Check out the week 31's highlights below!
Spotlight #18 - Chemistry /
This picture is a perfect example of what my last few months journey into the world of photography has brought about for me.
Needless to say, it means a lot.
This picture is sharp and colourful, but also full of contrast. It was also shot in manual focus with a flash in an extreme low-light situation.
All of these things are skills I've picked up over the last few months. Ironically, it's also what I swore that I would never do when I first started out in photography. I wanted to be different. I didn't want to be the guy blinding people in the club. I didn't want to use Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop to their full extent. I wanted to keep things simple and minimal - nothing more, nothing less.
Yet, this picture is the exact opposite of all those beliefs.
Seeing it manifest in this form is extremely pleasing.
I've been able to embrace technology for what it is and am happy with the results.
Spotlight #17 - Shadows /
I go through phases between colour based editing and then straight up high contrast black and white.
I don't have a real preference because I believe each has massive merit, and I really respect photographers who choose one and stick by it.
I find it too hard to choose between the two, because often times I just go with what suits the picture best and it's hard to get myself to say that I'm a 'black and white photographer,' thus make everything black and white.
Having said that though, there are sometimes when a picture just works so fucking well when it's made black and white.
Here's one of them
The original is filled with a mix of orange, red, green and yellow light, and is decent enough. But I knew almost immediately that I had to make this one black and white because there's just so much potential with it.
I generally love bumping the contrast and the blacks up a lot, and it's easy to get carried away doing that. Sometimes the beauty of black and white pictures, is in the grey.
This isn't one of those pictures.
The highlights and the blacks adds so much to the feel of this image. I also love how one of the guy's caps covers a part of his face. This just amplifies the shadows in the image and really just edited itself.
Check out last week's spotlight here - https://www.amansridhar.com/blog/2017/9/23/spotlight-16
Boxout Wednesdays 030 /
Check out the highlights from this week's Boxout Wednesday gig.
Uber Stories - "Mohit" /
Note: Mohit is a story I'm including to show the stark contrast in characters I have met in an Uber. While the others might prove to be a more entertaining read, this guy is probably one of the best drivers yet.
Mohit is one of the Uber drivers who I'd say is in a minority - he's relatively quiet.
He's one of those drivers who just drives his car, accepts the money, chats when he needs to and nothing more. He's a minority because based on my own interactions lately, most Uber drivers have something off about them.
This bit that makes these drivers slightly skewed is what makes them so special. They are Delhi - chaotic, wild and headstrong. To find someone who's exactly the opposite is definitely a rarity.
"Good evening, sir." Mohit says as I take my seat next to him.
Already, I'm a bit thrown off. He's only the second driver ever who's been willing to do small talk with me. I can tell that with Mohit, I'd need to be a little more conservative in what I speak - not in a political sense, but generally with the subjects I bring up and the language I use.
My ride isn't very far, so I start with the usual stuff. He tells me that he's only been on the road a few hours today, but the work has been flying.
"I drive for Uber and Ola, so I'm almost always busy, especially during peak hours."
When I ask him about the customers he's had to deal with in the past that caused problems, I can sense he's a little hesitant to answer.
"I've never really had any problems with customers. I just try to do my job as well as I can. I don't want to create any trouble."
He does go on to tell me how his competition at Ola are ruthless compared to those in Ubers.
"The Ola guys don't care. They do whatever they want. If they feel like canceling they do it, if they want to kick someone out they do that too. The Uber drivers are still much nicer."
As we pull up to my stop, I tell him about this project, and he's happy to pose for a shot. He obliges.