Ashley Riffo Issue 149, Photographer Profiles, Tips and Technique

London Nights with Mr. Whisper

A Visual Storyteller Delves into Photography

Long before he was a professional photographer, Bal Bhatla was a visual storyteller. Just as social media was taking off, Bal worked in advertising as a creative director for Samsung. In fact, social media became a big part of Bal’s role with Samsung. A big believer in “practicing what you preach,” Bal dove headfirst into all the up-and-coming social media channels. But being more visual than word-oriented, most of the networks didn’t really resonate with him – that is, until his wife told him about Instagram. “I was immediately hooked,” he said. It was simple, all he needed was his smartphone to point and shoot – it felt tailor made for people who leaned pictorial. And so it was that Instagram cracked open the world of photography for Bal.

Bal started taking smartphone photos whenever he could, mainly on his daily commute to work on the London tube. He would come home, post his photos, interact with the Instagram community. He loved it, and he was getting loads of support too. When he realized people were making a living by networking through Instagram, he put his email in his bio so brands could contact him. Almost immediately big brands got in touch. He did work for brands like Lonely Planet and Jaguar – all with his smartphone. Having always been reticent about learning the technical aspects of photography with a “real” camera, Bal had to pinch himself whenever a big brand asked him to do work with just his smartphone. It was incredible! But things were about to change.

After a particular campaign he did for Lacoste, they told Bal they wanted to use his photos in all their stores across Europe, they even sent him a big check for it. When Bal explained that his smartphone photos couldn’t be blown up to the size they wanted for store posters, they ripped up the check. “It was a big learning curve for me, and I was like, “I’m not going to allow that to happen again.””

Falling in Love with Fuji

After the Lacoste incident, Bal planned a trip to the camera store with his camera expert friend. “Everyone’s got a camera expert friend,” Bal chuckled. (And hey, if you’re reading this magazine, you probably are that guy. We see you.) Bal’s friend eagerly showed him around the camera shop, but Bal just didn’t feel a connection with any of the cameras. That is, until the man behind the counter suggested he consider the newly released Fuji XT1. “Immediately, I thought “that’s what a camera is supposed to look like.” And the fact that the dials were on top – it was like I was suddenly able to visualize the mysterious exposure triangle my friend had been trying to explain to me. Plus, it was just stunning aesthetically.” You see, Bal treats his camera like a piece of jewelry, like a hip hop artist, so the fact that the Fuji was beautiful was important too. From here on out, he’d be wearing his Fuji around his neck every day as a kind of functional statement piece.

The Return of Mr. Whisper

Purchasing his Fuji was an important step in his transition from creative director to full time photographer. In a way, it was also a part of the return of Bal’s alter-ego, “Mr. Whisper.” You see, Bal always kept a few passion projects going outside of work to keep his creative juices flowing. All those projects sat under the title of “Mr. Whisper Productions.” Mr. Whisper was even his graffiti tag back in the day. It sounds funny now, but since social media was still relatively new, and Bal wasn’t used to getting head-hunted in his advertising career, he didn’t fully trust this new internet-driven world, so when he set up a website he thought, “It’s time to bring back Mr. Whisper.” And so Mr. Whisper was reborn, this time as freelance brand photographer, specializing in photographing London streets after dark.

While Bal was still in advertising, he spent long hours in the office. So his street photography was mostly made while it was dark outside, on the way to or from work. Bal loved the aesthetic of low-light street photography, but he was particularly drawn in by London nights. The dark streets and artificial lights make for interesting scenes, but shooting people at night is also part of the appeal. “It will always be my favorite thing to do,” Bal says. “It’s definitely the time of day when people are the most at ease. They’re a little bit unleashed and just carefree.” These days, Mr. Whisper is a true master of night photography, particularly in London, where he knows the city streets like the back of his hand. Brands continue to take notice, and that’s something we love about Bal’s work – his ability to capture the kind of street photography shots where a meaningful moment means more than a technically perfect image and spread that kind of magic on into the commercial world.

Mr. Whisper’s Tips for Shooting in Low-Light

If you’ve been around our community for a while, you know we love learning from photographers who are masters at their craft. So of course we asked Bal to share some of his pro-tips for night photography, which can be tricky as you’ve probably noticed. His advice can help you build your confidence and take some great shots in low-light conditions.

#1 It’s Low-Light photography, Not No-Light Photography

Bal stresses that when it goes dark outside, you can’t shoot just anywhere. You need a good light source if you want your photo to come out. Search for a scene with light – it could be a street light, lights coming out of a local shop, or a neon sign – otherwise your camera will struggle and you won’t get the shot.

#2 Watch the Grain

Find out the limitations of your camera before you take your shot. “If you find a cool scene,” Bal says, “test the shot at ISO 200, 400, 800, 1600, 6400, etc. to find the limit of how much grain you want in your photo. For me personally, with my Fuji XT5, I don’t go above 3200.” Bal finds that too much grain gives his photos a surreal effect he isn’t aiming to capture. He prefers to document life as it is but admits that each photographer’s approach will depend on their personal style, vision, and goals.

#3 Go Prime

If you really want to make the most of the night, Bal recommends using a prime lens, preferably fast ones. He explains, “All my lenses are 1.2 to 1.4 and I find that really opens up the night and gives you a much cleaner image.”

#4 Practice, Practice, Practice

An oldie but a goodie, this tip is always key no matter what kind of photography you want to work on. Bal advises, “You have to put in those 10,000 hours and understand your camera without having to look at it. That takes being out there, building your confidence, understanding what your eyes see, and just building that curiosity.”

London After Dark – Night Shots Turned Historical Record

Recently, Bal embarked on a passion project with some stunning results. When Trope Publishing approached him about doing a book, Bal knew this was a fantastic opportunity. He took his time with the project, coming up with fresh shots that were the absolute best work he could produce. His collection of photos, now in a beautiful hardcover book titled London After Dark, is the result of Bal walking countless miles around the West End and capturing the essence of London night life as it is today.

“The meaning of the book, for me,” Bal says, “is to give people an insight into what London was like between 2014 and 2024. When I pick up books from street legends and I see an insight into the world they were walking through on their day to day journeys, the little interactions they caught, how people dressed, what the typography was like, what the cars were like – I love that. I love to see Piccadilly Circus back in the 1930s when they had real light bulbs and not screens. All that has changed and it’s my role to document that. I think my book is cool now, but more importantly, in 30 years’ time when people open it up and have a look, I want them to get the same kind of insight into what London was like.”

When you hold the book in your hands, it’s easy to see that Bal approached this project with the same kind of authenticity and devotion he gives to all of his creative endeavors. Without a doubt, Bal is a pro at nighttime street photography but much more importantly, he’s a genuinely good guy, and someone who is always ready to share his passion and vision with the rest of the street photography community.

Where to Find Mr. Whisper

Purchase a copy of London After Dark by Mr. Whisper from Trope Publishing here.