pravin talan

International photography- a few guidelines & tips- PART 2

2012-01-21T20:45:00.000+05:30

....please read this in continuation with the PART-1 of the same...which you will find below this posting...

Adam & Eve Hotel is a multiple award winning hotel in Turkey known for its unique design elements.

Finances / Currency

Check how much currency you are allowed to carry outside India or bring in.

From India you can carry only around Rs 5000/- in cash. Unfortunately nobody really cares for Indian currency abroad, so don’t for a moment think your carrying a Lac of rupees would get you to buy anything worth while. You can now get prepaid Forex cards from certain banks, or a credit card and traveler’s checks are good. If you are in a hurry you can also convert your money into Dollars or Euros at the airport. This would be endorsed on your passport. Remember to do this before you reach the customs.

There are very strict laws to foreign currency whether carrying in or out of country. I think in cash you cannot carry more than USD 2000 on you. I am not very sure of the details, so would advise you to go online and get the right information. There is a government of India site that clearly indicates the rules and regulations regarding foreign currency.

There are plenty of options; you can check with your bank or accountant how to carry excess money. I have been with clients from India, who have taken credit cards / ATM card along to even places like Istanbul without checking if the Bank had a branch or tie ups and eventually moving to 20 dollar per night rooms from expensive Marriott just the next day. We had to put the shoot on hold for two days trying to organize money in a foreign country.

In fact unless it’s absolutely necessary, do not get in to the headache of organizing payments in foreign locations. Let the clients do it-since they are the businessmen and understand money deals better than you ever would. At least I never could!

Adam & Eve Hotel-unique design hotel with very up market lifestyle guests.

Passport/ Visa

Passport to be in your custody at all times. That’s your only valid identity in a foreign location. Guard it with your life.

Scan your passport and other important travel documents and keep them on your email so in case of some mishap you can at least download it for referencing. Also try to keep with you the contact info of Indian embassy, which you can contact in any kind of emergency. Carry a few passport size photographs with you, in case you end up losing the passport and need to go for a new one in that country.

Tickets & Tags

Make sure all your tags are in place or you might land up at Toronto with your bags offloaded at Brussels and you would have no way of tracking them. Especially if it’s a transit flight…if you have a long flights you can book your luggage directly to the final destination and you don’t need to keep checking in and out your luggage boarding different flights. Carry strictly your own bags and not of some newly made friends. You don’t know who is who or might be carrying what. I have seen best friends turn enemies for small things. End of the day when its trouble time-each one is for himself.

Coming back from a shoot once from Istanbul, my bag got switched with my assistant's who had crossed the green channel at Mumbai airport n I was asked to open the bag. I realized I was carrying his bag and couldn't open it. In next 5 min 20 custom officials surrounded me and made my life miserable thinking I had 'smuggled' my bag out. It took 2 hours to find my assistant who had luckily not left the airport or all my equipment would have been confiscated. It was a nightmare.

Now that's some pool n great view ! With the right lenses you can capture some great images. Adam & Eve Hotel-Turkey

Insurance

Get all your insurances in place starting with medical -life insurance, over seas insurance, insurance for your equipment against theft, breakage, loss etc.

Keep your eyes open n u would find unusual things to shoot !!!

If you are bearing the cost of the production in a foreign location, its advisable to get a local insurance as well-with a little extra money you can be assured of covering the cost of a mishap on the shoot.

And if you are of the adventurous kind then make sure you have the right policies. It's actually kind of unnerving when you get out to do something with an element of danger in it and the organizers first make you sign a letter stating they are not responsible in case of a mishap leading even to death !!!


I don't know how to swim but I couldn't resisting getting on a boat n go for The Great White Shark diving experience at South Africa and get this amazing shot of JAWS.

Attitude towards locals and their local customs

Be polite. They may not understand the words you speak but every body understands and relates to a warm smile. Make sure you respect people for their beliefs and customs. However strange it might appear to your sensibilities.

Annoying the locals is in no way a great idea. You might find that face stunning at the local vegetable market and be quick to shoot a pic of hers, next moment you might have her husband holding your you by the neck. It would really be silly to get a black eye because your eyes traveled too much on to the forbidden curves. If you really are tempted to shoot then check with someone or your local guide whether you can. Never ever make fun or you might be cooked for dinner! If you traveled to gulf you cannot even hug a woman in public or kiss her- (though you can do that to another man!). Remember most countries are not as tolerable as ours when it comes to creating nuisance, and also stop treating the whole world as dustbin –throwing things around.

You could probably check out Lonely Planet website and read about the travel advisories.

This sweet girl worked in the hotel i stayed n requested if I could shoot a few pics for her-n i gladly obliged. ( Cape Town)

Keeping yourself safe

Do not flaunt your money or equipment. This is like inviting trouble for no reason. And almost never ever pick up a fight with a local person.

If you are of the adventurous kinds and used to taking up on your own anywhere, it’s advisable that someone close to you must always know of your destination so you could be reached in case of some emergency. May be you can leave your number with the hotel you are staying in or some other local friends. At least someone must know where you are headed.

If you feel you are abroad and should have some fun with fast chicks or may be visit a local dance bar and pick up a woman? Be careful-you can have that kind of fun anywhere in your life, don’t risk your work and reputation for some frivolous act! The sexy woman you thought was hitting on you from across the bar could be a part of some racket-and you could wake up alone in the bed with your equipment or your wallet gone. Might sound far-fetched and you might be the next James Bond on the planet, but it has happened to many people before.

Staying in groups is better than being on your own. I love shooting in Cape Town. I think its heaven on earth but nothing in this world can drag me out of my hotel alone in late evenings with my camera. It’s really unsafe.

Shoot over-time for some fun n shopping- models at Soho Square -Sharm El-Sheikh

Quick review-

Make a back up plan for everything that you can think of, however far fetched it may sound or least probable it might appear to be.
Don’t flaunt your money or equipment.
Create back up for data
Get relevant permissions
Never fight a local. Respect their beliefs and customs.
Passport to be in your custody at all times. Scans to be on your e- mail
Carry a proper medical kit and get all relevant insurances.
Credit card/ Forex rather than loose cash
Embassy contact info
Work with a credible reputed agency only

Style matters ! Live like a queen n you own the world. Shot for G-Wild at Cape Town- South Africa

I always print a checklist two days before I leave, making a note of even small things like a toothbrush and safety pins or a marker.

Once I am done with my home work- I am ready to move. I might have missed on a few things in this article but then there would sooner or later be a second part to this article because covering everything I have experienced in so many years looks a bit difficult in one article.

This might look like lot of work to do. But if you look closely its just putting these small acts in to your habit if you plan to travel frequently. The intention is not to scare you away but to prepare you for an eventuality. When we work in our natural surroundings or an environment we are comfortable in- we tend to become careless and take lot of things for granted. While you are traveling abroad-you are moving into another zone, where elements might function in a different manner. By keeping yourself alert and ready, you can perform better and enjoy more.

Go on and have fun, across the borders there is a beautiful world waiting to be explored by you.

The article is in no way conclusive but merely shares my personal views and experiences. Always check with relevant authorities for the latest updates on various issues. If you thought that's all you need to care about- well, there are always more surprises- remember it's always important to have a back up plan in place-for everything !!!

Copyright notice- the text and photographs in this article are copyrighted to the photographer and its respective clients and can not be published elsewhere in parts or as whole, without written consent from the photographer.

International photography- a few guidelines & tips- PART 1

2012-01-19T18:24:00.002+05:30


captured during photo shoot for Fashion Destination for FTV production at Thailand

I always heard it’s the same Sun that shines across Earth and same people that inhabit it everywhere. It’s right in a way. And also wrong. The Sun may be the same, but the way lights filters through the skies in different parts of the world, the way similar hand gestures can be interpreted differently across the world, the way words can sound the same and yet mean different-only a traveler can experience and only a photographer or a writer can perhaps capture a small part of it.

Across the borders lies another world. Landscapes and people that may be more, or less, beautiful than our country-but have uniqueness of their own. For a lens man it surely provides ample opportunities to explore, learn and paint with light amazing canvas filled with different emotions, colors n textures.


In spite of sleeping late, I dragged myself out of bed to shoot the beautiful sunrise right from outside my room at super luxurious Hotel Savoy Sharm ( Egypt )

In last six years I had the opportunity to travel to many countries for work that ranged from shooting for various FTV productions to advertising work, for both clients based in India and abroad. And every time I have come back with experiences worth compiling into a book.

The most significant thing I learnt was preparing your self for the worst. The most important plans in life are about backups. It’s great that you are traveling abroad for a photo shoot. You are perhaps amongst those very few who get that kind of opportunity but then are you prepared enough?

It’s better to do your homework before you leave and not just jump on to the next available flight the moment you got an opportunity to shoot. When I first started traveling I searched the entire net but could not find a single detailed article covering the basic issues or problems a photographer could face. Finally, after years of traveling I felt it was the right to share such information with the budding photographers.

This article has also appeared in FRB 2011.

This article is relevant whether you are traveling in a group or alone. I have tried mostly to cover what a photographer traveling from India on a professional assignment might face or ought to keep in mind. It may or may not be true for a few, but for most it would be a great help in understanding a few important do’s n don’ts’

Learn to use Internet well

This might sound like an odd statement at the beginning of an article of this nature, but then whether you are a photographer based in India and traveling outside country for a photo shoot, for a client based in India or abroad, nothing would help you more than spending a few hours on internet and do some research.

Whether you want models in foreign locations or tie ups with different production houses or even need an international agency to represent and market your work- every such information is available on net. You just need to get started. This article covers the most basic problems one could face while leaving for an assignment and doesn’t talk much about ‘how-to-get-work’ abroad…

Camera, lenses and backup for data :----I have made it a habit to send my camera to a service center before traveling out of country. On top of that I usually carry another body as back up, just in case the one I use malfunctioned. In case I have a tie up with a local production than I always put another camera on standby.The lenses you carry would depend on the assignment you are going for. I usually carry a whole range of them-16-35mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm are a must in my kit. All Canon 2.8. I don’t want to miss on a great shot just because I forgot to carry that extra lens. If I need to use a medium format than Hasselblad is my favorite and then 35mm, 80mm and 120mm are a must.From lens cleaners to rain protection covers-there is almost everything I pack with me. I travel light and not clutter my bags with unwanted things. There is a baggage limit, on airlines, if that exceeds you might end up paying through your nose. Most international airlines the limit is 20kg-25 kg, but the problem is if you got a connecting flight to another destination within the country where you take the smaller aircrafts, the limit would be only 15 kg in most cases. So, every extra kg in your bag-you would be paying for it. The bottom line is to carry only the essentials and travel light.These are small productions costs that one generally tends to overlook.Do not forget to carry an international adapter and a small extension board along with you to plug in all your chargers.Spare batteries are important. In extreme weather conditions, the batteries die faster. You spend two days in some remote mountains and then wake up to an amazing sunrise, but you can’t shoot since your batteries have died, there is no power point and you, of course forgot to carry spare batteries.


An exotic Cape Town morning ( South Africa). Even if you are shooting for a client, you can still find time to shoot exciting pics for your own self !

Data back up

Data back up is as important as keeping safe your passport. I usually carry two back up discs and enough space on my laptop while traveling. And while traveling back I keep them all in different bags, just in case I end up losing a bag I can not risk losing those photos for which the client has paid for. In fact, I carry one hard disc and the laptop in my camera bag (it’s a backpack I use) on my shoulder at all times. Also, the important images I select and try to upload on a server.

I shot the Presidential campaign in Sri Lanka and just after two days left for Egypt to shoot for Hotel Savoy. My back up was only on one disc and I had cleaned up my laptop since each trip easily takes about 150-200GB of images. After the shoot at Savoy, one of the models wanted few pictures of her from the shoot. I gave her my disc and she connected to her Mac book that immediately asked for the option of turning it in to a time machine. Even while I watched in utmost horror, within seconds all the data was erased from the disc. Imagine losing 200 GB of data that included not just the raw files of the campaign but many beautiful landscape and street shots of Sri Lanka- all gone in just a click of the mouse.

Lesson learnt-never ever handover your data to anyone! Even if it’s the client, unless you have safe back ups!

Lot of time to get it right but loved it ! Shot at famous Beach Club at Thailand

Customs, Airports & Immigration

International travel makes you humble n polite. If you are not so, then somebody would be kicking your butt in some part of the world.

Don’t brag or boast un –necessarily, no body cares a damn how popular or well connected you are in your country. Unless you are a Shah Rukh Khan or a Brad Pitt…in fact, most places they don’t care about that as well!

Before boarding the flight, read carefully what you can and not carry in the hand baggage. There are new rules and regulations as pat of the security measures. There are whole lots of things you cannot carry in the hand baggage including any kind of liquid more than 100ml, stuff like scissors or even your flash batteries or lighter. It kind of pains when you forgot to remove your rechargeable cells from flashlight and you are carrying in your handbag, they would simply take it out at the security and throw into a dustbin. Put them in your check in baggage.

The airport security will scan you, make you open your bags, take off your shoes n belts…and mostly probably treat you like a terrorist or insignificant human being-but then it doesn’t really matter, they are just doing their job.

Good to have a great sense of humor but at the immigration or customs keep it to your self. A friend of mine was once asked that the picture on the passport didn’t look like hers, she smiled and said –yes it’s fake! The officer wasn’t amused and made her wait for two hours.

Most light bags got steel rods or some kind of metal fitted in for support-there is every possibility they would scan it ten times to figure out some weapon and then eventually you would be asked to put it in the check-in baggage, so its very important to pack your equipment very carefully. Don’t for a moment think they are really bothered about the safety of your luggage, even if they put a ‘fragile’ sticker on the bags. They make you sign a declaration form and then toss around your bags on conveyor belts as if they actually want to break whatever you are carrying.

Get an export certificate from customs, which would have complete details of all the equipment you are carrying along with serial number, date of purchase and estimated value. On your way back you need to cross through the red channel and declare the equipment you are carrying and show them the export certificate. They are very nice while you are boarding from here-once you are back they would be the meanest guys on planet and make your life miserable if you don’t have a proof that equipment was bought in India before you left or that you carried it from India on the trip. It means that if in spite of obtaining the export certificate, do not try to pass through the green channel without declaring your equipment or you might end up being harassed for hours.

Do I need to mention it has happened to me couple of times?

The model relaxes by the sea after campaign shoot is over ! Istanbul !

Permissions n Licenses

Get a work permit to shoot! You are not even allowed to shoot on the streets of Mumbai-how do you expect to shoot anywhere else in the world with out a work permit? Though there are a few countries that are quite flexible in that but better do your complete homework on it. Insist upon it even if the client says its not required. Tell him to give it in writing that the equipment is going to be his responsibility and he will ensure your complete safety in all such matters.

Model Release Forms

Whether you are shooting with professional models or some pretty local girl, if you intend to use that picture for commercial purposes then ensure you get a proper model release form signed. Carry printed copies with you.

I am trying to get a clear shot of the Mosque as we zip through Istanbul city for our shoot !

Food n Health-

You are a vegetarian? Too bad! You are going to come back a few kg less. In many countries even potatoes are served with some non-vegetarian topping. If you are staying in the same hotel for a few days-it’s better to speak with the chef and explain so they can guide you properly what food you can have. Bread n butter of course is the best bet! In fact, you can perhaps make it a habit to carry dry fruits or chana or even packs of peanuts to do the occasional filling for your tummy-rather than buying a KFC burger all the time.

If you are addicted to tea and smoke while shooting-Europe is going to be quite a dent in your pocket. I mean it’s not funny when you end up paying 4 Euros for a cup of tea or a bottle of water. So carry your green tea sashay n get used to black tea or green tea.

Make a complete first aid kit for yourself depending on your history of illness keeping in mind the occupational hazards. Backaches, headaches n muscle spasms are so common in outdoor shoots. Not to mention slips n cuts. My kit usually has medicines for airsickness, cold, allergy, and acidity along with fever. I even carry eye drops, ear drops, nose drops, muscle relaxants, painkillers, hot water bottle and even anti-termite creams. I had gone for White Shark Diving in South Africa to shoot the Great White Shark-when I let the infected water seep through my wet suit and had boils and painful rashes all over my body for next three days.

Medicines abroad may be expensive or may not even suit you at times. So, its ideal to give your self a few minutes and determine what all to carry-however improbable it might sound at that moment. Avoid traveling in case you are already experiencing some kind of allergy or infection. You might spread it to others or just make it worse for yourself.

You can even have injections for flu or available vaccines before you leave. In fact, those who travel very regularly must try and get hepatitis A & B vaccines as well. There are parts of Africa where it’s a must to have yellow fever vaccinations before you leave. Do not decide anything on your own- let your doctor take a call on that.


Great hospitality is a tradition at Hotel Savoy Sharm. One such moment (Sharm El Sheikh -Egypt)

The views expressed in this article are based on my travel experience and are not in any manner conclusive. Please get your research material right n updated through confirmed sources.

Copyright notice :-The text and images from this blog are copyrighted to the photographer and its respective clients and can not in any manner, in part or whole, be reproduced anywhere, without the prior written permission from 'pravin talan photography'.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART-2

Finances / Currency
Tickets & Tags
Insurance
Attitude towards locals
Personal safety
Documents safety

DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR FEED BACK :)

Diary 2011-Veena Malik for Libas campaign-the timeline !

2012-01-17T19:03:00.001+05:30

How does a photographer line up his shoot during the course of the day? Well- read on- an hour by hour account of the photo shoot with Veena Malik

Time line

4.00am Call time for make up n hair at the new store of Libas at Juhu. Veena is a professional, reaches dot on time! I brief the make up artist Sunil Patil and hair stylist Tabassum on phone and head straight for the beach rather than going to Juhu.

6.00am Reach location at Madh Island. Does not look as great as I would have expected, would have to make the best out of it somehow. I don’t know why people expect beaches of Mumbai to be the same as of that of South Africa.

6.30am I do a few test shots . All looks good and sorted with everything under control –but then ‘all good’ lasts barely 20 min.

7.00am A bunch of local boys gather, create a scene and pick up a fight with the designer. Looks impossible to continue shooting. While they keep fighting I signal Veena to keep posing so we don’t go back empty handed if fights got worse and we had to stop shooting.Seems funny now when I think about it- ten guys fighting, abusing n screaming and two people silently trying to steal a few shots.

7.30am Argument subsides and the guys leave after a bit of persuasion from another local. Over night drinking sessions leave little scope for reasoning n peaceful dialogue.

8.00am Laptop battery dies, camera ( medium format-Hassleblad) mal functions and looks like it’s my turn to take the crap. I want to kill the camera attendant and ask him quietly if he can fix it. Apparently he needs time and it was getting hotter by the minute. I tell the designer to get the outfit changed and do the second shot instead of wasting time.

1^st change complete. Veena has to change the outfit now, uses the clients big car as a make shift changing room.

9.00am Veena is ready. Make up sorted. Still waiting for the camera and the laptop. Everybody getting anxious. I take out my back up camera- my trusted Canon 1Ds mark-3. Has never failed me yet in last 3 years and I realize I would any day get better pictures in that environment with this camera.

9.15am We find a bed of rocks a little ahead and walk towards it. Veena is quite adventurous that ways and knows how to use a location. She asked if she could lie down on the rocks. I wasn’t very sure considering it was an expensive bridal outfit. Riyaz was more than happy and we got some hot pictures on the rocks. The water had by then started rising dramatically. That’s the only thing I hate about shooting on the beaches. The high tides can be pretty tricky. Before you know you are swimming.

In moments we were in knee-deep water and as I walked through,without knowing what lay beneath my feet, I got worried about a possible slip and damaging the camera. Though we all managed to walk out safe. I like that girls spirit.

10.00am It’s very hot and humid and the entire team is hungry and thirsty. Some one forgot to get a production guy and organize breakfast n water. Its all right- happens sometimes. Though I am very possessive and protective about my team and believe in taking good care of them. And they know about it-so we laugh and joke about it and then grab something to eat on the way to the city.

11.00am-1.00pm It’s a two hour break since Veena has to go to the hotel, freshen up and come back to the store where entire media had gathered up to cover the photo shoot and get her interviews.

I meanwhile slip out for another client meeting for the next day's shoot.

1.00 pm The camera attendant has already reached with a back up camera body and a full charged laptop. I still keep my Canon with me. I loved the results from my camera at Madh Island- the wide-angle lens gave a unique perspective and bodyline. I decide to use both alternately.

It’s madness at the store. There are 40 media people on the first floor and as many on the ground floor and in the café next to the store- and all of them want to cover the hyped up ‘back less photo shoot of Veena Malik’- whatever that’s supposed to mean !!!

1.30pm I conceive a shot for Veena between the mannequins at the display window. Makes an unusual picture and gives media too something different to shoot.

Within next 30 minutes I realize that everybody is now keen only on the media mileage and creativity or getting the garment right was hardly of any value-after all Veena at that point of time was of great media value right after The Big Boss stint.

I reluctantly oblige since my time was given to the client-it was up to him how to utilize it in the best possible manner.

2.30pm The last change I decide to do on the first floor so media got a glimpse and over all feel of the entire store. Wrapped the shot in 5 minutes flat as the PR guy insisted on getting Veena’s bytes for the media.

Riyaz asked if I could stay back and shoot later but I politely refused since my working hours were over. It was up to him to utilize them in the best possible manner and I think we had managed pretty well by then.

I wasn’t too keen on giving the bytes and putting myself in front of the cameras-it hardly matters. I am still not a media savvy ‘Bollywood’ photographer- so I packed my guys and left a happy media with the ‘Backless-choli photo shoot of Veena Malik’

One week later : - Saw the hoardings splashed all over the city. Looked fine to me though could have been designed better.I think whatever one might say about Veena- she loves the camera and vice versa. She is dedicated, adventurous, fun and very professional to shoot with.

On the publicity material she looked good, clothes looked great, the news was on all the channels and everybody was happy. That’s what matters more I guess.

And me? Well I shoot n forget most of the time. There is always something new to look forward to.

In fact the only words me and Veena exchanged through out the day was a “hello” :)

P.S.- If you have not yet been to Riyaz Gangji’s Libas store then you must check out- he has got some really good stuff. And for those who may not be aware- Veena Malik is a well known Pakistani actress more known in India for her stint at Big Boss.

The making & launch of Shakti Mohan Dance Calendar

2012-01-03T00:19:00.005+05:30

I don't know whether I can rightfully say that it's India's first Dance Calendar but then surely it's a unique effort by an artist so young. And it was every bit fun for me to create something so different. It's not every day that I get to shoot someone who looks stunning n dances so beautifully.

I always believed poetry was written but then I have seen poetry dance. That is what I felt when I saw Shakti dance at the launch event n I told the same to the anchor when she asked me to speak about my experience with her.

How it all started ! I have known Mukti for a while. She is a model and Shakti’s sister. She always told me how fabulous a dancer Shakti was and I must someday shoot pictures with her. Time just went by -Shakti meanwhile won Dance India Dance- a dance based reality show on Zee TV n became a sensation amongst the youth.

She recently met n asked if we could do a few dancing shots. I felt here was a girl who deserved a calendar with 12 pics and not just a few random shots. I already had six calendars to be shot, designed n printed in December. In spite of a crazy work schedule I suggested her to do her own calendar.

She got so super excited that I didn’t have the heart to tell her, its almost impossible to do twelve different pics in one day. Shooting body form is tricky and particularly dances since it’s all about timing and then each muscle in the body has its own communication, which needs to be lit up well and captured properly otherwise it loses its impact.

But then the idea of the calendar grew upon us all and a date was fixed. I decided to go minimalistic in terms of using props and focus totally on the body n the lighting. Even the outfits were kept mostly simple except for the two gowns with lot of flare designed by Josie to get some nice movement shots.

Shakti n her sisters had absolute faith in my work so there was no problem in getting her to do what I would want to shoot. In fact, after a while I just set her free n told her to simply feel the music n dance-all I did was capture the moments.

It was almost a perfect shoot but for that one moment when she slipped on the floor n fell with a thud on the side ways-injuring her knee badly. It could have been really fatal and if something had gone wrong I wouldn’t have forgiven myself for the rest of my life. After all it’s the responsibility of a photographer to take care of his model n ensure their safety however adventurous they might be.

Luckily it was just a bad bruise n she was up and running after 3 days of bed rest.

Once the images were shot- a date for the launch was set. But then December is a crazy month- choosing the right images, getting the right editor, designer, & printer looked too much of a task as neither one of us was free to sit n get it done-n its difficult to find people to match your vision.

I remember when Shakti sent me the first design-I almost wanted to kill the designer- he had absolutely ruined the images by putting fire n water splashes and God know what not- behind the pictures. I am forgetting the guy’s name or would have loved to mention it here. Eventually an old designer friend Abhinav (from Delhi) came to the rescue creating a simple yet classy design where the total focus was on Shakti n her movements unlike the previous designers.

You must have already viewed the video of the making of the photo shoot-it was being edited right till 30 min before the calendar was supposed to be launched!!! It was too much of work for everyone involved to meet the deadlines and pull off a successful launch in the end. I am just so impressed by the sisters’ bonding. I don’t think this shoot would have been possible at all without Mukti taking complete charge-from pre production to the post production-juggling between her own work schedule she managed to put things together and get everything sorted-not to mention her friend Karan Arora whom I saw many times, himself shooting all day n then managing to find time to do odd jobs related to the calendar launch.

The calendar was aptly named Nritya Shakti by her father n unveiled at Sky Lounge on the evening of 29^th December.

The show started with Niti Mohan performing n dedicating a beautiful song to her n the evening. She has a mesmerizing voice n looked utterly gorgeous on the stage. Niti is herself extremely popular; one of the key singers in A.R. Rehman’s concerts worldwide, n was such a treat to the guests and the media.

I was pleasantly surprised to see so many people from the Dance fraternity present for the launch to bless Shakti for her singular efforts. Right from Remo d' Souza, Terence Lewis, Marzi Pestonji, Ganesh Hegde, Sandeep Soparkar and Zee TV's Dance India Dance team along with M.D. & CEO of Zee Mr. Punit Goenka - everyone was there-it surely would be encouraging for anyone.

Zee went out of the way to promote the calendar and its favorite artist- and its an encouraging sign that channels should finally see potential in promoting such events.

Like one journalist at the launch event asked me if DID had made her a star n I politely told him it was not the show that made her a star but her ‘performance’ in the show that made her a star. I strongly believe any show, any film or any other such thing is merely a platform for the talent to rise. And real talent in times grows far beyond such platforms. DID is doing a fantastic job in providing such vast platform to newcomers, but then so did Boogey Woogey for many years-eventually it’s up to the talent to find their own way to larger success beyond a certain point. Nevertheless I am totally impressed by the reach n popularity of DID n can see its on its way to becoming one of the top shows of the country and I hope with its current dedicated team it continues to churn out potential stars.
DID has done its bit but if Shakti's acting is as good as her dancing-I can already see a new Bollwyood star in the making.

And as far as I am concerned, I can't wait to shoot the next talented girl who walks up to me with as much talent n enthusiasm..:)
....

Prince Plywood Calendar 2011

2011-12-30T23:35:00.000+05:30

The Prince Plywood Calendar 2011 was a complete mind bender. Had to shoot 12 different images and each one needed to talk about one particular kind of plywood. For example- Fire Resistant, Decorative ,Marine etc. Lot of mixing and post processing work involved but then the end result made everyone quite happy.

A year has gone by but I only felt right to share some final images from this shoot with you all.

Caption this n win Shakti Mohan exclusive Dance Calendar 2012

2011-12-26T14:13:00.000+05:30

God painted a poetry and then gave it a pair of soulful feet...

A girl who was once told that she might not be able to walk after an accident she had in her child hood, eventually grew up to dance n win the biggest dance reality show on Indian Television. She smiled and danced her way into a million hearts- including mine.

That’s Shakti Mohan-a contemporary Indian dancer, an amazing actress, winner of Zee TV’s extremely popular reality show -Dance India Dance . She has performances around the world to her credit- and for her this is just the beginning!

Shooting with Shakti was exciting n fulfilling - though I wish I could put aside the camera for a while n just admire her effortless movements on the shooting floor. She at times appeared to be fragile like a butterfly n then agile n fierce like a panther- hypnotic combination.

I am sure its just the beginning of many more stunning images we would be doing together.

This is an exclusive preview image from the calendar being launched this month-and the best caption gets an autographed calendar and the top ten captions get an autographed metallic print of this image.

To participate all you have to do is click on the title above or the link below that will take you to this image on the ‘pravin talan photography’ page on Facebook. Leave a caption that you feel best describes the image and Shakti herself would choose the winner.

Click here to write the caption on the photograph

Ten best captions would win an autographed metallic print of the same.

The winners will be declared on the blog as well on the photography page on FB.

Varija Calendar -behind the scenes with pravin talan

2011-11-30T14:14:00.000+05:30

Here is an exclusive behind the scenes video of the making of the Varija calendar- where the designer, the stunning models and the photographer talk about the experience of pulling off 14 shots in one day...

A must watch for those who wish to understand mixing of daylight, flash lights and continuous lighting set ups....

Varija calendar 2011- a race against time

2011-11-30T00:29:00.003+05:30

If I have ever been exhausted physically n mentally in a shoot, than this was the one-VARIJA 2011 calendar- but then undoubtedly this was also one of my most favorite n exciting shoots.

Fourteen different shots in one day are almost an impossible task to achieve. But then I had to, as it was a promise I had made to Varija- who was not just a great designer to me but also one of my closest buddies.

So we wrecked our minds working on the concept, finding the right models, choosing the best designs and then of course the location mattered the most.

It was all semi bridal wear, colorful outfits for the younger brides speaking of celebrations. VARIJA as a label is quite known for that and the launch of the calendar had to coincide with the celebrations of six years of completion of VARIJA as a label.

Finally we came up with idea of shooting the moods n journey of a bride- from a village to a modern bride and shoot them against rural settings to bring out the contrast and capture a whole range of emotions a bride would experience.

It sounded good but was really tricky to capture.

The most crucial element of any such shoot is meticulous planning. You just can’t afford to go wrong when you are hard pressed for time. Usually something like this requires two and a half days of shoot.

And I had to do it in one day. Budget has always mattered.

So I had to find a make up artist who was good n fast and who wont get tired trying to achieve fourteen different looks in one day.An art director who would be ready with the next location by the time I got done with my first shot.Models who understood me perfectly, wouldn’t crib n complaint if they had to wait and who could beautifully carry such designer outfits.

In short, everyone had to understand their job perfectly and had to be in total sync with my thought process and requirements.

All was done. I found a really great set of people for the job. Shubhra handled the makeup department and Amrit took up art direction. And on top of that we got the best of the best models for this calendar- Sumit Atwal, Poppy Jabbal, Unnati Davara, Khalida Jan, Vedita Pratap Singh.Couldn’t have asked for more. From sweet to sexy we had an entire range of superb models.

The biggest problem that still remained was the location. Studio looked useless as it wouldn’t give the real village feel and shooting in real village was unimaginable. It gets difficult to handle a crowd on an outdoor shoot like this.

My assistants and me must have spent 5 days trying to work out a possible location, till finally someone suggested a studio on the outskirts of the city where he had seen a village set erected. Great. Done.

I went, saw n locked it immediately. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted but gave me enough scope to play around and my art director assured me he would manage to give me the look n feel of what I wanted.

So we reached early morning with truckload of lights- from HMI’s to tons of reflectors, battery packs, flash lights n everything close to being a professional light. I had decided to have two teams and simultaneously work on two different shots. So I would give the brief and half my team would be working on the next shot.

Morning 7am to 11pm at night –finally it was a wrap. Everyone was exhausted yet elated. I was dead.But then once I saw the pics in print- it was well worth the effort. Of course, I am never ever again shooting something like this in one day.

Calendar was eventually launched by Sunil Sethi, president, Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and co sponsored by Gitanjali group.

I know I am a few months late in posting this article, but it’s never too late to share the good things.Posting a select few pics from the shoot and you can check the making of the photo shoot as well. It’s quite an interesting video and will give you an insight to the kind of efforts made for this shoot.

Are you a part of Fashion Resource Book 2011?

2011-03-11T02:07:00.000+05:30

Whenever I am shooting with a new girl, the first thing she asks me is if I would be providing her with contacts in the industry. It both annoys me and amuses me.

It annoys me, as I was never really able to compile a list of people who worked well in the industry and were in a position to provide good work to newcomers as well as established models & actors. It amused me because ‘personal’ contacts I might be having with some people are not really of any help to anyone unless they are good with their job. Eventually if you are talented and even a bit networked-its word of mouth and your own talent that gets you work.

But the big question always has been-where to go once you have a ready portfolio in hand? It was not just about the models looking for contacts, but designers looking for the photographers and the photographers hunting where to find the right agencies to work with…and agencies looking for production houses…

In short, a good directory listing such people was missing.

So, when my dear friend Atul Pandey (Editor of Mega Modelz magazine) first came up with the idea of having a Fashion Resource Book, I was very excited that finally this industry was going to have its own little black book of fashion!

After 6 months of extensive research, a dedicated team of twenty odd people put up the first issue of Fashion Resource Book (2010)-India's first fashion directory with contact listings of more than 5000 top fashion professionals that includes the fashion giants, stunning clotheshorses and ace lens men along with all the professionals in all possible categories related to the glam world- fashion designers, brands, stores, buyers, choreographers, models, makeup & hair artists, fashion schools, fashion media, fashion event organizers, PR agencies, retouching artists, production houses and many more.

In its first year, Fashion Resource Book (FRB) 2010 was a top of the line product catering to all international standards and encompassed more than 250 glossy pages of information and features on top names of the industry as well as relevant stories on how to break in and make it in the world of fashion.

Now in its second edition as FRB 2011, the book becomes bigger and better. I had a look at the first draft and it looks amazing. It turns hardbound, has a lot more number of contact listings and valuable fashion information, the untold stories, the success stories inked by a sway on the ramp to an inspiration that became a fashion legend that year. The spanking new book shall have inspirational fashion tales, backstage bites, and valuable tips along with encompassing a whole lot of relevant fashion information.

What I found really interesting was that Atul and his team has devoted an entire section to review of the year gone by (2010), called Fashion Year Book 2010-11. This section covers the essence of fashion in India in 2010 under following segments:

1. News Makers Of The Year 2010: Covers the achievements of various fashion professionals & fashion brands who found their moment of glory in the world of fashion in 2010. Split into various sections like Designers, Stores, Events, Photographers, Models, Show Directors, Stylists, Schools, Makeup, Health & Beauty and others, this section shall put the spotlight on faces of fashion who achieved commendable success in the year that was.

2. Fashion Basics: A section for the entrants to the industry, guiding them how to make a successful fashion career, starting from the basics and keeping it simple with the knowledge sharing by the experts of various fashion streams. It will include features on- Fashion Designing, Modeling, Photography, Makeup & Hair, Wellness & Holistic Health.

Now, why would I be writing in such details about a fashion directory on my blog? It’s simple- I feel it’s a must have for all those connected to the industry-an extremely useful tool. Next time you are going to ask me for contacts I would probably be asking you to buy a copy of Fashion Resource Book 2011, pick up the contacts from there and start mailing to them-rather than scratching your head where to start from in the industry!

Since the book is going in printing soon, if you are a fashion professional, you must send in your details now to get listed in the book and make the best of the opportunity.

For more information on FRB, please visit the link - http://megamodelz.com/mmfrb
More information on FRB

FTV telecast of D Major photo shoot

2010-11-10T18:45:00.002+05:30

...shooting DMAJOR

2010-11-09T22:34:00.000+05:30

Anusha Dandekar

It’s a band that can’t go wrong.

Three beautiful women.

Three exciting performers.

Bonded in blood, spirit n talent.

So, when Anusha-Shibani and Apeksha came together to form the band D-Major-it had to be a straight success.

Anusha-Shibani-Apeksha

From Sydney to London, New York, & final destination Mumbai – DMAJOR are truly international in every respect of the word. While always clinging tight to their Indian heritage, the sisters were raised in Australia & the UK, before spreading their wings & venturing off on their own. While each member was busy racking up an impressive list of solo credits in their respective hometowns, they had always dreamed of working on a project together.

DMAJOR-the band

Are you ready for some music ?

You can check their music n itinerary on
http://dmajoronline.com/

Anusha-the enchantress

Anusha is already an extremely popular face-having been around for a while as an MTV VJ. Shibani has been modeling for a while and now co-anchor for the exciting new show on AXN-Men 2.0 and Apeksha finally caught up with them in Mumbai to get the band together.

I have known Shibani for a while, since the time she would encourage me to move to New York and join a photography agency she had worked with for a while. But somehow I never really could move to USA n remained stuck between Asian n European market. Not that I regret it one bit!

When they formed the band, we decided to do some not so routine pics and ended up shooting on the road, on the terrace of a high rise building, n then finally some looks in the studio. From fashion to mood shots n some group shots- we covered an entire range of pics. The tricky part was to get the music icon right on Anusha's eye-and she was not really sure of it- but then, thanks to Manoj Verma- we just managed to get it right !

Ten hours went by in a jiffy and I could still shoot more-but I guess some had to be left for another time as well. And the girls had been more than polite, by not killing me for making them run around in the city...!

The best part of course was exciting designer wear from Shane & Falguni Peacock-the designer duo known for doing stuff for world class names like Kylie Minogue n Shakira apart from most of the Bollywood biggies.

Will post the video as well so u can check out the making of the shoot!

And yes, don’t forget to mark your reactions below the post.

pravin talan-exclusive Society magazine interview

2009-12-24T21:11:00.012+05:30

Needless to mention Society magazine is one of the most reputed magazines published in India and when I got a surprise call from them for an exclusive interview for the August issue, I was genuinely happy. Many of my friends missed the interview, as somehow strangely I never talked about it. But now as I see the year 2009 going by, I just feel like reproducing it here for my friends’ n well wishers. I remember there was a time when I wished somehow to shoot for this magazine and surprisingly sooner than expected the same magazine featured me in eight pages… Thanks Society (and Ujjwala) for a wonderful interview…

It indeed has been quite a journey for me. From shooting tigers in the wild to stunning models in exotic locations around the world...

..and i know this is only the begining...

please click on each image to read the entire interview

Interview for Fashion TV India as it's 'photographer in focus'

2009-10-12T00:02:00.006+05:30

screen shot from www.ftv.co.in

This is the interview as it appears on Fashion TV (India ) portal. Some friends have been having problems with accessing the site, so am re-producing it here as this surely is one of my favourite interviews I have given till date as a photographer.

you can read the original interview at http://www.ftv.co.in/buzz/# if its still there.

1. Your thoughts on being chosen as the Photographer In focus by FTV India?

Fashion TV is not just a brand but also a way of life, in fact for the fashion conscious around the world, its much more than just a channel. I have shot for FTV merchandise earlier, pics that have gone around the world so I anyways feel close to FTV, and now that FTV India has chosen me as ‘the photographer in focus’- it’s a special feeling to get such honor at your own home as India has no dearth of talented photographers who have been around for quite a while.

2. Tell us a little bit about Pravin Talan?

I once wrote on my blog - ‘that I really don’t know who I am and I don’t care, for I believe that God will let me know when the time is right...’

But if you moved away from philosophy of life for a while, then I feel I am a storyteller it could be via my pictures, my writings or my documentaries. My work is not about wanting to impress anyone but explore my own self- with the world I just want to share what I feel or see and when people appreciate it-the sense of recognition can be quite exhilarating.

3. What is home for you?

I am a traveler ...I move the way my thoughts do – and they never stop. I connect with people easily and as long as I am close to nature I feel I belong to that place. I am restless & curious. The child in me lives beyond the few grey hair I have picked up. Photography for me is a journey to find peace within myself- that’s why I constantly look for happiness, beauty, love & peace in whatever I shoot – and it keeps me on the move.

After traveling around the world when I come back n meet my mother, and she puts her fingers across my hair, saying that I look tired, asking me to rest- I feel I am at home.

Those few moments of warmth in her arms- -give me that sense of belonging n calm my senses- making me feel at home as that’s where I came from- her body, rest is all just temporary shelters and roofs we keep building the rest of our lives on our head.

4. If you could live anywhere on this awesome planet where would you build your dream home?

It’s the newness of a place that excites us more; very rarely I have come across a place whose beauty would continue to grow on me with time! I have come to learn one thing – it’s not the roads, buildings, concrete & glass structures that make a beautiful city-it’s the people that we meet there, that make a city worth living. If the traffic in Mumbai could be managed then I don’t see myself going anywhere else-, as this is where my heart is and this is where my friends are.

And for temporary getaways there are too many beautiful places in the world to pick up just one!

5. What is your current state of mind before we continue with the interview?

When I talk, I am a different me, as I have never looked for answers- they just come- as if there is another me inside me! And funnily I feel as if I am outside my own self and listening to what ‘another me is speaking and get surprised at my own words at times.

6. Did you go to school to study photography?

Which school can actually teach photography? They can teach you how to operate camera and lights and do digital manipulations but no one can be taught how to look at a certain shot. No one can teach you how to look at life. That’s why most assistants are unable to develop their own style as they keep following somebody else’s vision. You can become a good photographer only by our own vision n instinct.

Though it’s a good idea to learn the technicalities from some school as you can save a lot of time in trying to learn on your own but then eventually to be known as a good photographer, one must be on their own- and learn to rely on their own instinct, working out a combination between acquired knowledge and own impulse.

7. How long have you been a photographer?

I have looked at the world as a photographer I think as long as I remember, though took up the camera quite late in life. It’s my tenth profession!

8. How long have you been a Fashion photographer? What or who got you started in Fashion photography?

I started fashion photography about three years ago. I was more into wild life and street photography, when a surprise call from the editor of GR8 magazine changed everything for me. He asked me to shoot the cover for his magazine, which I did, and next week I was shooting prestigious Telenorr campaign (Pakistan) with Ali Zafar and Sonya Jahan. Next three years I don’t remember where they went by...practically living out of suitcases...

From remote corners in India such as Kerala-Ladakh –Nagaland, to heavenly places like South Africa n Norway- the world became my studio.

10. How would you describe your style?

I am a big fan of outdoor photography. I love to use natural light and play with available elements of nature. Given the choice I would shoot fashion only outdoors. In fact it’s the industry, which over a period of time categorizes you as a fashion photographer or whatever other genres- I feel I am just a photographer who mostly loves to do mood-shots – create or capture something that becomes a part of some story or a story in itself. I try to speak through my pics or at least catch some defining moment which becomes the USP of that particular pic!

It’s not a style that I have developed but something that is intrinsic to my photography.

I wouldn’t be able to state what’s my defining style as I have never tried to evaluate my work- I am learning everyday and there is no end to learning- may be eventually it would evolve into something completely different than what it is today.

I have always been a fan of RGV for his brilliant films like Satya, Shiva, Company -he once asked me how am I able to shoot women so beautifully, in spite of many a flaws in them, I told him because I don’t see any flaws in them. The camera shoots what you see in your subject. A pic is eventually your own vision statement. I look for beauty in my subjects and try to enhance it through my work –rather than spending time in covering their so-called-flaws.

11. How many shoots do you average per year?

Probably a hundred- or may be less- as I never do more than ten shoots a month. And I never repeat a concept or copy a reference (at least I try my best not to do that). Its a great challenge to continuously push your mind to come up with new things, new concepts and explore new dimensions in your models.

12. Please share 3 of the most memorable shoots you have done...

I could probably write a book on my adventures as a photographer. Life is so much fun and the world so beautiful when you look at it through a camera.

I will quickly recount three recent shoots, which I would not forget for a long time.

The first one of course was a shoot for Fashion TV at extra-ordinarily beautiful islands called Koh Panghan at Thailand. It was the second day of our photo shoot at Santhiya resort.

Visualize just the photographer n the model on a small rock formation in the middle of endless water. It does make a great shot for a video camera- but when you face fierce winds excited enough to blow you away into those swirling waves-you do end up thinking twice about defying them.

When I went for location-hunting two days prior to the shoot, I loved the idea of shooting on the rock in the middle of nowhere. The water was calm enough and winds gentle. We decided to anchor the speedboat 100 meters away n then board a kayak to the rock- and do a series of pics. The morning of the shoot it rained. Somehow it didn’t seem too right, the water was very rough and it looked dangerous. FTV video crew refused to take the kayak and it was left to me to decide whether I wanted to take my shot.

I wrapped my camera in some twenty plastic bags (as if that would have helped!) and with prayer on my lips reached the spot, with Marina( the model) following after a few minutes.

The winds were wild to say the least. N it was getting increasingly dangerous on the rocks so we took just a few shots n decided to go back to the mainland. I watched from top of the rock, the lonely kayak rider struggling to keep it in balance as he came back to fetch us. I knew he wouldn’t be able to do it for long- and next moment a strong wave just lifted him and smashed into the side of the rock. My heart missed a beat. My camera instinctively took a shot of him bobbling in water, only his headgear showing, the upturned boat lying on the rock surface and the paddle nowhere to be seen.

He picked it up eventually n signaled to get on the kayak. I put my right foot forward and even before I stepped on to the plastic surface- another wave came picking up the kayak right before my eyes, smashing it again in to the sides of the rock. I had never imagined the adventure would turn into struggle for personal safety on a lightweight kayak tortured by maddening waves.

The fact that I didn’t know how to swim didn’t help me much besides the twenty five thousand dollar equipment in my hand.

But somehow we reached back safe...

Another shoot I really enjoyed was the campaign for G-wild jewelry at Cape Town (South Africa). It was one of the most exciting weeks of my life when I got to shoot gorgeous models in all kind of settings. From white sand beaches to unbelievable rock formations, from python to the Great White Shark and Cape Fur Seal-it was nothing less than a dream project for me.

The most recent incident that warmed my heart was shooting with Lyudmyla Bikmulina (Miss Ukraine 2007) at Hong Kong couple of months back. She had undergone a serious abdomen surgery and yet went ahead with the shoot. It was unbelievable to see her walking around the treacherous rocks barefoot-the same day as her stitches were cut. I was worried for her and insisted on canceling the shoot but she was bent on doing it. It is such times that make you fall in love with your work all over again.

I was truly touched.

Hong Kong for me always is the memory of this beautiful woman who made the shoot for me so much fun and my stay there so memorable.

The FTV shoot adventure at Koh Phagan Island

2009-07-12T01:07:00.013+05:30

Life can’t get more exciting for a photographer than shooting top fashion models from around the world in Bikinis for Fashion TV at an exotic location like Koh Phagan Island in Thailand.

Koh Phangan Island is known as Paradise Island in the Gulf of Thailand, next door to Koh Samui, of the south east cost of Thailand. It’s encircled by charming beaches, beautiful bays, and clear waters, with an abundance of coral reefs and marine life. Ten beautiful girls in FTV merchandise at a location like that and my promised ‘photographer’s clip’ to be aired on FTV worldwide seemed too good to be true.

I almost thanked God for making me a photographer-to experience such beauties in life. After two days- for good two hours I didn’t care about the girls or the beauty of the place- all I wanted was to be back in my bed and put the adventure behind

me while I struggled for personal safety on a light weight kayak ( a small plastic boat) tortured by maddening waves.

Let me recount it for you- the fun and adventure of being an outdoor photographer! Visualize just the photographer n the model on a small rock formation in the middle of endless water. It does make a great shot for a video camera- but when you face

fierce winds excited enough to blow

you away into those swirling waves-you do end up thinking twice about defying them and wondering whether you did the right thing.

When I went for location-hunting two days prior to the shoot, I loved the idea of shooting on the rock in the middle of nowhere. The water was calm enough and winds gentle.

We decided to anchor the speed boat 100 meters away n then board a kayak to the rock- and do a series of pics. The morning of the shoot it rained and I had a vague idea what we were going to face as we took Santhiya -resort speedboat to the location. It seemed to be flying rather than speeding on the water surface.

I chose my model for the shot. It had to be Marina- the long legged gorgeous runners up in Miss Bikini World –she was a trained swimmer as against me who just had a few dips in some pools years back. Somehow it didn’t seem too right, the water was very rough and it looked dangerous. FTV crew refused to take the kayak and it was left to me to decide whether I wanted to take my shot.

Marina was excited for some inexplicable reason while looking at those daunting waves I wasn’t too sure.

"When they make you wear a life jacket and have you sign a paper before that, which states you alone are responsible for your life-it does make you think twice about what you are going to do."

I wrapped my camera in some twenty plastic bags (as if that would have helped!) and with prayer on my lips reached the spot, with Marina following after a few minutes. The winds were wild to say the least. While Marina braved them, I got worried about her. I can’t play with someone else’s bones like that- I repeatedly warned her, eventually forcing her to lie down on the rocks and shoot. The weather was getting increasingly worse and I signaled the crew to send back the kayak to fetch us.

Even as I watched from top of the rock, the lonely kayak rider struggling to keep it in balance- I knew he won’t be able to do it for long- and next moment a strong wave just lifted him and smashed into the side of the rock. My heart missed a beat. My camera instinctively took a shot of him bobbling in water, only his headgear showing, the upturned boat lying on the rock surface and the paddle nowhere to be seen.

You can look at the pic and imagine the force of water just by looking at how far the boat has been thrown from the edge of the rock-at least fifteen feet!

He managed to get it straight and beckoned us to board on. 'Sure, that looks easy and fun',I muttered and with dismay looked at the 25,000 $ Canon camera kit in my hand. Even if the life-vest kept me afloat, how was I going to protect the equipment, if it turned again? I sent the model first and decided to pray a bit to the sea. I sure am selfish- I chose to shoot on its heart without offering a prayer before and here I was with folded hands !

The kayak came back to fetch me. I looked at the guy in the eyes- he seemed to be smiling a bit. 'I think I am losing my mind- why the hell would he smile at such times'. I put my right foot forward and even before I stepped on to the plastic surface- another wave came picking up the kayak right before my eyes, smashing it again in to the sides of the rock. When the guy came out splattering water-he wasn’t smiling anymore. And I had not smiled in last many minutes.

I wished at least FTV crew would be shooting all this- so I could claim my insurance money! Let the positive in you never die Talan- it’s just hundred odd meters- I gave myself a wry smile! The rider smiled back- ‘shut up, stop smiling and take me back’- I almost told him.

I sat on the boat clutching onto my camera. To my dismay the winds took the kayak to another direction- away from the speed boat almost unbalancing me and the boat in the process. But somehow the guy managed to maneuver it around and after almost an eternity we reached safely the boat.

It wasn’t too scary-I was fine except for the abnormally accelerated heart beats.I was more worried about my equipment. I think the spirit of adventure hits you mostly after you been through it.

I loved the pics and so did everybody else. But then I asked myself yet again, " How far would I go to get a good shot ?" I actually got no clue !

After all, what's outdoor photography without a little adventure !

Teaser-Making of G-wild campaign & calendar

2009-06-24T00:30:00.001+05:30

Coming soon exclusively on this page...

Winner- a beautiful mind contest' :"... And love lives in the hush of trees...'

2009-06-21T19:44:00.006+05:30

A photographer shoots the pic with something in mind- or just happens to shoot something interesting he sees purely on an impulse.

Whatever might be the reason,some small detail in the pic changes the whole meaning of what he tried to capture.

For example when I took this shot, I just noticed the two deer, probably taking a walk back home; I loved the sunlight filtering through the trees casting interesting pattern on the dirt road- but the fact that at very moment the small deer happened to sense my presence and turned slightly-changed the meaning of the pic.

It added anxiety to the whole otherwise, calm feel of the photo.

This week we had some beautiful poems n lines written on the pic, but many missed the most significant detail of the pic- the little one looking away- (actually he was looking behind)- it could be an element of fear, nervousness or plain curiosity as he must have sensed my presence behind.

If we had ignored that little detail it would have been difficult to choose the winner as this week’s entries are really amazing, but keeping the over all mood of the pic in mind- the deserving winner is Shuchika Sahay for her beautiful words summing up the feel of the pic in its entirety.

Her poem talks about the forest, fear, sunlight and faith- almost everything that I would notice in this photo as the guy who shot it.

Winner

In the forest, fear reigns
But faith grows
Sedulously.
Like streaming sunlight
on the pathways....
And love lives,
In the hush
Of trees
And in the crunch
Of dry leaves
Beneath our nimble feet

Shuchika wins the metallic print of this pic with her caption and name printed on it and also I offer to shoot a pic of hers with any one of her loved ones if she is based in Mumbai or visiting the city in the near future.

Congrats Shuchika- pls get in touch with details about yourself.

And do check out the new entry in couple of days on 'pravin talan photography' page on Facebook. You can reach the page by clicking on the link on left hand side or the title of this article.

WIN a Poster-shot with your 'loved one' this week -A Beautiful Mind contest

2009-06-10T22:32:00.008+05:30

How often have you missed the fact that you didn’t have your 'own' beautiful poster shot on your wall -something which has ‘you’ in it and not a piece of paper bought from a gift shop!

A beautiful pic with your mother/ son/daughter/sister /girl friend or perhaps with your adorable pet?

'pravin talan photography' offers a unique gift to this week's winner-

- a poster shot featuring you and your loved one- a life time memory on photo paper !

....and you get this just for having ‘ a beautiful mind ‘ and sharing that with the world ! Of course only the winner gets it !

Participate in ‘ a beautiful mind contest ‘ on ‘pravin talan photography’ page on Facebook-the wining caption /poem or short story would fetch you an exclusive photo shoot...

Participation guidelines

The entries have to be on the pic itself in the " A Beautiful Mind contest" album

1. Only three entries per person would be considered as entries

2. The entries would be judged in co-relation to the pic

3. Originality in thought and approach is a must

4. We might shoot more than one pic to get the best results but only one enlarged pic would be gifted to the winner

5. If the winner is from outside India- this gift is valid for six months from announcement – in case the winner is traveling to Mumbai or ‘pravin talan photography’ travels to that country...

6. In case the winner is from out side India- they can choose the contest pic/another pic and we would create a poster for them and courier or send hi-res file with permission to print!

7. Winning this contest doesn’t in any way entitle you to own the pic

8. Judges decision is final

Please remember this contest isn’t actually a contest in its true sense but an effort to put together some beautiful creative expressions – all for the love and fun of photography....

Njoy...

Life is beautiful...

pravin talan photography- a beautiful mind contest

2009-06-04T22:25:00.005+05:30

To see more details of this contest pls click on the link above to reach the photography page...

Winner -"My love grows its clipped wings...for, I can't fly to you..."

2009-06-04T22:01:00.007+05:30

It’s all for the fun and love of photography…

A Beautiful Mind Contest

Everybody has got thoughts in their mind and many want to write, win and own such exclusive pics but very few are able to post comments/captions as not everyone likes to be judged.

A person’s thoughts can’t really be measured or judged- but here we are trying to see them in relation to the pic and we value everything that you write .

All I want to say is that everyone who comes forward to share their lovely thoughts are as special to me as the pic itself. And it’s an honor for me to have your lovely words written on my work.

Hope you continue with it !

A Beautiful Mind contest keeps getting more exciting every week. The winner for this week – Suvarnika Sharma not only gets a metallic poster with her poem printed on it but also gets an exclusive G-wild desktop calendar n the winning captions to be printed in latest issue of Mega Modelz magazine

"On a moonlit night in a starry sky...
Your faint whispers reach my soul.
I yearn for your touch that creates mystical...magical illusions...
...And ripples in my heart for all to see !
My love grows its clipped wings.. for, I can't fly to you...
And how I wish you were here..."

------------- SUVARNIKA SHARMA

I think ‘my love grows its clipped wings for I can’t fly to you’ is a great line!

This week's contest was judged by Atul Pandey
(publisher of Mega Modelz magazine) & Vlada ( the beautiful Russian model in the pic)

This pic was edited by Paul for pravin talan photography....

Atul Pandey- the editor of Mega Modelz magazine said-" it was really difficult to choose the winner as there were fabulous entries from many people, but I loved Suvarnika's poem more as it went completely on the picture...! Congrats! "

Other top three captions

Dimple Toor at 12:59am May 27

"Testing the whimsical waters of midnight blue, creating ripples of hope"

Trisha Saha at 11:03pm June 1

"Ethereal Serenity...."

Rajesh Buhecha at 12:21pm May 31

Color of the “Delicate Touch"

This contest is open to all on pravin talan photography page on Facebook, you can participate simply by joining that page. Enjoy...

'A beautiful mind contest' every week...

2009-05-24T21:12:00.024+05:30

Winner of the first in the series of 'A Beautiful Mind ' contest by pravin talan photography on Facebook

winning caption for this week

WALLED WITHIN- Baber Baloch

Every week a new pic for the contest- if you have

'a beautiful mind', then share it with the world !

winner will get '8x12' metallic print of this exclusive pic and all top five captions would also be published in the latest issue of Mega Modelz magazine.

The amazing model in this pic is spanish actress Raquel Sanchez

The other top contenders for this pic were-

Krupa Rajguru

Autumn in her heart and winter in her soul,

She searched for her sanity which slyly he stole;

She found it in his clutches, prisoner for life,

All she can do now is get slaughtered under his love barren knife..

Shweta Kulkarni

Wings have been slashed

But not hopes

Though trapped n tarnished

Know I’ll break free...

Kapil Kant Kaul

The veil of stone

Sweta Ramdewar

Hardened Desires...

Another caption which I felt was one of the best was by Darshika Saxena - "Catharsis" which for some reason was removed by her from the page.

This contest was judged by noted film maker Sangeeth Sivan & me, based on what I had in mind when I shot this pic and what Mr. Sivan felt about the captions in relation to the mood of the pic itself. It was a great experience and I hope we are going to live it every week.

What Mr. Sivan had to say was...

"sometimes words far outweigh the weight of the picture as visualised by the artist...it was really tough to pick up the five best as each caption is stronger than the other"

The winner would have the print delivered to them in next ten days.

pravin talan shoots Mega Modelz cover at Cape Town

2009-03-20T02:02:00.001+05:30

one of the most fun mag covers that i have ever shot
( at the exotic Cape Town)

Shooting a hot cover in the cold waters of Cape Town-a Mega Modelz exclusive

2009-03-11T15:12:00.018+05:30

Making of the cover

It was a fantastic experience to shoot with Kerri; she is such a great model n fun person to be with. I still remember clearly the first shot we took-The white waves dancing around her appeared to me like lava of melting snow and as she sat on her knees gazing at some far away illusion- she appeared to me one of the most exotic girls I had ever shot with. As I gazed at her through my lens for her face close ups, I realized her piercing blue eyes can cut through any defenses you might hold against such body -beautiful. The camera loves her and you love her.

She embodied within her the wildness and sensuality of South Africa.

They say about South Africa- one world one country!

That even India is.

We have almost everything that one can see in the world. But if they were to say the same thing only about Cape Town- I would completely agree with the statement. I have been shooting around the world but never been to a place before that’s got such a range of locations within an hour of the main city. You could be up on the Table Top mountains or be playing with sea-waters in next five min. From white sand beaches to extra-ordinary rock formations around –Cape Town has just got everything a photographer would want. I could have shot for the cover anywhere, in any corner…And thankfully Kerri is a fabulous model-the pictures just can’t go wrong. Great body…great looks...And a great attitude! Have I said this before? - can’t help it if there are so many stunning girls around!!!

Atul didn’t think twice about putting her on the cover .An excellent choice for a magazine that has made consistent efforts to get the best of the models for its cover. Just check out her body of work from across the many nations she has modeled.

We had decided to shoot at the beach side ; I had earlier crossed this particular location n loved the rock formation, though being too close to the city, I wasn’t too sure how feasible it was to do a shoot at that spot, but my friend Niel assured it was fine. Niel has been such a great help throughout my Cape Town stay. All thanks to wonderful Yasmin Mohamed that i met him.

........
Clothes and colors make a lot of difference in outdoor shoots. Kerri has a great sense of style -I dropped the idea of hiring a stylist for the shoot and asked her to carry a short dress in red and a bikini. Shanaz had done astonishing make-up ….the blue eyes just stood out and I just couldn’t wait to start clicking. All I had briefed Shanaz about the shoot was to accentuate her eyes. The inspiration behind the make -up on Kerri was to bring out the color and shape of her eyes by using deep sensual purples. She kept her skin fresh and dewy by creating illusion and adding light and then her lips pale to emphasize her eyes.

We were ready for the shoot !

But the sea was not.

It has a mind of its own-n it always decides how much of itself to give to the world- from the apparent calmness in the morning, its temperament changed dramatically – the waves rose as high as twenty feet and it looked awfully scary to get anywhere close to them. Though Kerri was an absolute sport insisting up on shooting there but I can take risk with my bones but not with the model. We kept on moving from spot to spot till we found a relatively safer place. Yet again we were forced to move.

The shoot was madness, where I slipped, Kerri slipped- the guy holding the reflector slipped-n I hopelessly saw the only reflector I had slip away into the waters. I must admit Kerri took on the waves head-on (literally!) Most waves got gentle by the time they reached her, the force broken by rock formation, yet few were furious enough to toss her around –bruising her body n cutting the knees. She cursed, screamed, shouted, laughed, smiled, mocked at the sea n punched imaginary things …but didn’t move till I was done with my shots.

If I say that water was cold- don’t trust me- as the water was much more than that- it was freezing cold! She didn’t complain once and I could see what goes in to the making of a great model- the level of commitment n the madness required to shoot extra-ordinary pics…
You must check the entire series of pics in the latest issue of Mega Modelz and if you think you got what it takes to be on the cover then don’t hesitate to get in touch with Atul- he is cooler than Cape Town waters…even if the magazine covers are hot like that of Kerri-Lee Miller !

And don't miss out the exclusive video of the making of the cover soon on this blog....! and next week the exciting story of Lyudmyla in Hong Kong !

"You hesitate before firing that first bullet-n then it doesn’t matter"

2009-02-08T22:31:00.019+05:30

An exclusive interview n photo-shoot with daring super-cop Shaheeda Parveen

She can make your heart flutter with her charming smile n stop the same heart beating with her steely gaze- if she chooses to do so!

At the age of 25 she vowed to wipe off every militant operating on the soils of J&K –in the process herself becoming one of the prime targets for the militant groups. But Shaheeda Parveen has lived an extra-ordinary life between bombs n bullets and is no average woman.

I asked her casually upon my chance meeting with her, how Mumbai should have handled the terror attacks..?

“Terrorist plays with your fear- which is within you- take out that fear factor, and he is just a common thug who can be beaten to death! They fired all over the city and we let them escape- if we had only grouped together and pounced upon them-there would have been much lesser causalities! itne saare log milkar un terrorists kee boti boti noch dalte ( so many people together could have physically torn their limbs apart)”

To understand this statement you will have to know a little more about the woman whose name became synonymous with courage n ‘encounters’ in the militancy infected state of Jammu & Kashmir,-the bold & beautiful super cop Shaheeda Parveen- the only police woman so far from Jammu & Kashmir police cadre to have been awarded the prestigious President Police medal for gallantry in year 2002.

Between 1997 n 2002-she was responsible for wiping off a number of dreaded militants( the number would go as high as 80 plus); she was under extreme threat from militant groups, a lot of her body guards n informer s were killed – and she was one of the prime targets for Lashkar-e-Toiba…but then that never fazed her. How could I ever miss the opportunity of looking at her through my lens! This was no actress playing a character but courage personified

I first met her on my trip to Nagaland where I was the guest of the Corps Commander 3 Corps Lt. Gen. R K Loomba AVSM (all thanks to my dear friend Rahul). It wasn’t difficult to single out that graceful woman in that party hosted in honor of the General… I was introduced to her as a fashion photographer from Mumbai and I could not resist complimenting her on the way she carried herself and the gorgeous woman that she was. She had sparkling charm and an easy smile n when Mrs. Loomba told me she was capable of killing a terrorist with equal ease- I almost choked on my smile.
Her charismatic demeanor contradicted the fact that she had in the past, with equal ease, fired an Ak-47 into the body of a terrorist. But the moment you speak to her about the killings of the innocent, her pupils dilate with rage , the obvious fiery resolve making her eyes look like that of a tigress on the hunt.

And the change in her eye color makes you take a hasty step back.

This was before the Mumbai terror attacks. I never forgot her. So when she recently paid a visit to Mumbai, I decided to do a story on her extra-ordinary life.

In a family of six siblings, Shaheeda was the youngest. Born and brought up at Poonch, she graduated and decided to do something meaningful with her life and not just some regular job. During her interview for a teaching job, everybody prayed they get the job and she prayed that she did not! Teaching as a profession wasn’t meant for her! She had lived a tough life- her father having expired when she was just 4 yrs old. By the time she finished her M.Sc., she was clear in her head she wanted to join police force. Militancy was then at its peak and she had seen many a beautiful lives n families being destroyed as a result of the mindless killings in the name of Jehaad. Her decision to join the force didn’t go well with her orthodox n conservative family who even put up an advertisement in the paper-saying they had nothing to do with her. But Shaheeda ensured she cleared all her tests and in April 1995 she joined the J&K police as Sub-Inspector….eventually completing her basic training at Udhampur Police Academy and then three months advanced Weapon Tactics Course under CRPF.

She was one of the first woman commandoes to be a part of the elite Special Operations Group (SOG), the Jammu and Kashmir police's commando wing.

She was now ready to take on the militants head on. Armed with her strong Intelligence network and an Ak-47 on the side, she meticulously planned search n destroy operations-that made her a much feared name for the terrorists in the valley.

How did she prepare herself mentally for such a tough job, where blood flowed easier than water and even when you got to sleep, your silences are filled with innocent screams n sounds of bullets?

It all started when the horrific sight of slain bodies of an innocent family of eight people including an old woman & children shook her completely ,scarring her soul forever. Her eyes had filled with tears as she lifted the body of the dead child in her arms, but she hid them as she had to quickly learn to deal with such ground realities and also earn the respect of the force she would eventually be leading in operations. She would never again let a tear fuzzy her vision. And over next seven years, that sight gave her the strength to chase militants in rough terrain and 10 ft high grasslands holding grenades n firing bullets from her AK-47.

“I had heard brutal stories, I had read about them, but picking up dead bodies with your own hands was a devastating experience’ she told me quietly–her mind having wandered back to the year 1997 when she had her first real encounter with death n violence,”...and these people who butchered innocents knew nothing of Allah, using His name to carry such ghastly acts”

How did her first operation go?

Intel confirmed there were 11 dreaded terrorists grouped to execute another hit. I was super excited as it was my first operation, we cordoned off the area with a team of 20-25 boys armed with LMG (Light Machine Gun), Grenades n AK-47,but my boys got over enthusiastic opening fire before we should have. Then began the chase lasting hours…5 km over the hills… There were hundreds of rounds exchanged but we somehow lost them. I was seething with frustration as I was in charge of the SOG, but then that mistake changed the way I would plan my future operations. My seniors were still very happy at the initiative I had taken. After that I ensured with my team that there always was full proof planning. When your life is at stake you can’t afford too many mistakes”- she spoke as a matter of fact.

It’s not cinema, it’s much more real n lethal, when you execute an operation. You are risking your life n responsible for the lives n safety of your team members as well. On one such occasion her regular informer Saleema Begum (who was later on eliminated by the terrorists) provided information of some terrorists hiding in a house. It was the 9th of July 2001.

“It was confirmed Intel n we decided to act upon it. We took a civil truck, covering it with goods…but even as we approached the house, militants managed to disappear in to the vast fields of high maze. We combed the house but couldn’t find anyone. The residents of the house were scared n kept denying there was anyone present –they wanted us to leave n that further confirmed their presence. I wasn’t going to let them run away,’ she paused, her eyes turning steely again,” I walked with my team into the fields- in such places you can’t even see a feet away from where you are….

…I sensed a sudden movement about twenty feet away n then out of nowhere I was suddenly staring at that cold metal staring back at me, ready to fire in a second. But I was quicker than the hands holding that gun n shot him back,” she laughed, her face turning soft again.

She was rewarded with out of turn promotion, made into an Inspector and then later on awarded with President Police Medal for Gallantry

How does it feel to be in an operation? What are the thoughts going through your head? It surely can’t be easy…!!!

She looked at me calmly as if weighing my question, ’you think a lot before you fire that’s first bullet, and then it doesn’t matter! ‘ she continued with a smile,’ I have walked ten km under extremely demanding situations and fired for hours…and I have never been tired and always walked five steps ahead of the group…people used to be surprised how we can take only a small unit n go for ‘search n destroy’ operations! But my success was mostly due to my vast intelligence network, and my dedicated team. They fought for me, trusting me hundred percent and I ensured they get their dues, whether it was out of turn promotions, job incentives or whatever I could provide for them or get them from the department .”
She is currently posted at the Joint Interrogation Centre at Jammu, after having spent two years on deputation at Nagaland with her husband, who is a serving Colonel in Indian Army- whom she calls the ‘pillar of strength ‘in her life!

I wondered if she regretted not being in field operations anymore- she laughs,’ well not actually!’ I have done my bit- my job was to generate intelligence, co-ordinate with army formations for joint operations- and during my period of active field service, we conducted thousands of operations which resulted in wiping off a number of dreaded militants (notorious ones like Panj Sher Khan- the then district commander RO Pak) n recovering huge amount of arms n ammunitions….”

“…..I have served my country well, and will continue to do so wherever I am posted. I have been always blessed with able superiors who always encouraged n stood by me- n a dedicated team who never questioned my judgment. My job as a police officer has given me a lot, satisfaction, recognition and even I owe my marriage to it- as I met the man I would eventually marry during one such operation,” and on that note she laughed out heartily…and I couldn’t help smiling either.

Does she ever regret having killed any one of those militants?

It’s not about the number of militants I have killed or been responsible for, but the number of innocent lives that we have saved in the process.

Terrorists are wasted human beings- they have been brain washed into it- reason being of lack of jobs, un-employment, those who don’t know Islam ka alaf, they are fighting for Islam. It’s sad. Allah unko kabhi maaf nahin karega! Sixteen year olds who should be studying in schools and playing cricket are trained to handle sophisticated weapons n brain washed to kill other humans ruthlessly.”

What about a movie on her life?

All this while I had been taking her pics and throwing these odd questions at her.

‘I don’t wish to be a star – I am just a simple woman who got my country at my heart; I am a police woman who is just doing her job, and Allah would give me what I deserve”

And I thought in my head, well you surely are no ordinary woman Shaheeda, as I have met quite a few in my life! …and I truly hope she gets her due recognition in life!

She changed the way a woman would be looked up on by militants in Jammu & Kashmir.

She changed the way I would look at a beautiful woman in my life!

A few awards for her could be just the right beginning….!

pravin talan shoots supermodel Lisa Lazarus for Mega Modelz magazine cover

2009-01-10T03:05:00.001+05:30

Shooting Super Model Lisa Lazarus for Mega Modelz Cover

2009-01-08T01:13:00.010+05:30

Who should feature on the cover of Mega Modelz magazine?

It had to be an EXCLUSIVE !

This kept me and Atul Pandey (Editorial Director, Mega Modelz) thinking for quite some time- till we finally got this one !!!

I wanted to shoot with a girl who was an achiever of sorts n now well on her way to international recognition n yet connected to India. ..Once we agreed on the line of thought, it wasn’t difficult to zero in on Lisa Lazarus- the supermodel from London, current Miss UK –Universe and most importantly making her debut in Bollywood opposite none other than Salman Khan in much hyped up movie Veer !

Lisa n I had been in touch online for a while but working out a proper shoot needs time…! Was she free to shoot immediately? It had been almost a month since we had briefly connected.

I was determined to put Lisa on the cover n the issue deadline was fast approaching. I guess when you really want something, things fall in place (…and NO! I have not read The Secret- my mother says that to me n it always works!), n we got Lisa to shoot in the next 48 hours. How we managed it, is a trade secret!

The challenge now was to shoot her differently from whatever she had been shot before. I decided to present her two different sides to the readers of Mega Modelz- the bold n sexy girl you lust for and the cute dreamy girl you want to fall in love with! The hot n sweet! To accentuate the two emotions we worked on two different themes–keeping in mind the backdrops, lighting, makeup n obviously costumes n colors- white to bring out innocence n dark to add sensuality…. then small value adds -elements like roses n iron chains. The choice of outfits was kept as simple white n black, n the stylists Rinki & Neetu Jain did a great job in organizing the right outfit at 4 hours of notice. There was not even enough time to work out proper trials with Lisa as next morning she was to fly out to Dubai.

I usually trust for such shoots- the able hands of Mahendra Gupta for make-up & hair. He understands that I like to keep everything very simple yet beautiful and that my focus is always on the mood/emotion of the picture. Many times I have heard this flattering line from people about my work that my pictures somehow speak- I would very humbly want to put it across, that it’s not in my hands- I just try to make the models as comfortable as possible- n ultimately what speaks in the pic is their expressions n body language only…! The tricky part while shooting a model always is to bring out the right kind of emotions from within them. And for that a dialogue between the two is so very important- to get the right expression n then time your shot well to capture it.

Lisa is so quite used to shooting mostly glamour & I wanted to shoot her soft, innocent, naughty as well. Ultimately we got some really lovely pics. I realized she is a fabulous model and would surely be one of the finest Bollywood discoveries- (if she could withstand the pressures within the industry).The way she responds to camera n emotions –speaks a lot about her as a mega model n actress…..! It is there for you all to see in her pictures in the current issue of the magazine!

And before I forget to mention - she is an excellent human being- it was her last evening in Mumbai n she had whole lot of prior commitments to fulfill –yet after the shoot she stayed back close to an hour, just to cut my birthday cake. I had not mentioned my b’day( 20th Dec) to anyone, but my close friend Simple Kaul surprised me by dropping in with a cake to the studio- n needless to say-it ended up being a great b’day.

After all I could not have celebrated it in a better way than to spend the day shooting an exciting cover with a beauty queen n then cutting cake in eve with friends!

'Chameli' by Nights....

2008-09-02T00:33:00.010+05:30

Chameli

Mumbai has its good side n the bad side and the in-betweens! I have often been amused at the sight of sex- workers hiring an auto-rickshaw n making rounds looking for prospective customers. Its neither good nor bad – but just a fact of life! They would stop for just about enough time, strike a deal n God knows where they go off within minutes. A friend of mine once remarked if there were no sex-workers- the world would be full of rapists’ n mentally deranged people. Perhaps!

But yet, a woman trading flesh for money is a strange idea to me, though not at all alien to the society we live in. A popular Bollywood film called ‘Chameli’ popularized this term for such women.

I just bounced the idea of shooting a pic like that to Mamta during a casual chit-chat- she absolutely freaked out! She can be quite stubborn once an idea goes to her head. She insisted upon shooting that pic that night itself.
It was quite an exercise to find a make-up artist at 12 at night, but thankfully Manoj obliged and then to hunt for an auto-rickshaw at the Oshiwara crossing with a blue light inside, when it was pouring non-stop was quite a task. I stood beneath a shut tea-stall for more than half an hour- and every time an auto would pass by, I would stop him n ask if he had a blue light inside- I can never forget the incredulous look on their face- they so obviously thought I am some mad drunk guy stopping rickshaws at night n looking for a blue light. But I wanted a bit dramatic lighting and when you got someone as enthusiast as Mamta, the excitement rubs on to you as well and you are determined to get the shot right.

I was amazed at her excitement – she styled the whole look herself, organizing all the clothes from her friends’ including the red “chameli” Sari- right to that flower in her hair. We got the make-up done, found the auto-rickshaw somehow (had to pay him Rs 300 for 30 min of work) and then managed to somehow get a chai-wala as well. Now for those who are from Mumbai –these chai-walas are a very comforting sight at the nights when you are working late. You will find them at most of the prominent crossings with ready-made tea and also packs of cigarettes. They are such an integral part of Mumbai work life that you can’t imagine a night without them!

Did we get all the elements correct? Well…almost! There was not just enough light available to capture Mamta’s expressions and then to highlight the chai-wala as well! Somehow we managed to get a studio opened up for 2 hours to get a power connection to place the flash lights on the road- put rain protection cover on them and cover my camera as well to avoid water drops because all the moisture can really damage the equipment.

Nobody’s asked me the time so far- let me tell it was about 2.30am when we got these shots. But it was really so much fun- the only thing I dreaded was cops- if they would find us doing such crazy things in the middle of the night, then surely would have spent the night in the lock-up.

But all in all…it was great fun…! We even managed to get a quick shot in the studio before leaving. Why not shoot there as well since were paying for it….!

But the best part was the way Mamta would laugh after every shot and the auto-rickshaw guy n the chai-wala had great fun too. After all, they don’t get such wild people every night.

So, hope you enjoy the ‘Chameli by Night’ shots – which I doubt anyone else but Mamta could have delivered. She is adorable, immensely talented and I hope she gets to reach high point in her career as an actress- which she truly deserves.

(Dont ask me why the match stick is still burning in this pic after she got it lit up - I told you I like drama !!!---and dont miss that fire in her eyes !)

p.s.- Mamta Dutta is an established model n a really fine actress...!

The vibrant colors of life...

2008-08-25T01:12:00.007+05:30

I was shooting publicity stills for 'Coffeshop'-my close friend Ishaan Dutta's film in Goa, when I came across this amazingly vibrant rag-picker who was busy collecting thrown away plastic bottles from the set.

...

As usual,I couldn’t find my lighter, so asked this woman for a match box to light up my cigarette. She passed on the match box, giving me a casual indifferent look -completely ignoring the expensive camera in my hand. And that does hurt my pride once in a while-not that I am a show off-but it did take a lot to buy that one n deserved a longer look from anyone!

...

Goa is a heaven for tourists’ n film-makers …and the locals are quite used to people carrying heavy equipment around. So it was ok I guess to be ignored like that...(and if you are in India n not been to Goa- you surely are missing something)

However I loved her energy,body language n what she was wearing- the nice vibrant colors with all that metallic stuff around her neck, hands n feet. Quite a fashion statement actually! I wanted to shoot a pic but she wasn’t just in a mood and won’t smile. She asked me why I wanted to shoot her- I looked at her n said ‘because you got a more beautiful smile than the heroine in the film and I am going to ask the director to cast you in his next film’.

Now, who doesn’t want to feel good even if it’s a good joke! She just won't stop laughing after that- and I even noticed a hint of shyness spreading across her wrinkled face.

After that we had a few nice laughs n a few good pics.

...

I showed her the pics in the camera- she called her friends around, quite excited like a little girl ( I had to show them all one by one!) n finally said to me-

“ tu photo achee kheenchta hai”- (you take good photos...)

I hope she wasn't joking this time- it somehow always feels good to hear that!

Born free- my six best shots for Independence Day

2008-08-16T03:50:00.009+05:30

I close my eyes n think of those who laid their lives to gift me the freedom I have today- which allows me to be what I am. I salute those who loved before me, my country-loved enough to fight for it and die, as one would fight for honor of their mother.I hold the flag of my nation, with pride in my hand-I open my arms to feel the winds of change blowing across - I feel larger than life- I feel blessed...!
I love my country as a son would love his Mother and I respect your nation as you too are a brother... We are the blessed ones who were all born free...!
Lets not fight now ever...let’s not be slaves to inhuman desires ...Lets be brothers ...let’s be friends!
Jai Hind

I am putting below six of my most favourite shots which I took for the Independence day and the reasons why I chose to take these shots...

I believe that a new India is about bringing smiles to all faces.

And before i forget-61 reasons to celebrate India- a must read article in August 2008 issue of Mumbai Touchdown.
It's fine of the finest researched n informative article I have read in recent times. A big applaud to the magazine and the art director to come up with a unique concept, also enabling me to shoot some great pics.

Life is a beautiful challenge.....!

Imagine how boring an ordinary life would be , with no probs , no worries, nothing to fight ...nothing to tackle...its the unpredicablility of it which makes life exciting...!
When u r born free...u are ready to take on challenges in life...!Life is one big adventure...live it like that...! Its quite a sight in monsoons to sea these fishermen brave the wild ocean...the way they hold on to the boats...and sail across...!
And the most awesome thing is the Indian Flag on top of the boat !

I Love my freedom....

I have absolutely no words to describe this pic...it has often been reproduced in publications and yet it remains so fresh to me.

I believe I can fly...
You hold the flag of your nation, and feel the spirit of freedom in your heart n may be u too can fly....

I went to Saurabh's terrace to shoot this pic on the 18th floor, as I wanted the whole feel of a man flying across the city. More than the timing, the important thing was to get the jump and the thrust right, and most importantly hold the flag high. And my friend got it just right.

I feel larger than life- I feel blessed...!

The whole idea of shooting this perspective was to give a larger than life feel to the image- how would you really feel if you were patriotic to the core and were holding the National Flag in your hand.
Tushar's height and the extra low angle made this image to become possible.

The slight color gradation in the background to match the flag colors was achieved in photo editing .

My spirit- that would never die..!...my flag...that I would always hold high.

Gayatri is a trained kathak dancer , so creating that balance wasn't difficult for her. I chose that angle as I wanted her to really tower over even that 25 floor building in the background, and also keep the flag vertical. Keeping it b/w was simply to high-light the flag color and also white is all about purity n peace...and her lovely smile created the rest of the magic.

This picture was ofcourse made possible by my dear friend Priya at WSP ( The Times of India)

you can view the entire album on my photography page marked as " The spirit of freedom" by clicking on the link below:-

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=54090&id=22040097288&ref=mf

If their is any query regarding any images, you can mail me at praveentalan@gmail.com

The essence of being born free...

2008-08-16T02:54:00.010+05:30

My great grandfather was a freedom fighter. My grandfather proudly told us this a million times as we grew up; how he actually died or whom he really fought, my grandfather never went into details as he didn’t remember much,-being just thirteen year old when my great grandfather was killed.

Sometimes I even wondered if he actually was a freedom fighter or my grandfather made up that story to make us feel proud, but even if it was just a story, it was too beautiful a lie to be questioned. He made sure every Independence Day me, my sister Poonam n younger brother Vicky, remembered that story and it charged us enough to shout through the rest of the day ‘Jai Hind’. It would be only years later when we would understand the true significance and importance of being born free!

My grandfather whom we all call Dau-ji was a farmer and till date he is passionate about farming. At the age of 81, when most would prefer to laze around, he has managed to convert half of our house in Ghaziabad( a city next to Delhi) in to a mini-farm where with his khurpi (a sharp metallic tool to dig soil) he would be busy most of the day digging or sowing.

I once noticed with utmost fascination the way he moved his hand over the soil, the way he would very gently touch the plants, removing infected leaves- cleaning the vegetables, watering them; more than work for him, it appeared to me like a prayer. He laughed when I said this to him and said “my karma is my prayer. I have come from this soil and soon one day I will go back into the same soil. That’s our mother and you must learn to respect and also fight for it, if the need be. “ I found it too filmy till I read the seriousness in his eyes.

That’s the day he made me understand that the green color in our national flag indicated our relationship with the land and the plants-on which other life forms depend. I also learnt that the saffron was for courage, sacrifice and the spirit of renunciation; the white for purity and truth. And most importantly the chakra (the wheel) in the middle was the wheel of the law of Dharma which meant there was death in stagnation and life only in movement. The wheel represents the dynamism of a peaceful change.

He said the day he would stop working, he would die. He never went to school but he knew what life was all about, and what our National Flag really meant, and most of us including me, who studied all their lives, even today do not understand our own national flag, including majority of the politicians who abuse it all the time.

I can go on endlessly about the stories about Dau-ji because he has always been my hero, but the reason I remembered him all the more today was as someone asked me if there was anything really as the spirit of freedom and the relevance of mother nation in global perspective.

I paused to think about it and realized that relevance of being the son of the soil would always be there. Every land has its own energy, vibes, essence, fragrance, values n culture, which is beyond comprehension of a normal human mind. We may meet a million women in our lives, but what we feel in the comforting arms of our own mother has no substitute ever. We travel around the world, but the moment we set foot on our own soil-the feeling is inexplicable.

We love our mother, but we were also taught to respect other women, who would be mothers to our friends or neighbors…and the same sentiment has to be valued with regards to other nations-That they are the mother-nation to millions of others like us, and since we don’t disrespect our own family, we ought not to disrespect anyone else.

I remembered I had once fought my mother for some stupid reason n had shouted back up on her, telling in rude words that I won’t be answerable to her for everything and she had to respect my freedom. After 3 days to that was Independence Day and I was very excited about it, Dau-ji stared at me hard and told me, “you got no right to celebrate the Independence Day as you don’t even know its real meaning. If you cannot love and respect and love your blood-mother, you can never be true to the nation you are born in. You are just a pretender- almost a traitor.”

I almost cried but learnt my lesson. I learnt being born free doesn’t mean you got the right to do anything you want to at the cost of disrespect to your country-your mother or abandoning your own cultural-social values. We demand so much from our parents, our country, but I think we ought to take a few minutes off to think what have we actually ever given them back!
Today when I see people sending their parents to old age homes or throwing them out of their homes to live a so called comfortable life- I almost hate them –as if they are traitors to the nation- because my grandfather taught me that lesson many years back, if you can’t respect your own mother, how will you respect your nation.

You might have been born free, but before that notion of freedom comes the truth that someone gave birth to you. Our Flag is not to be held high just one day in the year …but it should forever be held high in our heart and in our lives. That’s the essence of being born free. To understand and appreciate truly what we have been given after huge sacrifices…and to uphold those values and beliefs forever and pass them on to the generation next. To become a strong arm to those who might need us and become their strength in life.

…and before I forget to tell you, I did finally ask one day about the truth behind my great grandfather’s death. Dau-ji was silent for a few minutes n finally spoke,’ he had been poisoned by some jealous villagers before India got independence’. I stared at him silently.

He smiled at me after a few moments and said, ‘I never told you before how he died or that he died fighting, so don’t look shocked! I just told you he was a freedom fighter- and yes that he was! …with patriotism in every drop of his blood and the same blood runs through your father and now you…and I know one day you will do us all proud in your own way and make a difference to a few lives in the process.’

I wish.

Life is beautiful....

2008-07-11T20:21:00.008+05:30

There is something about a genuine smile…it touches your heart…touches your soul and some-how makes you feel incredibly good ! Nothing can touch your heart more than witnessing a pure smile...n even more so if it’s meant for you...!
I have shot a lot on the streets...candid shots...n over a period of time a few images just stayed back with me...in my heart n mind for various reasons n became my favorite photos!
Each of these photos always tells me-”Life is beautiful…”
I am putting below three of my favorite shots and the small stories behind them…!

The woman at the crossing...

There are certain bonds which are inexplicable…! Relationships that are meant for, and restricted to a certain time n place…Like, of this old woman at the crossing n mine! I never thought of her once I passed that crossing, but once there I always looked for her! As if this bond was meant to last for that five minutes of waiting at that crossing every evening.

She often found her way to the rickshaw I would be traveling in, wearing a torn sari n a beautiful smile, extending her hand for money…she never asked for it, there was something very warm about her, I never could ever think of her as a beggar; it was always as if I owed her something from another lifetime…When I put that one rupee coin in her hand, she would place her hand over my head …blessing me from her heart. She would smile n I smiled along with her…

We never talked but she always seemed to be able to read my moods even in my silence n accordingly her hand stayed on my head, just a wee bit longer when I was distressed by something!Mumbai is an expensive city n certainly very difficult to afford when it comes to genuine emotions…but in her I found a way of purchasing genuine blessings everyday for as less as just One Rupee…! I might sound selfish, but am no more the man I was in my little town, n like many others started believing in "value for money"...…But then somehow I feel she would bless me even if I didn’t give her that coin-she seemed like a good soul...but I didn’t want to test that…!

One day she saw me holding my camera and asked me to shoot a pic of hers…I was mildly surprised but asked her to give a nice smile…she asked me what’s a nice smile ? I couldn’t answer. She laughed …I shot it …and it did make a great picture!

I eventually bought a car and changed my traveling route. It’s a strange truth that the people we meet depend on the route we take in our lives!
I never met her after that.
But still whenever I look at this pic I smile-The photograph of a simple woman at the crossing…with a gorgeous smile...n a beautiful heart!

Laughter is contagious...

I had gone to shoot Mumbai Marathon-one of the greatest events Mumbai has every year in the month of January. This boy stared at the camera in my hand from behind the grills. I tried to initiate a conversation but he just wouldn’t talk n rather continued to give me those dead hard expressions…very unusual for a boy his age.

I am sure he was quite intrigued by the size of the lens I was carrying.

I asked him if he wanted me to shoot a picture for him. No response. I told him he was a great looking young man and would look even better if he smiled more. He stared at me for a second n burst out laughing saying his amma (mother) said the same to him! He told me I was funny. Imagine that!

What followed next was a photo-session which makes me smile even today…! He just wouldn’t stop laughing n I couldn’t stop laughing with him and soon everyone around us was laughing too, for no reason!

Laughter is contagious …n beautiful….!
Since then this pic has been reproduced in various publications n even today continues to remain one of my favorites!
The joy of laughter is supreme....it makes u believe that life is indeed beautiful....

Life is about sharing happiness...

They told me she is a mad woman...I agreed! Only a mad person could be so happy in today's world...!I stared at her peaceful face n the purity of her laughter. I was envious of her.I wish I was mad...cos i have almost forgotten how to laugh like that.

It had been a tough day for me in the jungle, trying to get some good tiger shots n I had got none! I looked at her yet again from the small tea stall I had been killing time at. As I observed her I realized she was a very beautiful n graceful woman who had surely seen better days in her life. I found out her story … (I wouldn’t want to put that here!)

I decided to take some pics of her. She seemed to be enjoying the attention.
I have noticed people on the road actually take pleasure in being photographed; they never get these pics but the whole idea that someone finds them interesting enough to shoot them, excites them a lot! They pose much more naturally, devoid of inhibitions n make lovely pictures.

She beckoned me to come to her and show the picture. I obliged n sat next to her. She was clean n didn’t smell awful as I would have expected her to. How much we assume for no reasons? She was happy and I was happy, sitting next to her showing her the pics and smoking cigarettes together. It was not such a bad day after all.

She made me happy or I made her happy, I am not sure, but we did share happiness for a while!

A walk on water...

2008-06-20T18:47:00.007+05:30

Alot of people have asked me how I shot this unusual photo of a woman walking on water. It always makes me smile, because the trick in it is really small.

Good photos are all about timing.

First things first –the model in this photo is a fantastic ballet dancer –Tanya, who has for years trained in various forms of dancing and has superbly flexible body n on top of that she loves to play with water. Now that is quite important, that people should love doing –whatever they are doing, n end results are invariably good!

She happened to be playing a significant role in a documentary film which I was shooting in M.P. (India), and while going to the location, we crossed this small river which wasn’t exactly too deep. She got excited, jumped off the jeep n next moment was playing around with water. Somehow instinctively she seemed to have found a spot which was quite shallow. I stared at her amusedly for a while from the jeep, but then impatience took over me as the light was dropping fast…

She was adamant upon not leaving the spot till I shot a picture of her playing with water. So I came upon this idea n told her to find a spot which had just very little water for her to stand comfortably, yet enough to make a splash when she jumped. It was a little tricky as she had to give enough thrust to create the splash, jump forward n then kind of balance herself to look it like she is floating or walking on water, n I had to shoot this at high shutter speed, get my timing correct to catch her in mid-air, keep her in focus n catch the water as well to get the desired feel.

The beauty of this photograph is that it was a one take shot n i shot it while sitting in the jeep. We couldn’t have spent more time on the spot as we were getting late for the video shoot n locals were gathering quite fast, amused at the sight of a beautiful foreigner playing with water in the middle of a jungle !

Sometimes good pictures just happen…like this “walk on water”…

To get a crazy shot, you got to be crazy enough!

2008-06-19T14:43:00.010+05:30

Rains always make me do crazy things. And almost every time I do something out of the box, I regret it eventually; especially whenever I come back home n realize that I have yet again managed to mess up my expensive lens. But I am a crazy guy n like crazy people, Rizwan Sikander for instance. He is humble, courteous, talented yet absolutely crazy!

He ended up at my place saying, “I want a unique picture”. Now, I have heard that before a million times. I asked how mad you can go and the look on his face said it all. We reached Versova beach (Mumbai). It was raining mildly yet the sea was in its full glory and the way waves would hit the rocks n the splash at times rise almost 15 feet, it would scare any man. Rizwan n me both hesitated a second. Was it worth the risk, standing on a rock with the angry ocean on your back side, at the peak of the monsoon period? But , I must say this guy has courage, probably that’s the reason he has always won all the reality shows he has participated in, including Fear Factor India '06 on Sony TV n created history by being the only finalist n eventually winning it!

I asked him if he would stand on the rock, appearing to be peaceful, while the waves rose behind him almost covering him. I warned about the risk of falling off n hurting him on the small sharp edges of the rocks beneath. That was my duty as a photographer. Before I had finished, he took off his shirt n was up on the rock in seconds. It must have taken some 20 shots, n for him as many hits from behind, before we got this one perfect shot!
He fell off the rock twice, cutting himself mildly below the knee. And my camera was all wet, and it was almost impossible to shoot anymore because of all the moisture it had absorbed.

But whenever I look at his picture and the peaceful expressions on his face, the powerful wave rising behind him some fifteen feet, I feel good! It always tells me, how one should be in life, in the face of danger---peaceful…courageous …! This picture has the great attitude of a winner.

That’s the spirit of Mumbai and I absolutely love this pic n Rizwan for making it possible.

When Ami Vashi almost got drowned during a photo-shoot in Goa

2008-06-12T03:19:00.010+05:30

I love Ami
Almost
Not because she is ex-Miss India or very beautiful and warm…or cos she got everything to make a movie-star...!
But because she is as mad a person as I am.

I was shooting at Goa for the Telenorr campaign with Ali Zafar n Sonya Jahan for a Pak agency when Ami suddenly decided to fly down to Goa in the middle of crazy rains to shoot some outdoor photos. I had warned her about the rains, Telenorr campaign was fine as their theme anyways had rains but shooting photos in such unpredictable weather is crazy and really disastrous for the lens.

I love outdoors…it’s always fresh n different n my friends always call up on me to shoot fresh n outdoor pics-guess that really works well with Bollywood producers as well

Anyway, to cut a story short how it happened…

After getting her beautiful Saree already torn ,shooting a pic with hand on the tree while a chameleon hid on the other side ( she didn’t notice n I didn’t tell)…..getting a few odd bruises…she spotted a nice rock about 20 feet away from the beach n decided to get shot with it.

I was reluctant…but I got on to a higher rock and shot couple of them…then she wanted to sit on it and wait for the wave to hit her n me to catch the splash
…sure…why not?

But we didn’t realize since it was monsoons n had been raining…the water level as quickly started coming up….
Couple of splashes were fine…they were low n quiet. Until she noticed a huge wave coming to her n got excited, motioning me to shoot as it would hit the rock. She waited anxiously…n so did me, with one eye closed n one looking through the lens…got it… got it …got it…....and then…oh! Where is Ami?I couldn’t see her on the rock anymore!

The monstrous wave lifted her clean off the rock and threw her some 15 feet away. The impact must have surely hurt her .The waves then started retreating to the sea…the force started dragging Ami back…she was half in water and screaming my name ….choking on muddy water badly. I laughed at her n took couple of her pictures screaming. I thought she was just trying to make me to get in the water, but then I realized the angry waves were actually pulling her back in the sea…
A million thoughts went through my mind upon seeing Ami almost getting drowned n go past me…then as if I woke up from a trance, I jumped in the water, clutching on to my camera …n with one hand pulled Ami back out of the water.

Needless to say this episode added a few more bruises n cuts to her…and I felt miserable the rest of the day for allowing her to get in to this mess….she was my responsibility after all! ...and while she almost slipped into water, i was busy taking photos. I hated myself so much !

Later on, in the evening over a cup of tea….sitting outside in that lovely resort, we laughed over the whole thing…and she said she wasn’t scared one bit…and at least we got some great shots!

I looked at her a few moments longer than I would n wondered
…such innocent laughter...such pure looks…so courageous…absolutely my kind of girl…Her boyfriend was surely one hell of a lucky guy!

I smiled back at her saying no more shoots in water for you…she just laughed …

And guess what, she called again this morning…”hey it’s raining…let’s shoot some photos”

Sure! But nowhere close to the sea!

photos- 1. On the rock- a beautiful shot

2. When the monstrous wave hit her!

3. When the wave started pulling her back in the sea! Notice the force of water around her body!

International Women's Day shoot for WSP

2008-03-10T20:12:00.003+05:30

http://www.mumbaipluses.com/westsideplus/index.aspx?page=article§id=10&contentid=2008030820080307181914957c02cbe06§xslt=&comments=true

The man who changed my vision...

2007-12-25T02:46:00.000+05:30

...the daring story of deepak talan...(next week)...

Magic of being Mandira

2007-11-25T15:24:00.000+05:30

My first studio shoot...

If I say she is beautiful…that would be an understatement!

She is a raw bundle of energy - a divine human body blessed with an effortless smile and she seems to be growing more beautiful with each passing day…a woman loved across all generations. I would now be shooting with her after almost a year and she would, for good reasons, remain one of the most important chapters of my photography journey.

I had just moved from shooting wild life to celebs and I still had not done any studio shoots simply because I knew nothing about flash lights…

I got a call from GR8! magazine ( Shashi Ranjan –who blindly promotes me!) to shoot the cover page with Mandira Bedi. Assuming it has to be an outdoor I called her up to fix what time we can shoot...sweetly she said “tomorrow morn at 9 am”, she asked the studio add…I was zapped…forget about owning a studio-I never entered one as a photographer! I told her I will call her back n went across the street where there was a studio I had heard of. I booked it for the shoot and for that eve also…between that afternoon and next morning I had to teach myself how to use studio lights-something on which people spend years of training.

I had no clue where to put in the synchro chord and how to measure the light or use a light meter. It was too much to learn in one day…but the studio assistant was good and I practiced on him till 3am in the morning…using my eyes to judge and my instincts to decide-I booked a fog machine for the morning as I conceived a very magic-like shot…and of course didn’t sleep the whole night. I didn’t tell the magazine or Mandira that I had never been to a studio before. But I was sure they would know by morning and then hate me for wasting their time. Good, at least I could get back to wild-life!

She was punctual...dot 9am she was in the studio…I set up the light-surprisingly not too nervous- I was doing my first studio shoot-that also a cover n top of that one of the most popular faces. But then she was just another girl and it was just another picture, right? Once I look through the camera, I transform, I have realized over a period of time. As I took my first shot, Mandira very politely asked me to shoot a certain profile as she felt the other profile didn’t actually photograph well…I remember having said to her sweetly enough that she was a beautiful girl n any angle would suit her n of course I ended up shooting her 360 degree. ..
The pix came out fantastic n I learnt one of the most important lessons in photography, follow your instinct –knowledge comes later.

Too many technicalities can often spoil a picture. Often you end up missing a moment because you spend too much time getting the other elements right. Then, you have a good technical picture without really having anything to say. My first studio shoot with Mandira bedi-in one year those pix have been used for ITA awards/Gold awards Mauritius/Red FM world cup campaign and God knows where all- because nobody really ever paid me for them…!!! But I am not complaining.

My friend that evening told me how I could not know lighting –since “photography” meant ‘writing with light’!!!
He was right but then even today I shoot mostly on instincts ,though I acquired a whole lot of knowledge about the technical stuff…so much so…that I taught myself to shoot in candle lights, bulbs, tube-lights, tail lights of vehicles n even moonlight for that matter!!!

Over a period of time I have shot tons of stars but Mandira Bedi would remain a special. She gave me my confidence. I am shooting her again now…and quite excited about it...Not just because she is beautiful but there is something magical about her…only those who have met her would have experienced that…J

When a tiger kills!

2007-10-25T02:24:00.000+05:30

The silence before the storm

It was the 5th day of my documentary shooting at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve when I came across this scene-which a photographer just dreams of n hardly ever gets to shoot

-'a tiger going for the kill'

And as usual the dilemma-to shoot video or take pics. Since my HDV didnt really have too much of zoom-I decided to use my tele-photo lens n shoot this pic-just check out the way they are both sizing each other up.

It's a visual treat for wild-life lovers-the crouch,the anticipation, the chase n the attack! Your body goes still n a thousand indefinite thoughts block the traffic in your head...you experience a maddening rush of blood when for a few seconds everything in the jungle goes so silent that your own breathing sounds like a thunderstorm...and then you know you have witnessed something which not many people get to.

A tiger in its full glory. A tiger killing the way only a tiger can.

You don't feel bad about it either,cos you have learnt the fact by now

...in the jungle-killing is not a sport but a way of life!

I let a snake kiss the lens

2007-10-21T23:53:00.000+05:30

Can you believe a snake would let you easily shoot a hundred pics without trying to move away? Like a professional model!!!
Trust me they love to be clicked,atleast when they are hanging from a tree-thats the impression I got while shooting this one!
I had gone to shoot a documentary film to Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in M.P.this year in the month of April. While taking some notes in the camp,i had this eerie feeling as if something is hovering right behind me. Looking behind twice I still couldn't figure out till my hand almost touched this one hanging from the tree and staring right at me. Startled,I dropped my coffee mug but next second I was rushing to get my camera. Now the dilemma- to shoot photos or video? I ended up shooting both till in the next half an hour both of us got bored of each other...crazily enough,I let it even kiss the lens- thats when I shot the pic when it was moving back....
Let me be honest enough to tell you that I did all this when my cousin (Deepak Talan) had told me they are not actually dangerous...but then ofcourse after I had finished with it he added with a smile-'but you never know-a snake is a snake ,is a snake!...'
Thanks for telling...:-)

Freedom Flutter

2007-10-21T00:30:00.000+05:30

I have known Shama for almost three years now...and the matter of fact is,this pic could have been shot only with her. We shot this around Independance Day hence this choice of colors- I wanted to use the 3 colors of independance but not use a flag,n relate to her energy,beauty,sparkling smile n the sense of freedom she projected in that gesture...'wings of freedom' or 'freedom flutter' (as titled by The Times of India when they published it)...the outcome was fantastic...

A one-take shot n till date one of my most fav.. technically though its a bit difficult to capture as pigeons fly around too quickly ,making it almost impossible to focus n shoot..

Shama is actually a pure soul( n i m not trying to flatter her!),enjoys life's small little blessings n that reflects beautifully in the way she spontaneously smiles. I personally feel she wasted herself by doing TV but now that she is doing Shashiranjan's Dhoom -Dhadaka opposite Sammir Dattani,may be after the release she gets her due credit...

Personally this pic is very close to my heart...it makes me smile everytime I see it, n ofcourse, this pic got me to shoot 12 cover pages of GR8! Mag...back to back..

Mithun Chakraborty says Mumbai Tujhe Salaam

2007-10-20T04:34:00.000+05:30

Mithun Chakraborty says Mumbai Tujhe Salaam

A year back i went to do a photoshoot for a friend at a bungalow at Madh Island-...as i walked in that bungalow which was still under construction, for the first time I saw in person-the man whom i had admired n fought for with many ppl over the years( ofcourse without him being aware of that fact)-Mithun Chakraborty - Mithun Da- a man so humble n polite that i was almost ashamed of having fought the auto-rickshaw guy outside his bungalow....

Almost a year later i shot with him for Filmfare mag-he asked me for a reference-and i told him its in my head as i hated copying a pic for a legend like him...the imp thing was that he trusted me-and luckily enough the accompanying journalist from the mag-Devesh- was quite a chilled out n non-interfering guy...

We had just about 20min to setup n get this shot n couple of other ones (which i will post soon) and quickly also took a video-shot for the promotional video of "Mumbai Tujhe Salaam'...which i have recorded with Kailash Kher and Shaan, though i still hate myself for allowing dada to walk so back on those sharp rocks where he ended up cutting his left foot n bleeding...but he just smiled at me n in that moment i knew why he is such a great man...its a different story that while trying to shoot another pic of him from deep waters,i almost got drowned with my camera..n he still smiled at me!!!---and i told him-dada u r my hero n i know you would save me if something happened!

Ever since then I have shot with him 4 times n its always a great feeling...

On a moon-lit night...

2007-10-19T13:53:00.000+05:30

...and then even the moon paled away upon witnessing her exquisite sight...

I met Raquel at the oshiwara Barista in Mumbai...for the first time ever i felt like walking upto a stranger and say that 'i want to shoot with you'-though oddly, beautiful faces don't feel like strangers-you somehow feel connected to them...so,i did eventually ask her and just after 3 days we were shooting in Jaisalmer...

this pic is actually very important to me 'cos our generator conked out in the desert...then v brought around the jeep v had travelled in...and shot this in the headlights of the jeep...

...end result-she looks prettier than the moon...:-)..

Raquel sanchez is a top model n actress from Spain...she continues to remain one of my fav models..

being a writer and a photographer

2007-10-19T01:22:00.001+05:30

Ever since i turned in to a photographer....i forgot how to write...!!!...I have even forgotten how to enjoy the sight of beautiful things...infact,inspite of capturing some of the most beautiful images in the world,be it women or landscapes-I have hardly been able to 'experience' their beauty simply cos i am so engrossed in capturing it...Its like a love-n-hate relationship with my camera now...I come back and look at those images n when i want to write about them,I feel miserable cos i am unable to recall how I had felt at that visual treat-just because i never actually felt-I was too busy shooting it...

You can't be a writer and a photographer...?...I am asking myself this quite often these days...

You write about a beautiful thing or you shoot it?

...I guess I will have to start all over again cos atleast for now,the words fail me...