Pehli Barish: A photography exhibition

An Interview with Ketan Hendre, one of the participants and coordinating members of the Photography Exhibition “Pehli Barish” at the Aperture India gallery in Pune.

How did you get into photography?

I am into photography for the last 10 years. It was actually through my father, he is an eminent photographer. He taught me all the technical things, which was then converted by me to digital with the coming up of digital photography. So with the coming up of digital photography, new things started to come out of my art. With the help of my artistic view and technical qualities as taught by my father I got into photography.

Who has been the major source of inspiration?

Of course my father and some many good people are behind this. One of them being Mr. Sunil Kapadia, President of Photographic society of Pune, who has inaugurated today’s exhibition. He is like the backbone of our Photographic Society of Satara. He always inspires us. Again Mr. Jayant, owner of Aperture India Art Gallery, is again a major source of inspiration for us. They are always there to help us out, even in Satara. They give lectures related to photography and take us for outings also.

How do you keep yourself motivated to do different kinds of works?

Satara, the place where I belong have got a magnificent climate over, the nature is too good. The picturesque surroundings are truly mesmerizing. It tempts us to capture its beauty. Rain adds more beauty to this place.

“Pehli Barish” the theme of your photography, how did this idea came up to your mind?

Well this idea came up though Mr. Jay, the owner of Aperture India, and we all worked on that theme.

How was the feeling when you got your first camera?

The feeling I had, when I got my first camera was really awesome. I got to know how to operate it. It taught me different things like what is aperture, lens, shutter, exposure etc. It was all-new and hence I began experimenting with it, which taught me new things. Actually to begin with, you should start with your first photograph. You should start criticizing it; it then enhances your vision and leads to more polished work.

You have taken photography as a career; don’t you think it’s a challenging job?

I am into photography since 10 years, and I love doing my work. I don’t think it’s challenging, I just go on doing it. Actually we people who belong to The Photographic Society of Satara don’t view photography in a commercial way. We are just helping people who have any problems related with photography, be it technical or other such problems.

We do this by providing them lectures on diverse topics. Eminent peoples are involved in doing this. Mr. Sunil Kapadia, as I mentioned earlier is one of them. Mr. Keshav, one of the known photographers in Pune also guides us in this. These well known personalities come to Satara and give lectures based on photography. We do outings, teach them about studio photography, and teach them about the technical terms. Any one can join our society be it an amateur or a professional photographer.

Did the science of photography appeal to you as much as the art?

Yes it does. Artistic view is something which is within us and camera is the mediator which works between one’s mind and ones visualizations. So of course I have to go with the science also and with the art too.

Do you have a decisive moment while taking a photograph, or is it just a period of decision coming to grips with importance of longer moments?

Well it depends upon the subject, when I want to create something then I have to think about it. But when we go out or when we freak out somewhere then I just grab it. There’s nothing like any preplanned work in that case. Anything that comes I just click it.

Any advice you would like to give to an artist just starting out?

Visualize the things. Photography is such an art that it’s like a memory. The things which you see are never going to be like that again .So anything which you are going to capture should be viewed from technical terms also like aperture, shutter speed, good exposure, angle, visualizations, compositions etc. These are the few things which will help a lot for good photography.

You can also start reading magazines related to photography; it will help you a lot. There are always new things to start with, like product photography, nature photography, microphotography etc.

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