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In the right frame of mind

Lack of expertise and training are marring the fun of this art, writes S. AISHWARYA

PHOTO: R. ASHOK

CREATIVE Passionate to the core

Vignesh Sekaran had no clue about shutter speed or sharp focus. Yet, the 35 mm Canon camera that came as a gift five years ago remained his close companion.

"The first snap with it was taken recently," says the amateur, who ever since has turned an avid shutterbug.

The bank employee is keen on learning the nuances of photography. But like many others finds very few opportunities in the City.

"There are many commercial photographers but not many landscape or wildlife photographers," he laments while going through a recently held photo exhibition.

Fast picking

Photography as a hobby is fast picking up, given the technological innovations and advancements.

Why then the city woefully lacks expert and serious photographers?

"Cost factor," pat comes the reply from Chidambaram, a practicing photographer and winner of an International Award for Photography in the `Historic/Archaic' category. The award-winning photograph was mounted at the exhibition.

Currently working as an assistant to film cameraman Balasubramaniam, he says professional training or in-depth understanding is crucial to churn out better pictures.

But the cost involved in pursuing photography as a hobby is pocket pinching for any aspirant.

Share knowledge

J. Ramanan, an avid nature/landscape photographer and organiser of several photo exhibitions, offers a suggestion: "Passionate novices can form groups to share knowledge and also pool in money. They can also try to learn the basics of developing a photographic film and halve their cost of learning," he says.

But he also feels that the cost factor is not really a criterion.

"It is the satisfaction of a good job done that matters. At the end of the day, when you see your photo narrating a story, all economic pressures vanish," says this zealous photographer who teaches nuances of landscape and nature photography to members of the Science and Adventure Club founded by him.

Plum offers

Mr. Ramanan blames it on the attitude of the people. "Many take pictures just for the heck of it. Whereas an individual's interest and passion should get reflected in every single frame he or she takes. Photojournalism is a sophisticated profession, which offers plum jobs. But it calls for supreme creativity."

Digital cameras are certainly not his pick. "It can even manipulate pictures. Everything looks good on computer," is his argument.

Technology can never replace the aesthetic sense of a photographer, echoes Muthukumar Nadar.

A research student based at Taiwan, he had taken to photography as a serious hobby.

"I'm not an odd one out there. In fact, it's rare to find someone who has never attempted producing any artistic picture," says Mr. Nadar who has also tried his hands in `Infrared Photography', which are used for research purposes.

Call it an expensive hobby or a promising profession, the passion for photography is near to zilch in the city. After an exhaustive search for photographic tutors in the city,

Mr. Sekaran now ventures to Bangalore, realising the dearth of expertise and guidance in the city.

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