The Good, Bad and Ugly

For the Inega calendar 2013, photographer Prasad Naik has clubbed fashion concepts with environmental causes

Her face is muddied but it's easy to tell that her eyes are closed, even as she floats next to a log of wood in a pond. A closer look at the photograph reveals a plastic bag hanging off a tree branch in the background. "The idea was to spread awareness about the need to fight pollution and take good care of our natural resources — particularly our water bodies and trees," says Prasad Naik, who found this image to be the most difficult one to orchestrate for the Inega calendar 2013.

A uniquely conceptualised calendar with all 12 images shot by the renowned photographer, it includes several concepts woven around environmental causes. In fact, with each month, a key problem has been highlighted — right from deforestation to animal extinction, water scarcity, radioactive waste, consumerism and energy shortage.

Naik notes that he was very keen to work on the project. "In today's day and age, it's extremely important that we respect our environment and this calendar offered me the opportunity to do my bit for a cause that is close to my heart. In fact, it's a pity that fashion magazines don't do enough of these shoots, it's time we looked beyond glamour and beauty," he says.

Incidentally, this is not Naik's first project with the talent and production company; the images he shot for last year's calendar brought to the fore problems such as racial discrimination and human trafficking. However, this time around, the work was more rigorous. "Though the pictures were shot over a tight schedule of five days in Thailand, we started working on these shoots six months ago," he reveals.

The calendars are available free of cost, but those wanting to make a financial contribution can donate to the NGO Teli.

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