“It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart, and head.”- Henri Cartier-Bresson
Ask Ridhiin Pancchmatia of ‘The Moneta’, and he’ll tell you the same. What started purely as a coincidence while he was taking a course in animation in early 2011 (his first exposure to the art of light painting), has blossomed into so much more than just a photography house. His multifaceted brainchild ‘The Moneta’, has quickly expanded into numerous verticals, including a media arm, an interior design arm, and an academy and mentorship arm. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Ridhiin’s journey so far has been nothing short of exhilarating – much like the music festivals he is so widely acclaimed for covering. He kickstarted his career as a documentary photographer with the art project and walk-in ‘Jaya He’ museum, at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport’s Terminal 2. A trailblazer of sorts, The Moneta has been shooting music festivals since before the concept gathered steam in India, and it all started with the world renowned Sunburn festival. With hardly any experience in this genre of photography, Ridhiin backed himself up anyway and approached those in charge of the festival. The rest, as they say, is history. The Moneta has been shooting Sunburn for over ten years now – Ridhiin has not only headed its photography team over the years but also mentors photography enthusiasts at Sunburn academy. What’s more, The Moneta has also been shooting for various artists at the world’s largest music festival – Tomorrowland Belgium, since 2015. It’s safe to say, The Moneta has pioneered the development of content style for music in India.
While the bulk of The Moneta’s photography portfolio is marked by music festivals and music legends where he has shot for artists like DJ Snake, KSHMR, Sonu Nigam to name a few, it lends its lens to so much more. The Moneta has shot stills for as many as 8 Bollywood feature films, including Anushka
Sharma starrer NH10, Siddharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra starrer Hasee Toh Phasee and a multi-star cast with Anil Kapoor, John Abraham film Pagalpanti. What could be still a dream of many, he achieved being the chief behind the lens shooting legend Amitabh Bachchan. Ridhiin also directed and produced illustrious singer and lyricist Amit Trivedi’s music video ‘Lagan Laagi Re reprise’. It also has a number of corporate events under its belt, and as of 2020, a host of weddings. Adding to the accolades under his belt, Ridhiin is a TEDx speaker, the Moneta has a social media following of over 35,000 on Instagram, and over the course of his career so far, he has also forged partnerships with leading brands such as Samsung, Synology and Canon. In fact, as of 2020, Ridhiin is Canon’s Official EOS Influencer, where he is also a Canon Photo Mentor.
While photography has always been a form of creative self expression, it is also so much more. Today, it is a medium of information, as also one to share emotion. Ridhiin and his growing team of talented camerapersons, work hard to translate what they’re feeling while capturing the moment, into every single photograph they create. Truly, you don’t take a photograph, you make it.
Today, The Moneta has shot in over 18 countries and covered over 700 events worldwide, and Ridhiin and team Moneta are raring to go! True to its name, which is the namesake of the Roman Goddess of Memory, and the Mother of Muses, so to speak, The Moneta ties in with Ridhiin’s ideology in every way – to push the envelope in a multiplicity of domains. While Ridhiin would love to retire in the pursuit of his lifelong passion – wildlife photography, he has miles to go before The Moneta hits the pause button!
Written by Saachi Kanjani
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