About Me
I met my grandfather through a photograph. He sits there in a vintage black-and-white piece of sturdy paper in our family album, holding a two-year-old me - my only proof of ever having received any grandfatherly love.
Growing up in a pre-Facebook and selfie world, where the sight of a camera augured an occasion, only photography gave you the privilege of touching memories again, a very tactile sensation to an otherwise imaginative exercise.
Between the literary imagery that Coleridge taught in university and the promise of visually capturing a moment - forever - on camera, I was smitten.
After fiddling with the gadget for a while, albeit with remarkable results I am told, I decided to train professionally, graduating from the New York Institute of Photography (NYIP), and working with some of the best photographers in the United States.
I am Swati Chakraborty, a Human Resources professional-turned-photographer, based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, whose aperture is her third eye and life, the ever-changing canvas of memories.
Awards and Achievements
WPC – World Photographic Cup (International Photographic Challenge - IPC)
1st place winner in the Portrait category, 2022
MPI – Master Photographers International (International Image Challenge)
International Photographer of the Year, 2020
International Portrait Photographer of the Year, 2020
International Imaging Cup Award, 2020
Gold 'Class Award' in the Portrait category, 2020
Gold 'Class Award' in the Women's Photography category, 2020
Silver 'Class Award' in the Beauty and Fashion category, 2020
PPA – Professional Photographers of America
Master Photographer
Diamond Photographer of the year, 2021, at the International Photographic Competition (IPC)
Grand Imaging Awards (GIA) Finalist – One of the top 10 finalists in the Portrait category at Imaging USA 2020
Platinum Photographer of the year, 2020, at the International Photographic Competition (IPC)
Platinum Photographer of the year, 2019, at the International Photographic Competition (IPC)
1st and 2nd place winner in the Portrait category at the PPA Western District Competition 2019
4 (of 4) images merited in the Portrait category at the PPA Western District Competition 2019
EPA - Expression Photography Awards International
1st, 2nd, 3rd place - Fashion/Beauty category
1st place - Love Session/Pre-wedding category
WPE - Professional Photographers Europe Community (International Photographers Awards)
1st place in Portrait and 3rd place in Fashion/Beauty category at WPE - 2019 Second Half Competition
5 Silver awards at WPE - 2019 Second Half Competition
WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International)
2nd place in the Fine Art Nude category at 16X20 Annual Print Competition 2020
Honors of Excellence - 2 Silver Distinction Awards (Fashion/Beauty), 1 Silver Award (Fine Art Nude) and 1 Silver Award (Group/Families) at 16X20 Annual Print Competition 2020
Honors of Excellence - Silver Distinction Award (Portrait Individual) and 2 Silver Awards (Portrait) at 16X20 Annual Print Competition 2019
Honors of Excellence Gold Award (Portrait) at WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) 16X20 Annual Print Competition 2018
Honors of Excellence - 4 Silver Awards (Portrait) at the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) 2018 second half online competition
Honors of Excellence Silver Award (Portrait) at the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) 2017 second half online competition
Honors of Excellence Silver Award (Fashion) at WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) 2017
Photographer at the New York Fashion Week 2017.
Photographer at the New York Fashion Week 2016.
Photographer at the Wills India Fashion Week 2014.
Graduate of the New York Institute of Photography (NYIP) with two merit awards.
Freelance photographer for the 'India Today' magazine.