Retro camera: a slice of history at Delhi exhibition

An ongoing exhibition, titled Zeitsprung/Leap In Time, in the national capital displays the works of two renowned German photographers, who are both pioneers in their own right.

Photography enthusiasts can experience a slice of history at an ongoing exhibition in the city, titled Zeitsprung/Leap In Time. Works by renowned German press photographers Erich Salomon and Barbara Klemm — considered pioneer figures in German photography — will be on display. The images being showcased are also some of the earliest photographs shot using the famous Leica cameras.

Salomon, who is considered to be one of the first paparazzi photographers, used to capture intimate political conferences and meetings. Curator Andreas Ros says, "Since he hailed from an upper-class family in Berlin, he had contacts and sources in the political fraternity. Access to these parties wasn’t an issue for him. During his time, no commoner was aware of how the politicians talked and interacted. He would shoot them using a hidden camera and send them to the press, thus giving the audience a sneak-peek into the life of the elite."

While Salomon used hidden cameras to shoot political figures, Klemm’s works from the '70s and '80s throw light on social issues from across the world. "Klemm used to travel to various countries and shoot the street life and that is how the India series came into being. She visited India thrice and had a lot of empathy for the people in the country," adds Ros. Some of the frames she shot in India are clubbed in a segment of the exhibition called The India Series.