Jaisingh Nageswaran Named BJP Ones to Watch 2025

Self-taught photographer Jaisingh Nageswaran, born in rural Tamil Nadu, India, has been selected as a 2025 Ones to Watch by British Journal of Photography (BJP), nominated by Abhishek Khedekar. His practice explores place, identity, and memory through projects like Truth Dream (trans community portraits), The Lodge (Polaroid series of transgender individuals), Down by the River: Mullai Periyar (childhood memories), The Land That Is No More (nostalgic black-and-white), I Feel Like a Fish (mobile phone images, text, wet-plate collodion during lockdown), and Lizard's Tail (double exposures, nearly 80% complete, intended as a book). Nageswaran holds an MA in mass communication, was drawn to image-making via art-house films, and overcame dyslexia and shyness. He moved to Mumbai to work in Bollywood as a photographer and cinematographer. His Dalit identity informs his work, aiming to reframe narratives beyond victimhood, inspired by Gordon Parks. Over 25 years, he has balanced commercial work with personal projects, winning commissions from the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) in Bengaluru, support from Magnum Foundation and Angkor Photo Festival, and mentorship from Sohrab Hura. He curated an exhibition of 12 Tamil Nadu lens-based artists for the fourth Chennai Photo Biennale. Future plans include lyrical, fictional imagery and building a community photography space in his village, focusing on classical Tamil poetry.