FOTOCAFE STUDIOS

Shoot for Cognizant

2011-12-08T23:07:00.001-08:00

Wedding Video Of Sapan-Lekhya

2011-12-08T22:54:00.001-08:00

Ten Tips to Shoot Great Pix

2011-12-08T22:39:00.001-08:00

1.Shoot at Eye level. Whenever you look at a portrait you first look at the eyes of the person, hence to get better portraits shoot at eye level & most importantly put the subject at ease & in good mood. Asking the subject to just smile is not enough. Creating a right mood with a good humour, music or ambience is very important to make those eyes sparkle.

2.Place the subject Off center. It appears more dynamic & leads the eye to the scene or tells the story. This is called the rule of the thirds &; is often used by all professionals. Shooting the picture dead center makes the picture dead & lifeless.

3.Explore Different angles. Don’t just shoot from where you get down from the car or from you are standing. Walk a bit, climb some stairs, ask some people about the place & shoot lot of pictures. You can always choose from the lot.

4.Choose Backgrounds carefully. Again shoot portraits carefully. Do not let cluttered backgrounds interfere with your subject. Here you can use a small secret. Just use the zoom in case you cannot avoid the background as the telephoto makes the background blur. But otherwise try to select a plain backdrop.

5.Get Up Early. The best times to shoot landscapes, portraits (outdoors), flowers etc is up to 2 hours after sunrise & just 2 hours before sunset. My experience shows early mornings as better than evenings especially for winters & hill stations as we can capture the fog, people & animals in their best moods. Plus you get a good chai. Also while shooting landscapes include some foreground elements like an arch, branch of a tree to frame the picture.

6.Use Flash Outdoors? What? Yes you should be using flash outdoors too to avoid dark shadows under the eyes, neck. This happens especially during noontime, when the sun is directly above your head. In the night urge people to face some bright light so that you do not get red eye effect. Finally wait a few extra seconds even after the flash is charged to get a brighter picture.

7.Study & Use Light Properly. Early morning & late afternoon light is good for portraits, landscapes, architecture, and nature. Hazy/ Cloudy light is good for portraits, architecture, and nature. Side harsh lighting is good to bring about texture in the subject like wrinkles in an old person. In the same way soft hazy light is good to flatter a good-looking woman with a glowing skin.

8.Be a Photo Director. Ever wondered that you can be a director of photography. It’s very easy. As I said earlier don’t just shoot. Think. Suppose you are shooting a group of people. Think of innovative ways to pose them. Shoot from some creative angles & they too would respond with good ideas

9.Get rid of Horizontalitis. Everybody shoots horizontal pix because it is easy to hold the camera that way & get used to it that way. But if you start shooting some verticals you will get to know a new perspective in life. Portraits look stunning because backgrounds are cut off the rest I leave it you discover……

10.Finally Keep Shooting. The best way to learn is shoot and learn & not theorizing & I am sure you guys are shooting. You can always contact me at gunshe@gmail.com or call me (9849191550) before you plan any photo trip.

Cactus, Vulture & Desert in Studio

2011-10-26T01:26:00.000-07:00

This image was created in the pre digital era with a 120camera & believe me it was great fun.

It took all of 3 days to complete theshoot, not because of the complexity of the shoot, but the 1^st twodays were spent in hunting for the right cactus.

The concept was to show 3 benefits of a particular medicalproduct & we were looking for a cactus plant with 3 branches.

We searchedthe whole of Hyderabad, but the best we could lay our hands on was a plant with2 branches. So the Art Director decided to use a 3^rd one as aseparate plant and show it as if growing from the earth.

The lighting had to be dramatic, since we needed to show thesun along with a sunset.

The lighting set up is very simple. Behind the set up of thesand is an acrylic sheet of 4’x6’ size. From top of that we gave a yellow lighton the sand & cactus, which is also spilling on the acrylic.

One light with an orange gel from behind the acrylic sheetto give the orange glow & finally one spot light as the sun behind theacrylic sheet.

Of course there were lots of Polaroids taken & lotscoffee cups guzzled. Lots of discussions on how to make it look like apainting.

By the way the bird is paper cutout pasted on the acrylicsheet.

Enjoy

Apples on Shoelaces

2011-10-26T00:53:00.000-07:00

Apples on Shoelaces

Photographers need to be observant all the time, if theywant to churn out good creative stuff, which is different and has the WOW factor in their images.

I had created this picture long ago, by observing the fruitsellers tying the apples on threads on their carts to display the same. Theapples looked very cute in such groups, so I thought of replicating the same inthe studio.

But when I was in the process of creating the image, my eyefell on one of my assistant’s shoes, which were sports shoes with colored shoelaces.I thought, why not use shoelaces of different colors instead of plain threadsand the rest is History.

Enjoy

Advertising Photography

2011-10-11T00:25:00.000-07:00

Year: 1995

Assignment: Create beautiful photography for brochures &other communication

Model: Anjali Joshi

Makeup: Madhu

Client: Royal Chairs

Camera: Zenza Bronica 120 film format

Lights: 5 Elinchromes & 1 Bowens

Location: Rani Art Studio, Tourist Hotel Building, KachigudaStn Road, Hyd-27 (Estb 1966)

This was a typical shoot, in which the texture, colours,contours, beauty, shape of the chairs along with the usage of the same with abeautiful model, was to be shown.

Being a very disciplined photographer, I used to take outlots of Polaroids with every lighting set up & shoot only after being fullysatisfied with the results.

The advantage with Polaroids was manifold.

It used to give me documentation of lighting, angles,lighting ratios, & other parameters.

It also used to make good scrapbook for portfolios in thosedays when we did not have laptops

Photo No 1: BlueChair

As shown in the visual I have given 2 soft lights fromopposite directions in full power mode & there is a thermocole placed onthe left side light to reflect some highlights on the chair’s lower portion.One light is placed facing the ceiling to soften the shadows on the chair. Andthe last light is from the back left with a grid to highlight the chair andseparate it from the background.

The power ratio is given on the visual itself & isarrived on the previous Polaroids taken during the shoot.

The final result was a nice Product shot with a graduatedbackdrop, which was repeated for all the products with a slight variation.

Photo No 2: Model with executive chair

Here I had to highlight both the chair & the modelequally, which was very challenging. Here I must mention that Anjali the modelwas a very professional & would know & read the photographer’s mindvery quickly. She would also remember her poses & stand or sit in the samepose after the Polaroids, for the final shot. I really miss such models.

Coming back to lighting again the left & right combo forthe chair, but this time on the ground to get details on the wheels. One softbox from front top on the model & chair to see the texture in the chair.One light from left back of the model as the visual shows & one from theright of the model to highlight her hair & shoulder & arms. Finally onefiller from front to fill the shadows & soften the scene.

This shot was used as it is without any corrections &changes.

Photo No 3: Waiting room chairs in an office environment

Again shot in shot studio, with 5 lights. One soft box forthe model & to bring out the textures in the chairs. 2 lights bounced offthe ceiling from either side of the camera to soften the shadows and also tobrighten the scene. We also placed a big plant behind the frosted glass lit itfrom behind to give a silhouette effect.

The basket of fruits was replaced with a bouquet of flowers.

All in all it was good fun and very challenging & thebest part came when the client appreciated the shoot & paid withoutbargaining & on time, which makes it more worthwhile.

I would be very glad to answer any technical queriesregarding this shoot.

Cheers

Flash outdoors?

2011-07-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

Yes using flash outdoors in daylight!

This may sound surprising, but there are various advantages& good things about using flash in daylight.

You may have seen in film shootings, lights & reflectorsbeing used even in broad daylight.

Due to heavy schedules, date problems they need to shootthrough out the day. They cannot wait for ideal lighting conditions always sothey have create the same with reflectors, lights even in broad daylight.

Same thing applies to us. We too travel & go places. Itis not possible to reach a place at the right time every time.

Also we do not have the luxury of Lights, reflectors &assistants.

Even if we had, we would lose our privacy, it will add toour cost & most importantly lose the fun of spontaneity

So what do we amateurs do? What do we have?

We Have the most powerful & Jamesbondish weapon

The built in flash.

So what does it do? How can it help improve our outdoor photography?

Flash in Daylight acts as fill in light especially when youare shooting during noon times or against the light or even in overcast lightconditions.

The advantages are

1. Shadows under the eyes, nose, and chin getfilled up

2. You will get uniform detail when shootingagainst the light, say around 3 ‘0 clock & you need to have that particular scenein the background

3. You will also get nice hair light with some practice& luck

4. Your subject also brightens up on a cloudy dayor in the shade

5. It also adds a sparkle in the eye like a catchlight

6. If somebody is wearing a hat it will light uphis/her face

7. Also most importantly people will come to knowthat their picture has been clicked

8. Even if you shoot in ideal lighting conditions, fillin flash will act as second light to soften the shadows & give your images thepro look

Try it next time and see the results for yourself.

Cheers

Falling in Love

2011-07-03T02:40:00.000-07:00

Why photographers fall in love? And why they should? I mean it's good for them. The more often they do the better it is for their photography & better for their subjects.

So am I out of my mind? Have I become an agony aunt or something?

Hey! I am talking about falling in love with the subject you are shooting. Yes love the subject & everything will fall into place. Fame, money & self satisfaction.

The other day I was shooting Mohit Chauhan in a concert & I fell in love with his style of singing, talking & most importantly the way he was playing his guitar.

I shot the pictures with the same passion he had for his music. Believe me I still follow his music. That is love. That is a never ending relation. In fact I follow his every news & updates. That is the case with each & every assignment of mine. I work from my heart.

So What is my message? If you want to specialize in a particular photography area, love is most important factor.

Lots of love & Happy shooting

Who is a true photographer?

2010-11-18T02:05:00.000-08:00

Who is a photographer?

Is he a person with a camera hanging around his neck? Is he a person who creates images with his camera & a computer? Is he just a snapshot maker who makes people happy with his images of birthdays, events, weddings, get-togethers? Or is he simply following the diktats of an art director and presses the shutter release button, when asked to shoot for ad campaigns?

The answer is NO.

The real photographer, once he masters the nuances of photography becomes an artist. In fact the very fact that he has chosen to become a photographer is that he is basically an artist first and photography is a means for him to express his emotions.

Photographers have the multi tasks of being artists as well as scientists, mathematicians, techno savvy, fashionable, salesmen & God knows what more is in store.

But that’s not the point I am going to discuss now. I am going to discuss the difference between a photographer (The Artist) & and a non photographer

When you ask a person the color of the sky for instance, his obvious answer would be blue. But for a photographer it is an open canvas of millions of colors. He would start with black & continue with darker shades of blue and then there are pinks, oranges, whites, various shades of blue, not to forget greens too and so on.

Similarly if someone were asked about the colors of leaves in a tree, he would say green, but not the photographer. Our artist friend would not only see different hues of green, but also other colors of nature in it. He would find the rawness of the leaf and then the full freshness of it and then the dried color of the leaf.

This also applies to the color black. Many people think black is black, there is more to it than darkness. Ever been in a room without light for some time, say 5-10 min and tried to figure out the contents of the room? After some time you can see some faint figures. Our eye camera captures the light after sometime, depending on the conditions, but the camera depending on its configurations can capture the image even in the dark (technical details later).

So want to be a true photographer? Start seeing things in a different light. There is so much to learn from nature alone. You will enjoy even if you are not a photographer or an artist.

Open the windows of your mind. Happy viewing

The photographers' rights

2010-11-02T05:51:00.000-07:00

The following rights are for all photographers, making a decent living out of photography.

1. You can make a photograph of anything and anyone on any public property, except where a specific law prohibits it.



i.e. streets, sidewalks, town squares, parks, government buildings open to the public, and public libraries.



2. You may shoot on private property if it is open to the public, but you are obligated to stop if the owner requests it.



i.e. malls, retail stores, restaurants, banks, and office building lobbies.



3. Private property owners can prevent photography ON their property, but not photography OF their property from a public location.



4. Anyone can be photographed without consent when they are in a public place unless there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.



i.e. private homes, restrooms, dressing rooms, medical facilities, and phone booths.



5. Despite common misconceptions, the following subjects are almost always permissible:

     

* accidents, fire scenes, criminal activities

* children, celebrities, law enforcement officers

* bridges, infrastructure, transportation facilities

* residential, commercial, and industrial buildings

     

6. Security is rarely an acceptable reason for restricting photography. Photographing from a public place cannot infringe on trade secrets, nor is it terrorist activity.



7. Private parties cannot detain you against your will unless a serious crime was committed in their presence. Those that do so may be subject to criminal and civil charges.



8. It is a crime for someone to threaten injury, detention, confiscation, or arrest because you are making photographs.



9. You are not obligated to provide your identity or reason for photographing unless questioned by a law enforcement officer and state law requires it.



10. Private parties have no right to confiscate your equipment without a court order. Even law enforcement officers must obtain one unless making an arrest. No one can force you to delete photos you have made.





These are general guidelines regarding the right to make photos and should not be interpreted as legal advice. If you need legal help, please contact a lawyer.

Enlightened career in photography

2010-08-17T01:05:00.000-07:00

Two roads diverged in a wood
& I chose the one less traveled
& that has made all the difference

Gone are the days when there were only a limited number of professions to choose from. Engineering, Medicine, Law, Govt. services topped the list and photography was not even considered as an hobby.Slowly, with the advent of the digital cameras, photography came out of the closed walls of the studio and started getting a good exposure.

What used to take hours of labour pain in the lab room to have the first glimpse of your baby(read your photographs) and the feeling of that excitement of holding the photograph smiling at you; well that feeling is still there but probably the labour pain has now been replaced by cesarian( read the LCD display)' the advantage of seeing a live view of your picture composition.

What has not changed over the years is the passion, dedication and love for photography that has transformed many a artist to paint the canvas of the print into a mesmerizing picture; picture that stand still; picture that takes your breath away.

Yes Photography has beaten the conventional profession and has made its way in the professional world! All you need is the unwavering determination and the fire of passion to keep the flame burning. After all its Photography is all about lighting!

2010-06-22T21:06:00.000-07:00

Turning a service into a product

Way back in 1994 Real Estate prices started going up post liberalization and lot of lazy restaurants gave way to fast food joints, which also included even the simple idli & dosa makers. They upgraded their technologies & served hot idlis, pooris, wadas & other South Indian dishes, in a 500-600 sq ft area. The customer had to stand & eat instead of sitting and leisurely enjoying a breakfast, in short he was eating on the go.

To attract customers food translites were needed, which the owners were trying to get it shot from general studios & get it printed somewhere. The result: Very uninspiring & dull pictures.
One fine day somebody walked into my studio and saw my advertising works & asked me to do some South Indian food shots for his Fast food joint & make some good translites. He also was good enough to suggest to me to explore the market for such a demand. But at the same time we felt that not everyone will be willing to spend on assignment charges as well as devoting time & effort needed for food photography.

That’s when I decided to shoot stock pictures of Dosas, Idlis, Wadas, Upma, burgers, pizzas, etc & approach upcoming restaurants, hotels, bakeries etc for business. Everyone had their own opinion about the pictures. While someone wanted the idlis in a steel plate, another wanted it in a crockery plate, another suggested idlis on banana leaf, yet another wanted 4 instead of 2, someone wanted more varieties of chutneys. The list just went on & on.

If this is the case with idlis, imagine what would happen with other cuisines? But all my fears were just imaginative. When the customers started knowing that I am into Food photography, they started coming in and whatever their special requests were, they were told would be fulfilled in a day or 2. This way we did not end up with dead stock and also started building up a good catalogue of food pictures.

Within a couple of years we had South Indian, North Indian, Chinese, Continental, Bakery items, Ice Creams, Hyderabadi food and lots more.

We had also become good food stylists & knew where to source the best & fresh fruits, vegetables & at what time.

My fame as a good Food translite maker spread far & wide. Even people from abroad came & took translates from me. I also had sales rep working for me on commission basis. I had a full time carpenter working for me to make boxes for people who wanted me to also take up the fabrication of the boxes & display systems.

We did lot of innovative stuff on the display systems too, but that is another story.

In short this is how a service was converted into a product.

Cheers

Laughing Buddha(red on red)

2009-09-19T01:20:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite shots and my lucky mascot too. Shot with just a single household emergency lite coming from the right, the Buddha was placed on my red sofa and the picture was clicked hand held with a wide aperture. Since it is still life I focused on the necklace and hands and not the eyes(it's not a portrait)
Enjoy

Fotocafe Studios

2009-09-15T05:31:00.001-07:00

Fotocafe Studios

Posted using ShareThis

100 things about photography random(will add as I get more ideas)

2009-09-14T05:08:00.000-07:00

1.Get up early to get some good shots. You will also meet some interesting people & get some good chai & hot local breakfast.
2.Travel light sometimes, maybe even with just a normal lens and get some interesting shots by walking closer to the subject and making the background blur by selective focus, which other lenses do not allow.
3.Act like an amateur, even if you a big pro to get some good candid people shots.
4.Carry lots of chocolates, candies for kids as giveaways and they will pose for you and get you more people to pose for you.
5.The best transport is walking
6.Always carry written flash cards of tips & tricks to freshen up your memory, in case you encounter any difficulty in shooting or need to go thru a checklist.
7.Never delete pix on the spot.
8.Do not overcharge batteries.
9.Carry a model release form for signing if you intend to use people/property photos for endorsements.
10.Carry an address book and try to deliver hard copies to your subjects, whenever possible. It will increase your value.
11.If possible print it then & there & deliver it. Now-a-days it is possible with mini thermal printers.
12.The best time is now
13.The expression of the eyes is everything
14.In digital 1st shoot then think, just like a photojournalist.
15.Don’t shoot too many pictures, just because you have a digital camera. It becomes difficult while editing. It’s ok if you are covering an event or sport.
16.If you do not know the language, smile & they will smile back.
17.Know your camera like your wife/lover.
18.Digital cameras cannot think always. Like film cameras they too need post production by way of softwares to make the skies saturated etc.
19.Always carry a small compass. It helps to plan & shoot better pictures.
20.Studying laws of composition is fine, but when it comes down to you must trust your eye
21.The number one reason why people miss good pictures is because they don't have a camera. Make it a habit to always carry a camera with you, because you never know what you could miss

Hiring a high end engineer to do a laborer’s job?

2009-07-24T05:48:00.000-07:00

The other day my friend Niranjan(niranjan707@gmail.com) who repairs digital cameras made a very interesting observation. He said earlier the cameras were like manual laborers and we used to make them do sundry jobs like asking them to hammer a nail on the wall, fix a tap etc, but now with the advent of High end digital cameras, we still do the same. If the cameras had heart & soul they would have committed suicide by now.

So let’s grow up, friends (Hey, I am talking about pros and not the amateurs) and let’s read & learn the camera manuals by heart and exploit their full potential. Let us not buy blindly what the others are buying or what the camera manufacturers’ are advertising. I am sure once you read the manual you will come across loads of surprises about your camera and it will also help you in shooting easily in tight situations.

Cheers

How to get shot by a Top Gun

2009-07-09T02:11:00.000-07:00

Should I wear a bright colored suit? What color shoes shall I get along with it? What about jewelry? And makeup, Hairstyling?Props? Oh so many questions are asked by models, matrimonial aspirants. But they forget to ask the most basic question.

What kind of attitude to wear? What is the best time to shoot? How do I prepare for the shoot?

Hey these questions were never asked of me before. I just posed in front of the camera and click click click. We got some good pictures. Good, but not great or out of this world. If you want outstanding and classy pictures you as a subject need to do some homework as well. OK, here goes your checklist of things to do before you take an appointment with the portrait photographer.

1. Know when you look your best & confident. Most of the time this is after you had a good night's sleep or a good nap in the afternoon. The idea here to look fresh in the face and mentally too, so that it shows in the pictures. As they say pictures never lie. Then make a point to arrive fresh at the studio. If possible hire a cab and do not drive yourself during peak traffic time. Listen to some good sooting music. Whatever makes you feel relaxed & cool.

2. Before the actual shoot practice in front of the mirror as if you are actually shooting or if you need professional help you can come to the photo studio and take some tips from the photographer and practise at home. We can provide you with a posing sheet which can used by you to copy the styles at home. Howwzat?

3. Also smile a lot, not only with the lips but also with the eyes. In fact watch loads of comedy shows to improve your laughter quotient.

So now you know the secrets of great actors & models. Why they look so cool in photographs. You too can with some extra effort. All the best.
Cheers

Top ten tips to shoot great pix

2009-06-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

1.Shoot at Eye level. Whenever you look at a portrait you first look at the eyes of the person, hence to get better portraits shoot at eye level & most importantly put the subject at ease & in good mood. Asking the subject to just smile is not enough. Creating a right mood with a good humour, music or ambience is very important to make those eyes sparkle.

2.Place the subject Off center. It appears more dynamic & leads the eye to the scene or tells the story. This is called the rule of the thirds & is often used by all professionals. Shooting the picture dead center makes the picture dead & lifeless.

3.Explore Different angles. Don’t just shoot from where you get down from the car or from you are standing. Walk a bit, climb some stairs, ask some people about the place & shoot lot of pictures. You can always choose from the lot.

4.Choose Backgrounds carefully. Again shoot portraits carefully. Do not let cluttered backgrounds interfere with your subject. Here you can use a small secret. Just use the zoom in case you cannot avoid the background as the telephoto makes the background blur. But otherwise try to select a plain backdrop.

5.Get Up Early. The best times to shoot landscapes, portraits (outdoors), flowers etc is up to 2 hours after sunrise & just 2 hours before sunset. My experience shows early mornings as better than evenings especially for winters & hill stations as we can capture the fog, people & animals in their best moods. Plus you get a good chai. Also while shooting landscapes include some foreground elements like an arch, branch of a tree to frame the picture.

6.Use Flash Outdoors? What? Yes you should be using flash outdoors too to avoid dark shadows under the eyes, neck. This happens especially during noontime, when the sun is directly above your head. In the night urge people to face some bright light so that you do not get red eye effect. Finally wait a few extra seconds even after the flash is charged to get a brighter picture.

7.Study & Use Light Properly. Early morning & late afternoon light is good for portraits, landscapes, architecture, and nature. Hazy/ Cloudy light is good for portraits, architecture, and nature. Side harsh lighting is good to bring about texture in the subject like wrinkles in an old person. In the same way soft hazy light is good to flatter a good-looking woman with a glowing skin.

8.Be a Photo Director. Ever wondered that you can be a director of photography. It’s very easy. As I said earlier don’t just shoot. Think. Suppose you are shooting a group of people. Think of innovative ways to pose them. Shoot from some creative angles & they too would respond with good ideas

9.Get rid of Horizontalitis. Everybody shoots horizontal pix because it is easy to hold the camera that way & get used to it that way. But if you start shooting some verticals you will get to know a new perspective in life. Portraits look stunning because backgrounds are cut off the rest I leave it you discover……

10.Finally Keep Shooting. The best way to learn is shoot and learn & not theorizing & I am sure you guys are shooting. You can always contact me at gunshe@fotocafestudios.com or call me (9849191550) before you plan any photo trip.

Vipassana Meditation benefits

2009-06-06T04:38:00.001-07:00

Let me share with you about the Vipassana meditation technique, which I have been practicing since 1983. It is an amazing experience and has got too many benefits if done regularly & correctly. It works directly on the mind & matter phenomena and starts removing impurities from day one. The end goal is to remove all the negativities of the mind and become a pure hearted person, which is quite possible with this technique. But lots of patience is needed to work on it. Everyday one needs to sit for 1 hour in the morning & 1 hour in the evening. Believe me I have become a very calm person, more equanimous & more humble than ever. All the hyper activity, followed by my super anger and restlessness has gone. Sometimes even I do not believe it. I am always smiling now, whatever the situation.

Hyderabad's Chor Bazaar

2009-06-06T04:36:00.000-07:00

The Chor bazaar, as the name suggests is not exactly a bazaar of finding stolen goods or buying or selling them. It is more of of a Junkyard sale & Antique sale yard rolled into one. In Hyderabad it is known more as Jumeraat Bazaar(Thursday Bazaar) because it starts at around 3 am in the morning and ends at 7am flat. All the best bargains happen very early and the seasoned shopper reaches the earliest and walks away with things of his choice at the price he wants.You will find old coins, stones, pebbles, lanterns, carpets, utensils, curios and other furniture items in the form of antiques and old keyboards, mice, monitors, washing machines, ovens, telephones & other plastic stuff as junk being bought by people for recycling purposes. There are people selling new stuff too like clothes, jewelry, tyres, mixies, TVs and other things at throw away prices, but without any guarantee. But people are not complaining as it is very cheap stuff compared to the regular market. And so the story goes on week after week...

My Start in advertising & industrial photography

2009-06-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

Way back in the 1980's when I started advertising photography, I started with a Zenza Bronica 120 SLR camera bought in Singapore and started doing the rounds of ad agencies & industries. It was not so easy as I thought it would be. I was never used to failures as I was under my dad's shadow and doing good studio photography & wedding photography, but it was too comfortable a life and there was no creative challenge.

In those laid back Hyderabadi days everybody was almost lazy and my proactive behavior was looked upon as greediness. I slowly built up my portfolio and kept on meeting people in all kinds of industries, people from all walks of life and I used to challenge people, (because the trend at that time was to call photographers from Madras or Bombay and get photography done) that I too can do it. I used to say " If you like my work pay me or else don't" & I shall deliver better than the Bombay & Madras guys. It was a tall order. I used to fail many a times, but my percentage of success kept on increasing with every failure.

This earned me lots of respect & friends in the market. The biggest breakthrough came with the AP Tourism campaign in 1987 after which there was no looking back in my advertising & industrial photography career.

Of course there have been lots of ups and downs & loads of adventures and lots of stories in this journey, but that is for another day & another time.