Latitude Image and Nicolas Chorier have partnered together to bring an enchanting and unique collection to the public in the “India Galleries.”
As Nicolas says, his photos “challenge one’s sense of orientation and perspective… and provide a close view of the world from an unusual angle.” By combining a kite, a camera, and a creative eye, Nicolas Chorier captures never-before-seen images of India.
Though aerial photography is a widely used medium around the world, some countries, like India, either ban its use or impose strict flight rules on helicopters or airplanes for security purposes. Flying, then, becomes a logistical and monetary impossibility. Through his design and construction of a kite measuring 40 square feet (modeled after the Japanese ‘Rokkaku’ design) and its inclusion of a cradle holding a remote-controlled camera whose viewfinder he monitors via video from the ground, Nicolas is able to respect local regulations while simultaneously offering the world a precious and unique perspective of India.
“[A kite] allows low altitude shots, close up from above, preserving the human dimension in the compositions, and [it] gives access to remote sites in an intricate environment.” This unmatched perspective can be seen in his photos taken all over India; from Delhi to Goa to Puducherry to Uttar Pradesh to Rajasthan to Kerala and more. “A kite,” Nicolas says, “can reach targets helicopters cannot…. Getting real close to people, animals, and sometimes flora, a kite can take pictures without alarming or disturbing them.” What that dynamic affords is a relationship between camera and subject that speaks almost like a secret. “I take time to feel and impregnate the ‘spirit’ of the site I’m shooting, the ambiance, the history of the surroundings,” Nicolas says. “In India, the country of Faith...there is something special and powerful, which is inspiring to all aspects of a day spent in India.”