Chennai’s Vintage Camera Man: Meet Moore Market’s A. Rajan
A. Rajan, a vintage camera enthusiast in Chennai, has built a business around collecting and selling antique cameras at Moore Market. His shop attracts both professional photographers seeking aesthetic studio props and students interested in vintage technology.
Why it matters
The story documents the preservation of analog technology and the niche market for vintage collectibles in urban India.
In the middle of buzzing Moore Market , A Rajan sits on his chair tapping a metal box beside him. Inside is a camera dating back to 1919. This is the oldest of his collection of vintage cameras , he says.
Rajan, who was firm on naming his vintage camera shop in Tamil, launched his outlet A Rajan Pazhaiya Camera Kadai in 2020. Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to a delay in attracting customers, Rajan quickly found his ground. He has been an entrepreneur since the day his father died in 2000, selling antiques and vintage finds from telephones to water bottles. Eventually, he began focussing on cameras, establishing two separate shops at Moore Market.
“I am crazy about cameras. I have also collected varieties of cameras and kept them at home,” says Rajan, adding that he would like his son to share his interest and take over the business.
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