Bangalore and budding photographers

It’s an enduring romance to own a camera. One constantly wonders if the lens is capturing the secret blush of a young bride, dew drops falling on the leaves, or the beautiful red sky when the sun is setting?

Photography, the  art form, which was considered out of reach for most people till a few years back, is now one of the hottest hobbies for young India.

Modern technology has helped us capture our imagination and creativity with cost-effective mobile cameras and high-tech digital ones,  celebrating art through pictures.

Shuffling careers
Photography is not just about following a passion or a hobby now. The  fact that a lot techies from the city turn to the art of clicking as a means to unwind, qualifies it as a second profession. The number of people who’ve switched their careers to become full time photographers is quite astounding.

One such photographer and documentary filmmaker who shuffles between work and his love for the camera is Amit Mitra. “I work for a corporate firm, but my love for the camera is at least 15 years old. I started with a manual SLR camera as a hobby and slowly graduated to a digital one,” says Amit.

For the love of his art, Amit devotes ample hours to his ‘second’ profession. “To beat my stressful work life, the only thing that helps me unwind is photography,” he offers. Easy-to-access websites where one can display their work is a boon for today’s generation of photographers, adds Amit. “Some of my pictures get published in various forums, where I get paid. The monetary benefits are secondary and for me it’s all about love for the art,” he adds.

A walk together
Starting with about 20 enthusiasts, Bangalore Weekend Shoots (BWS) moved on to Flickr, and found interesting subjects to shoot every weekend. Be it rattling through the streets of Bangalore or celebration of a historic place like Cubbon Park, they are out there!

“People from various backgrounds join our photo-walks. Even people, who are new to the city, love to go on a photo trail. They not only enjoy taking pictures, but it also helps them to understand the city and make friends on their journey,” says Perumal Venkatesan aka Pee Vee, founder member of BWS.

Joy of sharing
When advertising photographer G Venket Ram decided to quit his engineering course to follow his dream, hell broke loose. But now, he is one of the most desired photographers for several celebrities.

“Taking pictures is a way of life now. There was a time when photography was used only during important occasions like weddings or birthdays. With mobile cameras at fingertips, a daily routine like taking a walk is also been shot now,” says Venket.
He also points out that cameras have now become cheaper and affordable for people. “The whole idea is to share. It’s not just rejoicing the beautiful moments amongst your family, sharing them on social networking sites where everyone can view is another reason for the form to be popular,” he points out.

Not so glamourous
However, young photographers, who begin shooting pictures thinking that the profession is glamorous, often realise how tough the going can be. “Photography can seem very appealing to a lot of people, but it is not as glamorous as enthusiasts think it to be. There is a lot of  sweat and hard work that a photographer has to go through to achieve acclaim,” points out photographer Shibu Arakkal.

“I’ve grown up watching doyens of photographers who had that mystique about them. But now a lot of youngsters become photographers for the wrong reasons. However, I am glad that there is a popular following for this art form. It has become an integral part of our lives now,” he signs off.