When she introduces herself as a luxury and lifestyle photographer and blogger, she perhaps underestimates the beauty of what she creates. Naina Redhu is a storyteller who finds grace and splendour in everything she captures. Whether it is a collaboration with a brand or a personal collection of daily experiences, she puts herself (literally) in everything she does. Here is a sneak peek into the work life of the creator of Naina.co and what Redhu herself has to tell about this…

Journey of Naina Redhu

A day in her life comprises odd working hours (depending on her clients), somedays working late hours and editing photographs and somedays early morning shoots! She doesn’t mind anything anyhow! A celebrated lifestyle photographer in India, meet Naina, who did her first shoot in 2006 and there was no looking back. “I bought my first DSLR in 2011 and did my sister’s wedding for the first time,” she recalls.

Years later, she is in a much comfortable space, having found what is meant to do in life- lifestyle photography and adding colours to people’s life and portraits!

“A usual day begins with breakfast, coffee and then internet surfing. I like to check blogs,” she says.

Naina is quick to respond to her emails. “Of late I have been apologizing to everyone for not answering calls so efficiently,” she concurs.

When asked where she draws her inspiration from, she is quick and clear to respond. “Originality is no longer found I guess. Everything is done and then redone. I like to simply put things together. Apply creativity in situations which are already existing. In art work too I like to do the same,” she adds.

Her work, she proudly proclaims, is all about colours. Her photographs on instagram and her blog are high contast and bright, full of colours and full of life. “I don’t want to save light. I try to bring beauty to life. I like to present the beautiful side of things,” she says.

“Anyday I prefer colours. I try not to look at other people’s work. I just to do my own thing. The easiest thing to do is to tell another person’s story I believe,” she suggests.

So how do clients reach her? “Word of mouth and of course my blog and after seeing my work. I have updated every single activity and work on my blog and Instagram and people have liked my work. Sometimes personal projects attract professional assignments. Like I did a campaign ‘Eyes For People’ and JW Marriott Mussoorie hired me to do it for their entire staff,” she narrates. Naina adds that she does not believe in any marketing. “I have initially run advertisements on social media platforms but it only attracts traffic, but not work. It’s anyhow expensive to hire me,” she adds with a smile!

She left wedding photography three years ago after having done 12-16 such weddings, the first one being her sister’s wedding. “It’s just not my kind of work. It was not fulfilling my creative quest. So I left wedding photography although it was commercially viable. It was a tough decision to leave weddings,” she admits.

Naina Redhu’s Dream

Working on her dream project she is currently profiling talented people. “It was my dream to profile lesser heard of but talented people. People who do good work. I don’t mind featuring even a photographer. I did an artist recently and being with her in her studio was an amazing experience. Understanding what they do and spending 3-4 hours is a good experience,” she says.

Naina says that 2-3 years is a long planning time! She is impulsive and believes in trial and error method. “I experiment a lot. I am quick to do something and drop if it doesn’t click or work,” adds Naina.

When asked which clients have added value to her work and profile, she confesses that each one has contributed in a different and unique way. “Clients who hire me are actually risking since my method of working is unconventional. I experiment and I am expensive. I have recently shot for Google India and photographs shall be out soon,” she adds.

Her message for the photographers’ community- stay connected. “A community approach is missing in India among bloggers and photographers. We all need to stay connected to discuss and ideate. I get emails from lot of young enthusiasts who ask for guidance. I would suggest all bloggers and photographers to create an environment of connectivity,” Naina Redhu advises.

A peek at her blog and one understands that this luxury photographer has an eye for anything. This she does while maintaining exclusiveness and finesse in her work that is well reflected in her collaboration with renowned brands and names. “I started blogging just to share the information I used to find online about marketing,” she says.

As she moved ahead in her quest for creativity; she began to express her experiences and talent in the vast collection of visual stories that bejewel her blog.

Standing adjacent to a metallic wall wearing a Tarun Tahiliani ensemble showcasing Zoya Jewel’s Diamonds of Eve collection- the description is sufficient to give you an inkling about her commitment to work. “Creativity for me is a problem, a riddle I try to solve through my art,” Naina suggests while talking about her work as a ‘Brand Storyteller’. While reading this particular story one realises the amount of determination and consideration it takes to be the name you are and to keep it on a pedestal it has reached. Her ‘Eyes For People Potrait Series’ is an incredible portrayal of voluminous stories encapsulated within diverse eyes. She has innumerable such projects she keeps working upon.

Whether she is roaming the streets to spot the smart and the stylish or wearing a high fashion holiday outfit herself to show you the corridors of the magnificent Narendra Bhawan in Bikaner, she will be at her best.

Her Personal Touch

Be it ‘behind-the-scenes’ of Urban Clap or appreciating the art collection at the Sotheby’s auction, she gives a personal touch to everything she associates herself with. “Blogging is what I do out of passion but I think the young people need to understand that blogging is not sufficient to sustain your lifestyle. You need to have another job or passion to meet your monetary needs. When you see the lifestyle bloggers, you need to understand their family or social background because blogging cannot be taken as a full-time profession,” adds Naina as an advice to young people allured by the glamour of lifestyle blogging.

She uses her naina to their full potential as she creates magic through lens. “When I am working on a project, I try to give it a creative direction of my own. I try to add a perspective that will enable people to see an everyday-routine thing from an angle they have never seen it before,” she adds.

From high-end perfumes to LED lights, everything she does is a documentation of her own self and thought and not a commercialization of any name. With her pictures and words, she takes you to places she visits, gives a sensation of things she touches and delights you with the purity of thought and inexplicable magnificence that is present in everything she presents through her mighty lens.