Researching old and new photography methods
Conrad Syiem is a Practitioner: Historical and Alternative Photographic Processes based in Shillong, Meghalaya. Essentially he is involved in media production both audio-visual as well as the print media. He has made many documentaries as well as engaged in publications of magazines and books. He is also actively involved in organising various events and photography. He enjoys everything that has creativity involving visual art like photography. Presently, he is looking back at the old methods of photography. He attended St. Edmund’s School, Bachelor’s degree from St. Edmund’s college and Post-graduation from North Eastern Hill University in Shillong.
He has no formal training in photography. His teachers were the subjects of his photographs and the camera. The experience with the technical part of the camera as well as the composition experience has been his teachers. His area of interest is in capturing Nature and people around him, the impact of man on Nature or a combination of man and Nature. Preferably he likes monochromes, although he also takes colourful pictures. His self-learning of photography has helped his camera grow as an extension of himself. His recent photography project was about capturing the Pandemic using cyanotype process.
Conrad has been involved in various activities or roles concerning Research and Script writing for Developmental Documentary Videos commissioned by North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Society (NERCORMP) and International Fund For Agricultural Development (IFAD), 31 Documentary Videos on Cultures of North East India for Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures (DBCIC) & Conferenza Episcopale Italia (CEI), Rome; Ka roi ka par ha ki thain nongkyndong on Marketing and Rural Support for Doordarshan Shillong and ‘A Prayer From The Living’ a documentary on Awareness on HIV/AIDS with special emphasis on the National Highways for DD Shillong. A Video Documentary Project called ‘Showers Of Blessings’ which is about Micro Water Harvesting in Jalkund commissioned by Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India. He has made various films on a number of issues which include ‘Whispering Changes’ focusing on group activities, ‘Green Hills Of Hope’ on biodiversity conservation, ‘Through Our Looking Glass’ on income generating activities, ‘Wheels Of Fortune’ on convergence, ‘Hearth Song’ on food security, ‘A Call From The Streets’ on tobacco and dendrite abuse among street children of Shillong commissioned by Voluntary Health Association of India and Voluntary Health Association of Meghalaya, ‘Words On Rain’ on Rain Water Harvesting commissioned by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi. He has worked as a Co-Director and Editor for two documentaries; ‘Dark Money’ on the Lives of the Coal Mining Community of Nonghyllam, Meghalaya and ‘Roots and Longing’ on the Lyngngams in the Coal Mining belt of Nongjri and Kulang, Meghalaya.