Photography Course @ NID

Photography course for the past 2 weeks has changed a lot in all our mindsets. The word “photography” is always perceived with the sense of glamour. We too had that. Expectations rose to a very high extent when for every two student a semi professional digital SLR was given. We had Dr. Deepak John Mathew, Mr. Saurabh Srivastava and Mr. Maniyarasan R guiding us all the way. The aim of the this course is to help us generate visual awareness and sensitivity and enable us to make optimum use of this medium in recording and communicating ideas, activities, environment, etc.

Lots of theoretical inputs were given on the first day. Then we were sent for the outdoor shoot. Our theme was architecture. Each team (2 students) were given with an old architecture and a new architecture. We are supposed to come out with post cards at the end of the course which will have NID logo and the photographer’s name. So that it can even be sold in NIDUS – the design shop.

Initially Deepak asked us to shoot with a static ISO (200) and Lens Focal length (35mm). We are not supposed to use tripod too. Then he removed the constraints from the next day. After everyday’s shoot we used to have a very detailed discussion with Deepak, Saurabh and Mani. We spent hours in understanding all the critical comments. Almost everyone got fed up. We have to shoot the architectures in different timing of the day. (5:30 AM to 9:00PM). The architectures are located around 1 to 1 ½ hours distance from the place where we stay. So we have to get up atleast by 4 AM or 4:30 AM and will reach back to room by 11 PM. Then have to transfer the pics and do the post processing works. After all this, the only thing we hear is “reshoot”. So we became more and more cautious about each and every shot as it costs us lot of time, money and more than all our precious SLEEP. And if we bring standard angles with absolute symmetry, the comment goes like “It looks very normal.. I mean the post cards sold outside that place will have this kind of photo.. why didn you try some new angles?” and if we bring some new angles, say we tilt the view.. then the comment goes like “see the buildings are falling.. they are not in symmetry.. the point of interest is missing..” so basically we were all confused with what to shoot. It was really hectic and frustrating.

We were thought about different lighting methods in studio too. Was very exciting.. We were even given with an analog SLR camera during our architectural shoots. In analog its much more risky as we can’t even see a preview of what we shot. But the surprise factor made us very cautious about the settings like aperture, shutter speed, ISO etc.

For the past 2 weeks these were the only sentences we kept hearing.
“Reshoot. Please.. ”
“Why all this kachada here? ”
“Why don’t you try this in a diff timing? ”
“No no no.. bad timing.. ”
“Don’t you think the element of interest is missing here ? ”
“See in a picture-in-picture the element of interest is very important. ”
“I would prefer that human on this corner. ”
“I would prefer the tree bit above. ”
“No no .. focus is lost.. ”
“Bad exposure.. ”
“Is tree your theme or architecture? ”
“Why soo much sky in the pic? ”
“Why soo much land in the pic? ”
“Why is the sky soo small… would have been better if sky would have been shown bit more.. ”
“You could have tried some other angle. ”
“Go there sit and enjoy the architecture and then think how you can present them. ”
“Guys come on do some hard work.”
“How will I know this is Gandhi ashram, it can even be in Antarctica. ”
“Try to read and understand this history behind the architecture and then bring out the feeling through your pics.. you need to add more life to it guys.. ”
“I am disappointed.”

But after 2 weeks, when I look back to the pics which I shot on the first day, I can see a lot of improvement.

Then I smiled to myself.

These were few pics clicked inside the studio

Now here comes the making shots...