, and, moreover, street photography also has varying public protection laws governing the streets as well as different degrees of the public’s general tolerance. We can also see some similarities emerge when influences cross into other countries and their practices are adopted by some photographers. It really is quite interesting when we look at the work from each community and how much it differs, as well as the level of influence the highly regarded photographers have in their respective countries. I don’t think it’s as simple as Eastern or Western but rather more country to country in many cases.
Your book “Platform 10” published in 2016 by Peanut Press, is a mesmerizing series of photos that you took at Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station. You consciously decided to focus your attention on the arrival of one single train, at the same time, every day. What was the reason for this? Did you find yourself becoming more receptive to the scene as your intention and practice deepened?
I can be quite obsessed with perfectionistic ideals when something interests me. I can also be quite lazy. Looking back, perhaps a combination of these factors contributed to limiting the project to a single train, at the same time, every day. I really liked the look and feel of the first few photographs I made from the platform and didn’t want to deviate from it. At the time, it felt as though adding more from other areas of the station, or outside of it, would dilute what felt special about it. I was also not very proficient with my photographic language and didn’t feel like expanding on the project, as that would have required a lot of editing work and putting together a long-form photographic series. Here’s where my laziness crept in and said, “no, don’t do it, this is enough.” Over time, I limited even more of what was included in the final selection. There was a purposeful omission of anything that could tell the viewer what year it was by not including mobile phones in the final edit , for example. I wanted a timeless feel to the images and create my own reality of this place, freezing it in time, so to speak.
You have a passion for traveling and exploring the streets of foreign countries too. Do you believe your approach to street photography changes when you are in an unfamiliar environment? If so, how does it differ from your approach at home? Do you find it more challenging or easier to photograph in a foreign, unfamiliar place?
It used to differ a lot. When traveling I am much more aware of the environment and also more wary of people’s responses to my camera. My anxiety does not help matters as it’s quite hard for me to settle my nerves. Because of this, my work was always a bit more abstract whenever I traveled. I would photograph fewer faces directly to avoid confrontations. Over time though my propensity to photographing people with their faces visible reduced. I enjoy the more abstract work I usually make when traveling and adopted it even when I shot at home in Thailand. I find it more natural to my senses and so it’s now more or less the same whether I am at home or traveling.
Self-portraiture appears to play a significant role in your photographic expression. Minor White once said “…all photographs are self-portraits.” Does this statement resonate with you? Can you share more about your journey into this genre and what it means to you both as a photographer and an individual?
Oh 100% I agree with this. It wasn’t always obvious to me that that was what I was doing, but perhaps I should have realized it when I felt the strong pull of street photography early on. I mentioned feeling drawn to the freedom of expression aspect of photography and that should have been the first clue. You’re essentially out looking for ways to describe how you feel and to communicate what interests you in the best way possible. My friend pointed this out to me when he said he felt all of my work was about me. I initially had a puzzled look on my face and asked “even beyond the actual self-portraits?” And he said yes, he could see me in a lot of my work. I always find it difficult to explain myself in a few short sentences, and so photography became this nice, succinct way of saying something, without needing words to explain. It’s nice that you can put something out in the world and not have to explain or defend it. There’s much less judgement especially when it’s not trying to match up to anyone’s expectations. I photograph my way, have always insisted on doing that, and this stubbornness represents much of my work, including trying to jam my self-portraits into the street photography category when many people will say it’s not (laughs). In the end it’s just photography and so long as you’re representing yourself, you’re doing yourself and the art form, justice.
It seems that your recent focus (on Instagram) has shifted towards writing, with fewer photography posts. Could you share the reason behind this shift? And what we can anticipate from you in the future?
For the last 12-13 years there have been a few gaps in between where I just felt less drawn to taking pictures. I used to struggle with this feeling, often not liking myself for not taking photographs. I would question whether I was truly a photographer and whether the title of photographer had been rightly earned. Just over a year ago, I started to let go of this self-judgement. While it hasn’t been easy, I have noticed a decrease in the intensity of my internal battle. I started writing to continue expressing myself creatively. That came naturally as I’ve always wanted to write but never invested time in it. I convinced myself, whether rightly or wrongly, that we didn’t have to photograph all the time to consider ourselves artists or photographers, and it feels more liberating in that regard. I have also started collaborating with an artist to illustrate my writings and hope to publish them one day. It’s a journey of mindfulness and awareness of a photographer who’s struggled mightily over the years with self doubts and confidence. Through my writing I’ve also connected with the many photographers who resonate with this struggle, and that has been a huge bonus.
Since 2019 you have served as a Fujifilm X photographer. Can you explain the responsibilities and expectations that come with this role? What are some “dos and don’ts” for those of us unfamiliar with being a brand ambassador? How does representing a prominent brand influence your creative freedom? Do you find it easier to present your work under the label of a recognized brand?
My relationship with Fujifilm is one of freedom to create with no restrictions and I’ve always appreciated this about everyone at the company, both in Thailand and Japan. I was welcomed into the fold, partly due to my interest in teaching and coaching photographers, so that’s part of my responsibility. We’ve worked on a few campaigns together in the last 5 years and they have been very supportive of both my flow with photography, which sometimes gets stuck in a rut, and my increased interest in writing.
Can you briefly share with us your experience of photographing with the latest addition to the Fujifilm X100 series, the x100VI. Do you believe that the choice of a camera significantly impacts the outcome of a photograph or do you attribute the credit solely to the photographer’s skill?
A photographer’s skill is of course at the top of the pyramid, no question. Even when faced with unfamiliar equipment, I believe a photographer can still produce work they are proud of. However, it is also true that if given an option, the choice a photographer makes about which camera to use can also have a significant impact on their work. Choosing the right tool for the job is something which should not be underestimated. A photographer suffering with back pain will definitely find it harder to lump around a heavier camera trying to produce work that could be produced with a much smaller camera, for example. I began photographing at a time when I needed simplicity in my life, and so the X100 series was an easy decision to go with. A light weight camera that does a great job. I’ve really enjoyed the latest edition of the camera as the bigger file sizes and introduction of IBIS means it’s even more versatile than it ever has been. I love to print my work so the increased sharpness and file sizes are definitely a welcome improvement. If you’re a street photographer or a traveler who likes to pack light, this is a good tool to have among many other reasons, no question.
Which photographers have been an inspiration for you?
There has been several over the years. In terms of style of photography, I would say Harry Gruyaert. His approach to color photography and how he looks at the world really speaks to me. It has certainly influenced how I see and produce my work. I also really enjoy Jay Maisel’s work as well as his writings on photography. They helped shape how I think and approach my work, especially in determining subject choice. I’ve also learned so many things from spending time on workshops with many different teachers.
Silvia Donà
Instagram: @rammynarula