Charminar is THE selfie spot in Hyderabad, with no dearth of selfie-takers and those striking a pose with the monument in the background. It is always fun to see visitors trying to get the perfect shot, directing each other on angles, unmindful of photo bombers (it is, after all, a crowded tourist place). Often, when groups of visitors struggle for the right frame or selfie-takers are seen reviewing their photos on phones with dissatisfied expressions, Dinesh Gajelwar, Gajanand Kondiba Jagadale, Ahmed Moin and Mohammed Wajid step in to offer: “Shall I help you take the photo on your phone?” Are they just good samaritans? No. They are photographers from Sajan Photo Studio near Nimrah Cafe. The studio provides photo prints to those who seek photos in front of the Charminar.
All photos by the team at Sajan Photo Studio are taken at the Shah Ali Banda-facing Charminar front. As Dinesh gets to taking photos on an iPhone 13, he instructs the phone’s owner for a slight head tilt to the right, ‘shoulders back and turn your hips a little.’ He requests the person to hold the pose until he sees the frame is clear of photo bombers. Next, he suggests: “Now, a walking pose.” Once done, the ‘customers’ review the photos on their respective phones and pay them whatever they wish. “If they ask us how much we charge to take photos on their phone, we tell them ₹10 per click,” says Dinesh.
