35 minute read
EXCLUSIVE
Humans Behind Lenses
“A picture is worth a thousand words” is a noted phrase and its plausibility speaks for itself. While the pictures capture and portray a story that’s only a moment in this time-space fabric, it is safe to say that the humans behind these lenses are no less than magicians. We got into a candid conversation with these artists so let’s hear the stories behind these photographs and the humans.
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Adrin Daniel Sequeira
Adrin Daniel Sequeira
Fashion and wedding photography Instagram: @ adrin_sequeira
Adrin Daniel Sequeira, a contemporary wedding and fashion photographer from Hyderabad says that fashion is what wakes him up in the morning, clears his head, and mends his heart. Stories help him sleep at night. He strongly believes that everyone should embrace their inner dreamer no matter what and that is his tool for storytelling.
Take us down your career path, how was your journey like from an aspiring photographer to an accomplished full-time photographer?
I was at crossroads with my career options as I wanted to find a career that let me be artistic and work with people. It was actually when I was on a trip to the UK to visit my sister my brother bought me a DSLR to capture my first trip abroad. My interest in photography took off when I lived in England… and capture those everyday moments. The camera became more than a tool to document life; it also became a therapeutic tool for self-expression and rediscovery. My reason for shooting today remains the same reason that inspired me to pick up a camera in the first place: it’s about capturing the details and idiosyncrasies of life that are gone in an instant and about spending time to find beauty where others might pass it by. Processing is as important to me as shooting – there, I get to really draw out the scene and subject as I envisioned it, to enhance it visually so that it conveys the feelings that I experienced when I decided to shoot it.
What do you specifically look for while capturing an image? What is your vision?
My Love and empathy for people create powerful visual storytelling that has enabled me to capture the most candid and natural moments in Wedding photography. I strive to raise the benchmark in this competitive field of excellence as an artist and aim to become a synonymous brand
by starting my academy in innovation photography for young budding talent and contributing to the photography industry at large.
Take us down your work day and creative process? What gear and equipment do you use?
There are days when I’m up at 3:00 AM because I have to be on set for a shoot. And I’m on set for like 12 hours. Some days are all pre-production, which is me talking to my lighting assistant, coming up with a creative concept, and drawing up mood boards. Some days, I spend hours editing, selecting photos, and going through that process. But then there are other days where I’m just out and shooting for the thrill of it, shooting for myself, shooting personal projects, connecting with other people, and looking for inspiration. It’s free-flowing. For my camera gear, I use SONY A7R3 and SONY lenses. For my lighting gear, I use GODOX AD600 AND AD200.
What is fashion photography and how did you gravitate to this genre?
Fashion photography to me is a branch of fine art photography that focuses exclusively on the promotion more than any other photographic genre; fashion photography blurs the line between art and commerce. I am a creative person and inclined toward the world of art, entertainment, and fashion would interrelate.
Any advice to budding photographers?
Let me tell you something. I’ve been working for a decade, and that is the hardest — you can ask any creative person — it is the hardest thing to put a value on your work. Even now, I’m trying to figure out my prints and my prices, and I’m just like, this is so uncomfortable. I’m an under-bidder when it comes to my work. If you’re just getting started, I’d advise you to first think about
how much money you need to live. What is your budget? If you were looking for a regular 9:00 to 5:00 job, are there certain criteria you would go for in terms of salary? Apply that to your photography as well. I would also advise, especially new photographers, to factor in the post work that you do. You might be on set with somebody for two hours, but also you spend at home five hours, editing the photos and retouching them which goes not accounted for. Don’t undersell yourself.
Chandrasekhar Dandu
Chandrasekhar Dandu
Travel photographer Instagram: @ mr.handlebar
Chandrasekhar, is a Software Developer by profession and travel and food photographer by passion, from Hyderabad. Being a travel buff, he loves to explore new places and cultures with his wife and shoot everything beautiful about nature - landscapes, environmental portraits, and animals. This fitness freak says he relates to Thomas Heaton, a UK-based photographer who is all about getting lost in the woods, camping, and capturing pictures that make him happy irrespective of what general social media thinks. Chandrasekhar is a self-taught artist who believes that Social skills come before skill/merit in the field of art, unlike other typical professions. With every picture, he strives to capture the essence of what it felt like at that moment being in that particular place and to take the audience to the location of the photograph and make them feel like they were there experiencing that moment just as he did.
How and when were you introduced to photography? Any stories behind your first camera?
My childhood friend introduced me to the world of cameras. He had a DSLR and he took some kickass DPs for a bunch of us when we went on a trip together. It's funny to think that I just wanted to buy a DSLR camera to get good pictures of myself for Facebook. He helped me choose a good one and that's how I caught the photography bug. Now that I look back, I've always been fascinated by cameras since childhood. Carried cameras at all points in my life, be it a point & shoot film camera for family vacations or some of the earliest digital cameras for school trips. It took a friend to connect the dots and a muse in nature and my then-girlfriend now wife to develop my skills.
What would you consider your biggest achievement or something that made you feel the proudest of ourself?
Years before our wedding, my girlfriend and I dreamt of going to Iceland. Not many Indians were known to go there at that time. We never thought we could make it a reality given we didn't even have jobs back then. I fell in love with Iceland after watching the Photographing the world series by FStoppers. I wanted to, one day, stand at the Kirkjufell and capture an equally amazing sunset that Elia Locardi got in that series. After we got married, we did manage to do just that by the barest of margins. It's the best 15 days of our life traveling but with terrible weather
and capture the moment same time while traveling?
To be honest, when to put aside the camera is the most difficult skill to master in travel photography, in my opinion. One that I've become better at with experience but still have a long way to go. I think it can't be taught and is something very individual. One new way I found to become better at this, which might apply to anyone in this field, is to restrict the amount of gear you take. Less the gear, more variety of shots you miss but that's the time you have extra on your hands to live the moment. Now how much gear is too much or too less is the personal part. Travel photographers, especially ones traveling with non-photographer friends/family should be prepared to miss some photo opportunities and learn to be creative and content with the opportunities they get, be it in terms of the time of day, gear, or amount of time at a location, etc. After all, travel photography is about your experiences and not about capturing a certain scene or landscape at its subjective best. That would be specialized landscape/ architecture photography otherwise.
What gear and equipment do you use?
I started in 2014 with a Sony a5000, a compact mirrorless camera. Moved on to Sony a6000 in 2016 with which I stayed for 4 years. Currently, I use a Sony a73 with a Tamron 17-28 f2.8, Tamron 28-75 f2.8, and Sigma 100-400 lenses. all through the trip, the sunset was almost written off. However, the Universe had one amazing sunset in our destiny, to capture Kirkjufell in all its glory, that too on our last but one day in Iceland. It's also the photograph that won me Picxy.com's best landscape photographer in 2019. That photograph and the 15 days in Iceland, I'll cherish forever.
Would you like to share any experiences from your journey? Or you could share the story behind your fav picture
Back when I was in college, around 2014, I got my first semiprofessional camera. As a budding travel photographer, I binged on a lot of Youtube videos on the subject. The one that had the most influence ce on me was Photographing the World I by FStoppers and Elia Locardi. In the behind-the-scenes series, they take us through the process and challenges involved in landscape photography across the world. The one that caught my attention most was the Kirkjufell mountain from Iceland. What started as a distant dream to be standing there capturing Kirkjufell became a reality in 2019. Years before our wedding, my girlfriend and I dreamt of going to Iceland. Not many Indians were known to go there at that time. We never thought we could make it a reality given we didn't even have jobs back then. After we got married, we did manage to do just that by the barest of margins. It's the best 15 days of our life traveling but with terrible weather all through the trip, the sunset was almost written off. However, the Universe had one amazing sunset in our destiny, to capture Kirkjufell in all its glory, that too on our last but one day in Iceland. It's also the photograph that won me Picxy.com's best landscape photographer in 2019. That photograph and the 15 days in Iceland, I'll cherish forever.
How do you manage to live in the moment
Sushmitha Tadakamadla
Sushmitha Tadakamadla
Sushmitha Tadakamadla is a professional Advertising photographer, a classical Bharatanatyam dancer, and a Carnatic music singer from Hyderabad. This bundle of talent says, understanding the value of time is the key and that she has been fortunate to have people guiding her through all phases of her life. She seeks inspiration from the people she meets. Sushmitha is trained at Bharati Vidyapeeth’s School of Photography, Pune where she did a two-year photography course. She believes that everyone has a new story, and we get to learn something new every day.
How and when were you introduced to photography?
It goes back to my graduation days. I am a BA graduate in Mass Communication and Journalism from St Francis. I was gifted a camera by my father when one of my stories got published in the Hindu Education times. I began capturing portraits of my friends in college, and this curiosity about photography grew with time. I eventually did a two-year Master's degree in Commercial Photography. As a photographer, I aim to build nostalgia, joy, and happiness flowing through my work.
Take us through the story behind your first camera.
My father gifted it to me in my first year of graduation. Studying in a women’s college gave me the most prominent canvas to explore as an amateur. I always had my friends dressing up every day to get photographed. Later, when I interned at a local magazine as a content writer and photographer, my calling for food photography happened, and it all began from there.
Tell us what product/food photography is and how you were drawn to this genre?
capturing food in the most delectable manner, product photography showcases a wide range of still-life photography setups used for advertising. Food is a way to connect to new people I meet and reconnect with my folks with the food we like eating. It’s as simple as offering a stranger a cup of coffee when we enjoy their company. As a food photographer, my purpose is justified if I can evoke that nostalgia or create that curiosity and desire to taste that food. Product photography, on the other hand, helps me build a visual personality for the brands I work with. My curiosity toward the play of shape, form, and texture has let me curate content for multiple brands for their websites, advertising, and social media profiles.
There are a million of them that I’d love to share! But one of the experiences that changed my entire outlook was the time when I created my graduating portfolio in Pune. It has broadened my horizons as an artist and transformed the way I think. Another milestone was when I got featured in a half-spread interview on The Hindu. My journey in photography began with my story being published in that newspaper. And having myself featured in an exclusive interview was gratifying.
How did lockdown impact your career?
Lockdown has been a bitter-sweet experience
for me. While it gave me the time and space to unlearn and learned everything from scratch, it has changed my game plan and approach to the business of photography. Now, it’s an attempt to build the philosophy of quality over quantity. In this journey, I got the opportunity to work with some renowned brands like Avasa Hotels, Manepally Jewellers, Continental Coffee, Ambica Durbar Bathi, etc
Sumanth Tittu
Sumanth Tittu
Photographer Instagram: @ sumanthtittu
This self-taught photographer juggles all different genres of photography and we are not complaining. When asked about the same, he expresses his wish to be recognized as a photographer, or an artist, with no labels, no boxes to fit into. Wildlife photography is something he does purely for his passion for the wild and a craving for that adrenaline rush. Let’s hear more from him about his wildlife adventures.
How and when were you introduced to photography?
I started photography in college by taking pictures of my friends at sunset near our engineering college. My classmates liked these photos and gradually I got more requests for shoots. This soon turned into event photography and wedding photography. I still do wedding photography, food photography, and editorial shoots but wildlife is something purely for my heart. The adrenaline rush when your eyes meet with the wild in its land where you are a mere visitor cannot be put into words.
Tell us about organizing wildlife trips and the drive behind them.
Every minute spent in the jungle is an adventure. One of such moments was when we spotted a cheetah on a tree branch with its kill. Though we were taken away by just the sight of a leopard, we were eagerly anticipating it getting down the tree. That is when we spotted its cub right at the foot of the tree waiting for its food. The cub was too young to climb up the tree top and the mama cheetah was training the cub to climb by feeding it just enough food at intervals to keep her cub motivated. After a long period which passed by like a moment for us witnessing this exquisite view, the mama cheetah got down with a portion of the kill to feed her cub. After all, a mother's heart is a mother's heart, right?
Take us through one unforgettable experience you had in the forests of Masai Mara.
I've been on safaris across India and abroad. I soon realized there is not much exposure or a clear path as to how to reach these safaris and who to contact, especially for people who are not into wildlife photography but are interested to experience these wildlife safaris. Initially, I started organizing these trips only when I used to get inquiries. Later I started gathering people whenever I was taking a trip. Everyone needs to experience the wild at least once in their life if not more, as long as they stay respectful towards all the life in these jungles.
Tell us about your experience shooting wild abroad and how is it different than India?
The forests in India have terrain topography and are most dense. Although the lush greenery provides a refreshing and unique experience like nothing else, it becomes a little difficult to spot the wild here, and even when we do, the encounters are usually from at least a few feet apart. Whereas the terrain in Masai Mara is completely plain and covered in grass. Here the encounters are very close. We have had instances where the wild walked to our vehicles and took shelter in our vehicle's shade right at the tires, that is not an experience you'll find elsewhere.
Ilahi
Ilahi
Ilahi natively from Tamilnadu is a fashion photographer based in Hyderabad for the last 5 years. He says he stumbled on photography by accident, he realized he has an eye for beauty when he fell in love with Ms.Krishna. He was helping out a friend of his with her photography project and it was his first time handling a DSLR. Talking about the one thing you wish you knew when you started taking photos, Ilahi mentions the truth is that a photographer is nothing without the team. Exemplary work demands an exemplary team so it all comes down to teamwork. He draws his inspiration from the most random thing in my day-to-day life. He says,” There’s an abundance of inspiration out in this world that resonates with your passion if you have the eye for it.”
Tell us what is fashion photography and how were you drawn to this genre? Have you taken any professional courses or are you self-taught?
So, in the beginning, it was very difficult to figure out my forte. But if you're passionate enough you'll just know it, you'll get the butterflies, it's just like falling in love and I'm very glad I fell in love with fashion and beauty photography. I'm an autodidact, there’s every knowledge that you need, online. You just have to be passionate enough to figure it out. I used to learn techniques online and experiment with it all with my Krishna. She was my support all through, I wouldn't be where I am today without her.
Biggest challenge in your journey? And how did lockdown impact your career?
Lockdown helped me change my perspective on the type of projects that I should be doing next, I'm currently upscaling. My biggest challenge at the beginning of my career was financial crisis back at home, Krishna was my only support, I didn't know Telugu back then, and I struggled a lot to be where I am today but I have no regrets and if given a chance, I wouldn't change anything from my past because without pain I wouldn't have valued life. The secret of joy is the mastery of pain.
a DSLR (if you can't afford one) to learn photography, even a mobile phone would do. Everything you need to learn is already out there you don't necessarily need to join a course or an institution. Do anything to keep your passion alive and do not stick to rules when it comes to art, you have to keep pushing your limits of creativity. Be brave enough to create your opportunities don't wait for one to knock at your door, because only fools brood over fate but the brave succeed over it. Wishing lots of love and luck!
Take us down your career path, how was your journey like from an aspiring photographer to an accomplished full-time photographer?
I started from literally nothing, Krishna was the only person who believed in me, she ignited my passion. There's a whole world where you are completely invisible but when that one person you love believes in you, you feel like you are at the top of this world, that's enough fuel to achieve anything and everything. Today I'm very lucky to be doing what I love, All thanks to her!
How was your experience working with celebrities?
There's unparalleled energy in all these beautiful ladies that I got the pleasure of working with, it just catches up on you. Working with these talents I got to learn a lot of things professionally, for example, each celebrity has their particulars on how they want to be showcased so now it's easier for me to understand a client in a better way and deliver my work to their satisfaction.
Any advice or suggestions to newer photographers…
Firstly, do not doubt yourself even if the whole world says otherwise. You don't necessarily need
Junaid Akhtar
Junaid Akhtar
Travel and wedding photographer Instagram: @ framesbyjayyy
Junaid is an Engineer turned self-taught photographer who believes there is beauty everywhere around us and one just needs eyes to see it. Started as a hobby back in 2014 during his engineering 2nd year with a mobile phone camera, he soon realized that photography is his passion and it is something that keeps him sane in this world. Later he got his first DSLR. This skilled photographer says he hasn’t found his genre yet and is open to exploring all forms of photography from travel to portraits, and adventure to weddings.
How and when were you introduced to photography?
Since childhood, I was very much fascinated by cameras and photographs. During my 2nd year of engineering, I started clicking pictures of landscapes via mobile phone which initiated a spark, or I would rather say started a fire that was long hidden in me.
Tell us about the first time you got a camera.
I got my first camera in 2015 (canon600D) after I realized that I can do better if I have a professional camera. By the time I got my first camera, I had all the basic knowledge of handling it and at a very quick pace, I became good at clicking pictures. Looking at my clicked pictures gives me a sense of relief or I can say it de-stresses me. Soon I started taking projects from corporates and colleges to shoot the fests and events. That was how it all began.
Any stories behind your first shoot?
My first shoot was for a corporate event in Noida and I was very nervous. I just wanted to give my best to them and I did and for the next 3years, they hired me for every event.
Whose work has influenced you the most and how?
Peter Mckinnon, Vineet Vohra, Ashish sulk, and Amir wani are some photographers whose work I like the most. They have amazing skills and their approach to capturing a frame is mind-blowing.
How did lockdown impact your career?
Lockdown did impact the photography business as there were no events, marriages, or travel. Although during this period I did some shoots at home like light painting, self-portraits, etc. So, I would say it made a dent but also taught me to get rid of the dent as well.
Kiran Baddam
Kiran Baddam
Kiran Baddam is an IT professional, based out of Hyderabad and a hobbyist photographer turned into a professional wildlife photographer over the years. The seeds of passion for particularly wildlife photography were sown in him right in his childhood but it took years for him to pursue the same considering wildlife photography is a little expensive hobby concerning camera gear and travel. This self-taught photographer spends most of his time in the field learning and improving his skill set.
Any stories behind your first camera?
Yeah, my very first camera was KODAK (reel-based camera model) when there was very little presence of DSLRs in the market and I still have it as a memory.
What story do you want your images to convey?
I believe no matter how many songs are sung about the beauty of life in the wild, there will always be more to sing. Such are these magnificent creatures; they never fail to leave you awestruck. My personal goal while clicking pictures is to capture the moment and their movement as comprehensively as possible. It’s all in the details. The fly resting peacefully on the tiger’s body has a story of its own! For me, a perfect wildlife click would be in their natural habitat, emphasizing and showcasing their behavior in perfect natural light. Understanding animal behavior and always being patient is the key.
What was on EXCLUSIVE | your mind when you first encountered a wild in the jungle? Can you share any stories behind your fav picture?
Thrill, wow factor, and scary moment – all emotions at once. There is a certain thrill about experiencing the wild with the naked eye. Yeah, this image was captured in the core zone of Tadoba, Maharashtra. There were alarm calls by sambar deer continuously since morning. We had to wait for almost 45 minutes for this beauty to arrive and all the wait was worth the sighting of this glorious tiger. Guess it had a kill in the bushes and it slowly arrived, making an appearance and heading towards the water body.
How is wildlife more challenging than other genres of photography? What would you like to say to any budding photographers?
Capturing the wild animals or birds in their natural habitat gives you hardly a few seconds to less than a minute timeframe – every single move, expression, and natural act must be captured very fast, making it more challenging and exciting. There are no retakes here. Every genre of photography or any kind of art has its challenges – just keep practicing, spend more time pursuing the same, and keep learning every day – success is never measured through social media followers.
One unforgettable experience you had in the wild.
Yes, in the year 2014 we had a very close encounter with one of the famous Tigers, from TADOBA ANDHARI TIGER RESERVE early hours – resting a few feet away from our Gypsy and suddenly the tiger stood up and moved right behind us, and I was the only photographer in that gypsy. Though it was a little scary at that moment, it was a thrill and once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Mythili Lakshmi
Mythili Lakshmi
Mythili is a professional portrait photographer whose passion for creating and capturing memories with loved ones persuaded her to create Mythrills Photography, best-known for newborn, maternity, and kids’ photography. With her great grandfather being a photographer way back in the early 1900s, she grew up listening to phrases like ‘frame it right’; ‘look where the light is coming from’, taught by her father, her first guru. From waiting to see the pictures developed from the reel era of reel cameras it can certainly be said that her love for photography began at a very young age. Her first camera was a Canon 600D, gifted by a very good friend of hers. Working as a software engineer, she first picked up a camera professionally in 2018. Though switching to a different profession seemed very challenging in the beginning, the commitment she has turned her passion into a profession. She says, “Every new thing I learned seemed impossible until it was done. If there is anything that I learned from my photography journey, it is that dedication and consistency will help you achieve your goal, no matter what.”
Any stories behind your first shoot?
The very first shoot I took up professionally is still fresh in my memory. I was in 2 minds because I had a very basic knowledge of the camera and limited equipment. I did not want to disappoint a family who trusted me to capture their memories. But it was their encouragement that gave me the confidence to enter the photography world. The output inspired me to learn more and today here I am, specializing in Maternity, Newborn, and Baby photography and have over 450 sessions to my credit.
What inspired you to get into maternity and kids’ photography?
Pregnancy can be an amazing time preparing for the arrival of the baby, it’s nice to have some beautiful photos of the parents-to-be to look back on from that special time. Growing up, I was very curious about what my mother must have experienced when she was pregnant with me.
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I used to wonder what her growing belly looked like and asked her if she had any pictures to show me. As a mother and a photographer, I captured my pregnancy journey to share with my child, and today, I feel lucky to relive those memories with my family through those wonderful clicks. I love every aspect of my work, from documenting the precious maternity journey to capturing the incredible beauty of each newborn, as it is such a pleasure to get to know and love the couples I photograph, and capture some wonderful memories of their growing family.
How difficult is to it handle kids while
shooting and how do you do it so effortlessly?
Patience is the key and the baby is the BOSS. Every child is different. Understanding what the child is trying to communicate with you will help you effortlessly handle the kid, although the understanding part takes a lot of effort which comes with practice. Baby photography, especially Newborn photography is one of the most challenging yet rewarding areas of photography; challenging because it requires the photographer to have tremendous patience and thorough knowledge of newborn safety, rewarding because nothing is more satisfying than looking at the freshness of a newborn in adorable curly poses. Having handled about 200+ newborns and 400+ kids, cuddling a baby with safety comes naturally to me.
How did lockdown impact your career?
Lockdown was especially difficult for my career because we had just relocated to Hyderabad in January 2020 and I had to begin my service right from the scratch. It took me a good one year to establish myself in the new city and to start gaining recognition. On a positive note, I took the time to build my website, organize my portfolio, brush my editing skills, and learn new techniques. By being strong, I came back stronger just like they say “the comebacks are always stronger than the setbacks”.
What gear and post-processing tools do you use?
I am a canon lover. I have always been using canon cameras right from the beginning of my photography career. Right now, I use a Canon 5D Mark IV, with EF 2470mm f/2.8L II USM; EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II USM. I use photoshop to postprocess my images.
Arif Minhaz
Arif Minhaz
Arif Minhaz is a Portrait & Fashion photographer based between New York and Hyderabad. His work is monochromatic, and dramatic, incorporating contemporary elements of style and Fashion. Born in Hyderabad and moved to New York to pursue his career as a Portrait Photographer, his work has taken him to cities across the globe. He has shot numerous Runway Fashion shoots, has had multiple exhibitions, and his work was published in various international magazines, he was also awarded TIFA photographer of the Year 2021 in addition to over 50 international awards. Mr. Minhaz says his work is painterly and drives towards Dramatism. It’s heavily influenced by Dutch masters namely Rembrandt, and Vincent Van Gogh. Photographically, he mentions he takes a lot of inspiration from Richard Avedon, Herb Ritts, and Peter Lindbergh’s work. Even as a kid, he always considered ‘Camera’ to be an all-time companion. Thanks to his Aunt, who introduced him to Mitashi Film Camera. Although the cameras kept changing, his zeal to make ‘the shot’ has been the driving ever since.
I got my first camera when I was 3 years old and the intent of making pictures camera naturally to me from my aunt, Razia. That said, I would like to share how I bought my first professional camera by myself: As a kid, I kept saving every penny that I was gifted for festivals by family and dear ones but the intent was to save for something big and not initially on a camera. Make no mistake about it, this went on for 9-10 good years. As years passed, my passion for photography only got stronger and one fine day, a faint memory of being a 16-year-old, I decided to take the plunge and spend all of it on a DSLR.
What is portrait photography and how did you gravitate to this genre?
of who they are and give them a piece of myself that they could cherish for a long time. Speaking of celebrities, I’m very fortunate to be working with some of the top names in the entertainment industry who are very humble, and love to experiment and understand the photographer’s vision.
What was the biggest challenge in your journey?
Since I’ve spoken a lot already, I am only going to give you something precious that’s helped me get this far (and going) in my journey and I hope it does the same to you as well. The biggest challenge ever is to believe in myself and what I’m capable of. The world is fast-paced and we are constantly comparing ourselves with our peers and give in to a loop called ‘self-doubt’ which keeps us all hanging and stagnant. The best way to get out of this loop is to wake up and take action. Never stop trying. It might not work initially but eventually, you’ll accumulate enough experience and learning to figure out the right path and with all the hard work, you’ll be on your way to succeed in your journey. Persistence, Consistency, Commitment and Honesty. Live by these values and you are UNSTOPPABLE. Good luck :)
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towards something new. But over time, what I’ve realized is all of it linked back to photographing Faces, and personalities and that gave me immense happiness. Knowing people on a deeper level, photographing a shade of them that’s not quite usual is what intrigued me and thus, here we are.
How was your working experience abroad? Tell us something about that learning curve.
I’ve pursued my Master’s in Photography at one of the world’s top Photo schools, New York Film Academy, which has opened me to look at the world with a better lens and help me refine my technical and creative skillset. Living in New York has helped me understand various cultures, and personalities and work with some of the best creatives in the industry. Always grateful to my Family for supporting me and placing my dreams ahead of theirs.
What story do you want your images to convey? And How was your experience working with celebrities?
I put my heart into making images that give out realism and the true personality of my subject. Amidst all the craziness in the world right now, we tend to move away from what’s real and forget that each of us has our own set of challenges to deal with, and often the socio- dopamine numbs us from being empathetic and being real human. I would want my work to help us all understand that each tale has got its tip-offs but at the end of the day it all boils down to just this: Are we making the world a better place to live. As a photographer, it’s my job to get the best out of my subject irrespective
Praveen Bonu
Praveen Bonu
Wedding photographer Instagram: @wearepixpective
Praveen though born in Eluru is a Hyderabadi at heart. His hobbies and passions were always inclined towards the creative side. Anything creative and colourful always captured his attention. When it came to movies, it was always First Day First show for this selftaught photographer and reflecting on what he says, he thinks it was the lights and camera that always excited him.
How were you introduced to photography?
Back in 2010 I was leading a team of testers in a gaming company and was pursuing my career in the IT industry and the concept of a camera was only a far-off thought. I guess if someone told me I had set up a successful wedding & event photography business – I would have laughed my heart out. Thanks to growing social media, I started posting pictures of travel and nature or portraits on Facebook. They were limited and were mostly pictures of my friends and family. Within no time the page started receiving a lot of attention and I started getting various inquiries from people through messages asking if I will click them or cover an event. At that moment I just thought like why not? I have experimented with the concept of Navaratri alongside a couple of shoots and from there this hobby just paved a way for a lot more, I am glad that I did and the response I got on social media platforms was just phenomenal. My friends were always by my side, and they helped me in finding a team to start with.
Tell us the story behind EXCLUSIVE | your first camera?
Everyone who has a little sister can understand the following very well – Imagine you take something that belongs to her, imagine you take it without her knowledge, and finally now imagine it is an expensive camera. It was my mom who always stood like a shield when I had to face her rage and anger. I’m sure today she is glad that I did start this journey with her camera. Jump to 2015 I started taking up projects – like weddings or birthdays etc. I quickly understood the need for professional equipment. Let me tell you photography is an expensive hobby – The camera, the number of lenses, and many more that come together to give you that perfect picture. In all the excitement and eagerness to pursue photography, I still had a little doubt if this is what I want to pursue – The actual confidence came to me when my mom said I should, she took out a loan to buy the first professional camera. I still remember it was Canon 6D & 72-100 lens. With this confidence and energy, I jumped into the battleground and did my first professional photo shoot with the same Canon 6D.
What drew you to this genre of photography? (wedding photography)
Come on!! Who would say no to a wedding? Jokes apart aren’t weddings the most colourful and vibrant occasions in one’s life and it is the best moment in everyone’s life where everyone just wants to look their best. There is so much chaos yet beauty around you in every wedding, amongst all that chaos, is this guy holding a camera and trying to not let go of these beautiful moments. I’m sure it is extremely satisfying and rewarding when you know that the pictures you are clicking are making a lifetime of memories for them.
How did the lockdown impact your business and how did you deal with it?
I and Pixpective like everyone else had to experience the Covid downtime. During this time, I decided I will not close the company even with such little work going on. I kept the studio open, this helped in keeping my team mentally strong and gave them hope that everything will soon return to normal, which eventually did in 2021.
What story do you want your pictures to convey? What inspires you and what gear do you use to capture these stories in images?
Every image has a story attached, this is both happy and sad to a person in general. If my pictures can bring the happy moments of a person back that is a story, I like to be part of. We use Sony and Canon Gear with G-master, Zeiss, Sigma Art and Canon L lenses. We use industrystandard lighting equipment for every kind of shoot. I think it is ok if getting inspiration is challenging. I’m amazed every day by the kind of work I see. Let it be a professional photographer, an artist, or someone clicking great pictures even with a phone camera. Every beautiful picture is both inspiring and challenging for you to do more and do better.
