Blogs

Spotlight #13 - Emily Rose by Aman Sridhar

This week's spotlight is a return to something musical. I met Emily via Instagram a few months ago. 

Her pictures are a mix of creative editing and documenting, which is what caught my eye in the first place. It was around the time I had started working with Boxout and was looking through many different music and event photographers' profiles for inspiration. 

Emily was kind enough to respond to my request of being on here. Here's her picture, which was one of the first ones that I found riveting. Read below to see what she has to say about it. 

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"I've been doing event photography for about a year now. It started when I was in my third year at university when I found myself with a camera and without a job, so I thought I'd try my hand at taking some photos in the student-y venues and I've never looked back.

 

This photo was taken at an event organised by a student art collective (They're called YaM you can check them out here: https://www.yamavfc.com/) and it fully encapsulates the vibe of the types of independently organised events I've been fortunate enough to photograph. 

 

Every detail is important here; the industrious nature of the equipment, the centrality of the headphones under the spotlight but also of the phone and the laptop - this is a young, creative scene. The lamp is also important, I actually own that same lamp and I think a lot of other students do as it's from a cheap and popular homeware store. I just love the idea that maybe this lamp was a last minute decision, that one of the organisers suddenly realised they might need extra lighting on the decks so grabbed their desk lamp which, on any other night, would illuminate their studies, but this time as the photo depicts it's been given an extra-special job."

 

Follow Emily here - https://www.instagram.com/emilyroseeventphotography/  

Boxout Wednesdays 024 by Aman Sridhar

I've been working with the folks at Boxout FM for a few months now, so I decided I would add my pictures to a blog post each week. 

Check out the highlights from last week's event. 

Check out Boxout here - http://boxout.fm/

 

Spotlight #12 - Pondicherry Sunsets feat. Rohan Rath by Aman Sridhar

I first connected with Rohan via Instagram, after we both shared our appreciation for each other's pictures. 

What drove me towards really getting in touch with him and bringing him on Spotlight was the Indian connection. For some reason, the fact that he was in India, and was a photographer based out of a city so close to where I stay, made things more real. 

Suddenly I had visions of collaborations and improving our photography together. 

I follow Rohan's landscape Instagram account. Check it out here - https://www.instagram.com/rohanrath/

When I look at Rohan's pictures, I see exactly what I have to do when it comes to shooting landscapes. His lighting and framing are always on point, and it serves as a benchmark for my own photos. 

Here's what Rohan has to say about this picture: 

"This is one of my favorite photos. It was taken back in 2013 at Auroville, Pondicherry. I’d recently picked up a Canon 600D and was testing out the kit lens and learning photography. It was during this trip that I realized how much I love shooting Landscapes and even more sunsets. I once read somewhere, “Sunsets are proof that almost everyday can end beautifully”. I have shot numerous sunsets since, and this image is where it all began.  

To anyone who would like to get started with Landscape Photography, I would say just start right away. There’ll never be a good camera to start with or a good time to start clicking. Everyday is a good day, and every camera (phone/DSLR/P&S) is a good camera to start with. And lastly, landscape photography is also an awesome excuse to be outdoors and close to nature."

 

Follow Rohan here - https://www.instagram.com/rohanrath/

 

Leave a comment or two below with your thoughts on the picture and Rohan's feed. 

Cheers

Shooting landscapes by Aman Sridhar

I remember as a kid (don't you love it when articles start like that?), a 'good' photograph was one that captured the landscape really well. 

And so, no matter what my camera was, I always pushed for capturing a good landscape. 

Recently, however, my pictures have been of a more documentary style. It comes from the belief that I have about pictures capturing reality and freezing it forever. Manipulating the picture to make it seem like something else is manipulating reality, and so I was dead set against it. 

Just yesterday though, while I was editing my pictures from Ladakh, I happened on a technique that truly opened my eyes to something new. I've been following this Instagram accounts for a while now - accounts that edit their pictures so well, the pictures seem other worldly. 

A part of me has always been skeptical of it because of that very belief i talked about above, but a part of me was both envious and in awe of it all because it's truly beautiful. 

And while I was editing, I chanced upon the technique on how to do it. 

Suddenly, my perspective on it all has changed. I still believe landscapes cannot truly ever be captured on camera because of their raw beauty, but from an artistic perspective, landscapes provide the most room for experimentation. 

Now, my recent trip was a mixture of many different kinds of pictures - landscapes, people, street, animals etc. and I never imagined I would have gained such a new outlook on photography as a whole. 

It's an exciting time for me where I can experiment around with a new style of photography and see where it takes me. 

Cheers

Spotlight #11 - Marshall's big adventure by Aman Sridhar

I'm very excited to bring this week's spotlight forward, because it involves a friend of mine.

Marshall Chen is a guy who I've known for a long time. Back in college, I almost immediately associated Marshall with a camera. This guy was extremely enthusiastic and was constantly out there doing his thing. 

As I started getting much more into the hands on aspect of photography, it was almost instinctive that I talked to Marshall. I had noticed that his Instagram feed had started to become a lot more professional, and his pictures continually improved. 

The picture below is one I found on his Instagram that I absolutely love. 

"I took this picture on my way back to LA from Laughlin, Nevada, and yes -- while I was driving.

I saw this billboard on my way to Laughlin and kept it in mind. The other side of the board was blank. It just sat there in the desert to rust. 

The road for the most part is smooth. There are some curves here and there but mostly straights.

Rugged tarmac surface creates plenty of noise, but at the time it makes me feel like I was riding a horse through the desert. 

And my 1.4 liter straight four Chevy Cruze now feels like a V8 Camaro." - Marshall

 

Besides the composition of the picture, I really love the colours and the open space. To me it clearly shows the spirit of adventure and the long road leading to nowhere. This idea resonates with me, and this picture shows me that every time I see it. 

 

What are your thoughts? Do you like this picture as much as I do? Leave a comment below and share your perspective!