Nysha and her Sunbeam Talbot

• Photographer
  Anirudh Agarwal, India
• Studio
  Anirudh Agarwal
• Website
  http://www.anirudhagarwal.in

It was in 2011 that I visited India Hobby Center (IHC), a
toy/hobbyist’s store in Calcutta with my then 4-year-old niece,
Nysha. Out of all the things there, she fell in love with a scaled
model of the vintage car ‘Sunbeam Talbot’; so much that she
wanted to take it out for a drive; and this where the idea took
birth.

Initially we would go to a place, leave Nysha with the car and
make pictures as a by-stander. There were times when I would
instruct Nysha; but now, with many days of shoot behind us,
Nysha starts to direct me sometimes.

She comes up with suggestions like “Masa, this time I want to
stand on the car” or “Can we go to that park and take pictures?”
or “I want to have an ice cream first”.

Implicit, I have to keep a steady stock of candies/chocolates as
a bribe for the days when she’d have her hands on her hips OR
looking away trying to ignore me.

Also, it required the world’s best team comprising of my son,
wife and sister-in-law towards keeping me and Nysha engaged
and in the groove.

From borrowing the car, to coaxing Nysha into a shot, to getting
by-standers/cops to cooperate and to the feedbacks, help and
encouragement on this series; it has been an enjoyable journey.