Dabboo Ratnani needs no introduction as he's one of the leading fashion photographer's of the country. He has shot for the covers of all the leading magazines from Cosmopolitan to Verve. You name the magazine and he's shot for their cover. The ace photographer recently launched his much awaited Calendar for the year 2018. The Dabboo Ratnani Calendar 2018 saw some of his favourites adorn the pages while Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar made her debut in the calendar this year. In a candid chat, Dabboo gets talking about the theme for this year's calendar, his inspiration, memorable moments and more. He also gives some important tips for budding photographers. Excerpts:
What's the theme of your celebrity calendar this year?
I don’t do thematic calendars. As for me, it’s important for my creativity to flow and therefore I prefer to have a free flowing platform, where I can capture each shot in the best possible way depending on how I am able to portray the shot at that point in time. It is more about my photography and the actors becoming the hero, rather than the focus being shifted on the theme. I don’t want to be restricted to a certain theme as this is my 19th calendar, and prior to this I have done over 400 calendar shots, so it is always about outdoing myself with every passing year.
What inspired you to conceptualise and shoot a celebrity calendar?
It all started off in 1999 in December where the world was prepping up for Y2K (i.e year 2000) in December that year. While talking about the year, it struck me that I could try exhibiting celebrity portfolio images differently
and what better way to look forward to a year than with a calendar. So I took 12 pictures from my stock images, had them printed in the calendar format, distributed them among my celebrity friends and media which were very well received. As I noticed the popularity it received back in 1999, I went ahead and shot 24 pictures of leading celebrities and launched it as an annual happening. Little did I know that it would be appreciated so well, so much so that now it continues to be a year on year concept.
How long does it usually take you to finalise the sets and the backdrop for your calendar? How early do you start prepping for your calendar shoot?
Planning of the calendar happens through the course of the year. As and when the concepts of my shoot are developed I jot them down in terms of anything interesting that crosses my mind. We then start approaching the celebrities around Diwali i.e., late October, early November, then shoot the shots in December, but sometimes for reasons like if the celebrity is travelling or pre-occupied with a shoot, we do their shoots in October itself.
For each shot I take, the backdrop really depends on the concept we develop. So if it’s a studio shot then it is not a problem, but if it’s a location shot then we scout for spaces around the same time. Like for Farhan Akhtar and
Siddharth Malhotra, the concept of their shoot was water and hence we explored the pool area at JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu for its cool resort like feel and went ahead with shooting at the Salt water pool.
Similarly for Mr. Amitabh Bachchan the concept was him on a bicycle somewhere on the street, so we chose a backdrop close to his house itself which would complement the bright outdoor concept.
What prompted you to choose JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu as a key location for your calendar launch?
When I came to Mahi, the vibe and the whole place got me going. I thought it was the perfect place to present the work I have done. It has a great outdoor space of the Salt Water Pool which overlooks Juhu Beach, and I have been there for a couple of parties, so I found it to be an apt location to host the launch of my calendar’s 19th edition. When it comes to exhibiting my creativity, It is important that the place is a right fit and complements my work and for me Mahi definitely does so. Also, this is not the first time I shot at JW Marriott Juhu, hence it was also the comfort and the hospitality that I receive there every time I go, that made me choose this venue over the rest.
Any memorable moment you had while you were shooting with the celebrities this year?
While I have a lot of candid memories, this year we actually printed a couple of copies of previous year’s shoot with me for the calendar and watching them happy and excited is something Manisha and I will cherish the most.
How often do celebrities also give their own inputs to add to the shoot?
I hope they do. And most times when I shoot with any of them, they do help me with the visualisation, considering they have so much experience when it comes to posing in front of the camera. As a photographer I put my concept in front of them and from there on it is also their actions or the poses and expression that gives my shot the edge.
Have you ever had to change a particular concept as it was not approved or agreed upon by the actor?
The way I work around with this shoot is, I propose 3-4 concepts to them and then what ever gets them excited is what we go ahead with. Sometimes it is the first concept they agree upon and in some cases the last one. For me, rejection doesn't matter but what makes them comfortable and brings the best out of them is what matters the most. Unless your actor relates to a particular shot, he or she will not be able to put their best foot forward. In fact certain actors don’t even want to choose, they just go ahead with what my conviction is, reason being they feel they don’t want to interfere with my creativity.
Personally, do you prefer natural light or studio light?
I prefer natural light. I love shooting outdoors, and shooting in natural light is my forte, cause for me when I reach a location, I love doing something different as natural backgrounds lend themselves to add something to the picture. In a studio shoot we use a plain background, but even when shooting indoors, a mix of natural light with the studio lights adds volume to a particular picture.
How far do you think using photo-editing tools like Photoshop is justified in photoshoots?
They are just tools. It’s like every picture we shoot from the camera is a raw file, and hence it requires some colour profile and correction before it goes into printing. You have to match the colours and edit it properly to look presentable and hence you will need a printing software or Photoshop to balance the colours well. For me I ensure minimal use of these tools, reason being the celebrities I am working with are public figures and are seen at live events, so they cannot look very different from what they are in person. I prefer retouching only when really required.
Your favourite Bollywood celeb to shoot with would be?
For me the celebrities I shoot with are actually my friends, so choosing a favourite name amongst all of them is difficult.
Three tips you would like to give budding photographers who are pursuing fashion photography?
1) If someone wants to be a fashion photographer they should be extremely sure of the genre they are signing up for as they have to enjoy it the most, more than looking at it as just a career option. If you are unable to interact with people, you cannot be a fashion photographer. So one should analyse their skills and then pick the trade.
2) Second would be doing it for the passion and self-satisfaction, not with the aim to meet famous people. You have to keep working and climb the ladder and produce good work, only then will you progress. It is not a cake walk but hard work that will pay, hence consistency is a must along with setting a benchmark for yourself as you grow over the years!
3) Also never stop learning, because there is no professional field where you have a dead end in the depth of knowledge. Like for me, this calendar itself had me learning about new lights, new concepts which keep me going and help me better myself as the years go by. So never stop learning and exploring the various opportunities that will come your way while you are at it.
On the other hand, Sharad Puri, General Manager at JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu, feels working with Dabboo Ratnani has been one of the most pleasant experiences for them. He says, "We are very delighted to be associated with him and the most sought after Bollywood calendar of course. It has been a privilege for us to be associated with Mr Dabboo who has shot the who’s who of Bollywood in the calendar over the years."
When asked about his fond memories from Dabboo Ratnani's calendar shoot, Puri shares, "From the past, I vividly remember Dabboo shooting with Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, Hritik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Malaika Arora Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt at our property and now for the 2018 calendar – we had Siddharth Malhotra and Farhan Akhtar posing by the pool side."
Ask him about what makes the hotel a favourite among B-Town celebs, he explains, "Service which is thoughtfully crafted, warm, intuitive and personalised is the key USP which makes our property the preferred hospitality destination for celebrities and not to forget the privacy we give them without getting into their personal space. Other than being located at a prime location like Juhu, the property overlooks the gorgeous setting of the infinite Juhu beach and offers a tranquil ambience with sea-facing dining experience, thus offering a preferred luxurious setting for celebrities to host their family and friends from the industry. Let’s not forget the luxury and scrumptious meals that further build onto our belief of exceeding one’s expectations with our hospitality."
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