Mumbai Weekend Shoot – Sagar Upvan 22nd March 2009

I went today for my 3rd Mumbai Weekend Shoot – Flickr. I did not write about my last shoot of Mumbai Festival 2009, for me, that shoot was not very eventful, though I did meet some interesting people. In that event I did not carry a tripod, a big mistake on my part, as that was night shoot. Lesson learned. 🙂

I reached Sagar Upvan in Colaba, Mumbai later than appointed time of 7:00 am and dived right into photographing whatever I found interesting.

Compared to previous two events I participated, this shoot has attracted huge number of photographers. There where 35+ people there. It was just amazing to look at all those dudes and chicks with big cameras strapped to their necks. 🙂

After the shoot we spent quite a time together in garden in small and large groups. Some members even did portraits using home made reflectors made of office files and gift wrap papers! I missed that part.

There was an interesting trick demonstrated using red background image as white balance in the digital camera and getting some cool green tainted images, which look very professional. I will try out that trick at the 1st available opportunity.

Looking at my photos of past and this event, it looks like I am getting real pro in macros. 🙂 You are welcome to help me either validate or discredit this observation about me. I will keep my fingers crossed!

Apart from spending some time together in garden till we were thrown out of the garden by security, we were all famished and 15+ people decided to have some light bites in Leopold Cafe in Colaba.

We all had light snacks and light food and lot of fun in the cafe and few brave souls went all the way to ordering some beer in the sweltering heat of Mumbai.

While interacting with the people, I found two professional groups who were in majority within MWS. One large group of people have Information Technology background. Another large group of people were from advertising, marketing and/or mass media background.

I am proposing a new theory – why people from IT background have so much interest in photography and may be other creative arts? We IT guys and gals use our left brain from Monday to Friday and photography helps us use our right brain on weekends. This I think is healthy in balancing out our brain usage and it helps us in recharging our batteries.

Before people went about their way, there was a brief round of introduction for all the people who stayed back, followed by vote of thanks by Dhruv for our heroes Paromita, Riddhi and Vishhh, whose untiring efforts in organizing these events with religious regularity and growing this community to such a size. Hats off to you guys for such a vibrant community of photographers!

Looking forward to such fun events again and again!

If you are in IT and not using photography to recharge your batteries, I would love to know what creative activities you are pursuing to keep your right brain in use and shape. 🙂

Mumbai Weekend Shoot – 11th Jan 2009

How would you react if someone asks you to come to Mumbai’s Chor Bazaar on a Sunday morning at 9 am? Well, at least, I was a bit apprehensive about this adventure.

I was apprehensive because, one, I was new to the group I was meeting. Two, the reputation of the area and three, I am not the kind who wakes up early in the morning. 🙂

In any case, I did manage to reach the meeting point @ Mumbai Central by 8:45 AM and other people started coming in and by 9:15/9:20 we had two taxi full of people heading for the Chor Bazaar. There was some minor confusion about the general direction we were to go but it was clear quickly.

Rootless_wanderer (Paromita) was very good at co-ordinating with people who were either on the way or already reached the area. She was kept busy on her phone guiding people.

Around 9:45 we reached Chor Bazaar and we were to meet few people who had already reached. However, finding directions and landmarks in the maze of streets and by-lanes of Chor Bazaar/Bhindi Bazaar is an adventure in itself.

Finally around 10:00/10:15 we started wandering around and started warming up to shooting people and places.

At the start of our odyssey, an elderly gentleman did ask us who we are and what we are up to, and once I clarified, they did not bother us any more. We also show few policemen on the bit but they left us to our own devices.

For almost three hours we wandered around the area and started shooting whatever we found interesting. Barring a small rebuff to Devansh by a Muslim Clergy, there was no incidence of any note. The people there were mostly curious and largely co-operative.

Today I get to know many people and made friends with Anirban, Ashish, Beca, Devansh, Gopal, Krunal, Kush, Paromita and Vishal. Please add your name in the comment if I have missed you somehow.

It was a great learning experience for me. I leaned few things about photography from this amazing gang of photographers. I learned about lighting, preference for selecting either morning or evening for outdoor photography, issues related to noon photography, frame composition, selection of subject and use of appropriate lenses. Of course they were discussing their gears all the time and most words were alien to me. However, I will hopefully pick-up as I interact with the group more.

I hope to learn and acquire more experience with the help of Mumbai Weekend Shoot and getting tips tricks and feedback on my work.

If you are interested in photography, you are most welcome to join this very active and thriving community of photographers at either flickr group and facebook group