Following Instinct & Curiosity with Ali Monis Naqvi

Name, age, where are you from, what format you like using, what are you currently working on if you are?

Name: Ali Monis Naqvi
b. 1995, Kanpur, India
Currently based out of Goa, India

I use a mix of both digital and analog but i try myself not to be too dependent on the format/medium.

My photography practice is very intuitive. I make a lot of photographs regularly and mostly with no project in mind. I like to keep going back to these images in my archives and I often see so many threads and narratives. Subconsciously they somehow all fall in place.

What about your surroundings/environments and upbringing interested you?

Growing up in Chamanganj, a close-knit, largely Muslim neighborhood, I was constantly surrounded by a sense of community, and a shared cultural history. Despite the challenges, there was a deep connection to the community, and the stories that defined our lives. My childhood was shaped by the spaces I occupied—most notably, the rooftop garden where I spent time with my grandmother, surrounded by plants and the quiet rhythms of daily life. It was a space of comfort and a reminder of what we had, even when the world outside seemed to change.

However, as the socio-political climate in India has grown increasingly hostile towards minorities, the very neighborhood I grew up in, Chamanganj, which means “garden of flowers,” has seen neglect and ghettoization. I’ve become deeply aware of how spaces, even those that once felt like home, can change dramatically under the weight of social and political forces.

When was the first time you met photography? How did you feel when you met it?

Photography entered my life through the lens of my grandfather’s analog SLR. Watching him capture family moments left a lasting impression on me, and I quickly saw how photographs were more than just images—they were entries into a time and space, pieces of memory that told stories beyond the visual. When I first started experimenting with my own camera, I felt an immediate sense of connection. I wasn’t just taking pictures; I was capturing moments that resonated with me on a deeper, personal level—whether it was a cat, a plant, or a moment I shared with my grandmother. For me, each photo became a little memory trigger, a cipher for a specific moment or feeling. It became a way of holding on to what felt fleeting.

Tell us about current projects you have been working on (could be any, or just work you have been doing in general). Is this story inspired out of personal reasons, or others? What are you most excited about in these projects?

I don’t have a particular project that I am working on but I am more inclined towards visuals which look at how the environment, both politically and ecologically, shapes our understanding of spaces. My photography doesn’t directly address the political turmoil around me but carries an undercurrent of it—the shift in identity, the changes in how we relate to the spaces we occupy, and the way nature and culture are impacted by broader socio-political forces.

I’m interested in finding beauty in the quiet, inconspicuous moments—the overlooked details of daily life, the "breaks" in routine that often get lost in the rush of modern living.

How did you find your visual literacy? Why are you attracted to certain images more than others?

My visual literacy has developed through personal observation and instinct rather than formal education. I don’t feel bound by conventional rules or structures, which allows me to see images and create connections in my own unique way. I’m drawn to images that evoke emotion—ones that make me pause and reconsider the things I might otherwise overlook. It's the small details, the silences, the moments that exist between larger, louder events. These images speak to the parts of life that we often miss in our monotonous routines. I find beauty in things that aren’t typically celebrated: an unnoticed flower, a quiet expression, or a fleeting moment of interaction.

Imagine meeting someone who is picking up a camera for the first time. What do you tell them?

Honestly, I am still learning and discovering what it is to make photographs. I would tell them to approach photography as a conversation with the world around them. Don't worry about technical perfection or what others might think. Most importantly, don't be afraid to make mistakes and learn from them. Your perspective is unique, and that’s what makes your images valuable.