WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIVE INTO THE UNKNOWN? 

New York-based photographer, Kriti Bisaria presents her new work – “The Plunge” at Art Magnum, New Delhi. Kriti Bisaria is an Indian-born photographer and director whose images are inspired by the vivacious colors of the natural world and the serene movement of water across a landscape. Born in the vibrant and bustling Central India, Kriti has traveled all over the world seeking out varied experiences in cultures, fashion, art, literature and adventure sports. 

Kriti’s work invites us to journey with her on the emotional experience of diving while experiencing her imagination where colors exist in a hyperreal state—intense and vivid. Flashes of red, white and metal cut across calm, murky deep blues and pinks and remind us of the feeling of being born again. As Kriti says, “the most fascinating thing about underwater photography is how things move in the water. It’s surreal. I seek fluid motions in my work, and I find water an easy medium to achieve that movement and dreamlike effect that I want in my pictures. It’s beautiful!” 

Diving presents a rollercoaster of emotion; fear before the dive, exhilaration during the dive followed by adrenaline as one’s body touches the water and a sense of calm as one swims further into the deep blue depths of an ocean. Kriti asks “What happens when we dive into the unknown? When we shed fear, mistrust, and the grind of daily life and allow ourselves the freedom and grace to become rejuvenated and empowered by the experience?” 

However, behind the easy fluidity of her photos lies a decade of training, preparation and overcoming challenges, and an intense focus on executing the creative process while managing the challenges of a medium that is dangerous and technically arduous. Fashion shoots require a lot of preparation, but Kriti describes shooting fashion underwater as another ‘beast’. 

Underwater modeling is incredibly difficult and there are only handful of models that can do this kind of shoot. Kriti typically practices poses with the models before then get in the water and will have them do the same pose repeatedly until she gets the shot. Safety is always of utmost importance during the shoot as both models and the photographer need to resurface to breathe before anyone feels fatigued. With confidence in herself and her vision, Kriti’s technical skills allow us to experience a moment in time that reflects absolute stillness in the face of constant motion. She serves as the Director of Photography for a major fashion brand in NYC and is a certified scuba diver who trained in the Pacific Ocean in California.