As unique as you are

I proudly called myself a photographer, when I first held the camera in my hands. That was the early 90s, when mama wanted me to be a doctor and not a photographer. She would get furious, when I would ask her to get the rolls developed every now and then...it was a costly affair thosedays. As a kid, capturing moments in that small box amused me.

Today, I am drawn to photography for various other reasons. Now, I not just capture a moment, but a frame that has a subject and a background that creates a meaning in itself.

Once, I was rushing down the stairs with the camera hung around my neck, to get myself an ice cream, and I fell over. The camera broke into pieces and, my exploration into the world of images met an abrupt end. That was the last time when I held the camera. My mom got a good reason not to get it repaired. She was being fair, and I had to abide by her. Left with no choice I forgot that I had once called myself a photographer.

In times of trouble, I remember papa saying,

All good things come back to you, have patience

His words came true and in 2004 I got a chance to hold the camera again. It was a Manual SLR camera which I had never seen before. It was bulky, ugly, and too technical. It also had a lens mounted on top of it. I was annoyed with so much physics attached with it. My math is poor and I never understood physics. Words like focal length, aperture, and shutter speeds, ISO settings, Depth of Field, hit my head hard and wounded my dreams. I cannot learn photography - that was my first reaction. I tried to keep up with all the physics half-heartedly and ignoring the disastrous results. I latched on, till I noticed something about photography.

A bunch of students were asked to shoot the same subject. I was also a part of it. After the shoot, I saw that the output was surprisingly distinct. Each one of us had a difference in the way they looked at the subject.

Every frame is as unique as you are

What I thought (subtracting technical details) was significant was of the greatest importance. This is when I realized that the technique and the settings can be learnt by anyone. But, what really makes a photograph unique, is your perspective.

Realizing that, my approach has changed and my photographs stand out among the rest. Ever since, I trailed on my path to be a photographer once again.

Each time I click a picture, I learn a something new. Maybe not just about the camera, but also, about myself. With experience and practice comes confidence. Learning is an on-going process. Gone are the days when photography was considered technical. The digital era has made photography simpler. The camera is intelligent enough to help you make the settings (Auto-mode).

What you need is an idea that tells a story. For me, photography is a mirror I see myself in. Every frame is a reflection of my perspective about life and my photographs a collage of my experiences. My photography defines my thought and my thought defines my photography; the colors that are predominant in my composition explain the facets of my mood.

God is in the details and photography a medium to showcase these details

Photography is simple.