If the live set is still on in the background and you are going through the post, let's just make this read a worthwhile for you. After 3 years, 3008 facebook likes, 38,000 blog page views, 362 Instagram followers and 37 Pinterest followers (daym I need to pin more), number 3 seems to be good. One is the best, 2 is a bitter feeling of not being the best, and hitting the number 3 is when you know you're in the zone, with the best yet not the best. You know you've done your bit of struggle, now is the time to put that learning into action and surge ahead.
This post celebrates the hitting and smashing of number 3 which has been possible only because of some super awesome people i'v met all this while. I celebrate this with some great stories of how I started this crazy journey of realization that just keeps me super charged. How I met some awesome people who just trusted me, some never before released behind the scene pictures and some pictures of when I get in front of the camera and hand my camera to someone else (these one's are a super bummer). I all ready see this as a 3 part blog!!
The first question that pops in my head, as I look upon this journey is how did all this start. How did I manage to get on board I ask one question to myself a lot of times. How did this start?
"Your first 10,000 pictures are the worst"
I started being the official photographer to document the "oh-so-happening" life of my advertising career. I can't thank these lovely beings enough, to be their honest self in front me that helped me choose what genre of photography I wanted to choose. This picture of a very dear friend Preeti, is by far my favorite picture till date. And for your information this was indeed one of theeeeeeeee first pictures I clicked with a professional camera. Technically speaking there are a thousand flaws in this picture, the focus has completely gone for a toss, it's not well framed, the rule of thirds is completely fucked, i'll go on and on with the flaws. But the twinkly eyes and that content happy smile that I was able to capture in this picture, makes me still love this picture.
At one time, almost everyone in my office had their profile picture set as the one that was clicked by me. I clicked people in their moments of high, in that awkward giggly laughter moments, in their creative thought process zone and in their so called "work zone".
Ha ha ha ha, I ended up clicking an office shifting as well.
Man!!! Basically (I hate to use this word, but that's what fits in here best) you'll never run out of a moment of action in an advertising agency! It's here with these awesome people that I realized that I'm was slightly good at capturing people at their most honest moments. Though i'm the worst (when I say worst, I actually mean theeeeee worst) person to start a conversation or just talk to, I think so I just make people feel not judged. And over the years, I feel it's this feeling of not being judged that makes everyone just be themselves, even if it's for a heartbeat and it's that one heartbeat when everything falls in place and is perfect.
My family was also not a step behind of being the perfect subjects of laughter and joy and giving me an inspiration to click more.
My first year, had been a year of so many firsts. Oh yes!! and I clicked that soooooper cliched camera selfie as well ;-) The white balance is too yellow here, facepalm!!
The best first by far has been making new friends (at which again i'm really bad at). I'm a happy bunny sticking to my set of good ole college gang of frends, whom i'v trained well enough till now, to bear me. But this girl came along with some zesty lemon freshness and we gelled like butter and icing sugar. Ha ha ha ha, I can't stop laughing at the food analogy I just gave, not the best that the world of English has to offer, but definitely is the best that describes our meeting and our new found friendship. And we were destined to gel, we share the same name!
Hey Sim, It's been good knowing you girl.
I owe a hell lot of my technical learning and the exposure to professional side of photography to this babe. And I just can't thank her enough for trusting me at times, which till date I am not able to do with fellow photographers. And I was just a girl with just another dslr and with no experience at all to click a formal function. Today, when I have to decide upon a second assistant shooter or maybe a fellow photographer who has to cover an assignment on my behalf, I go bonkers and make these other photographers go bonkers as well (fellow photographers who have gone through this process and reading this post, sincere apologies, but that's how my creative nerves are) ;-)
Looking back there have been so many instances where she has just blindly trusted me. It was at this super high profile Punjabi wedding (Man!! It was a high profile, Cory Walia was a personal make-up assistant for the bride, even if she had to step out of her room to pick a glass of water as well, she was spot on). So Sim just got stuck in a super bad traffic and could see herself miss one of the most beautiful mehandi setups. She just called me and told I was supposed to cover it on her behalf. I rented my first 5d for this wedding all in a matter of 2 hours and I wad there to make sure not a single moment was missed. Sim made it for the function finally, just in time for d jaago, and we wrapped up clicking by far the best Sikh weddings till date.
There have been so many such instances, where she just gave me the space to rise and shine.
I captured a first birthday party. This was indeed theeeeeeeee first assignment I officially got paid for.
I clicked the happiest kid who just happened to frown if we put down our cameras :-)
I clicked a badminton tournament.
I got to witness some sweet love stories with a twist.
I clicked an entire wedding on Sim's behalf.
I also ended up being on the sets and clicking a fashion shoot!!
I sang along and clicked a few concerts as well by Hari & Sukhmani and Just Ittefaq. These fellow artists make me feel so proud to be a part of Chandigarh. You live, breathe and spread the pure joy vibe of Chandigarh around the world.
But trusting me for that 3 hours to cover the big fat Sikh wedding was one instance that as per me, was one of the biggest instances which as a photographer, a wedding photographer especially who do not have the options of retakes, can trust someone's creative intellect.
And yes!! we both just waaaaaaaaiiittttttt and waaaaaaiiiiitttttt to take out some time and discuss all the super interesting stories we get to see and hear, courtesy the weddings we are lucky to be a part of (Sim, I know, you know, what I mean). And as a tradition we always wrap up a function with Sim having a few beers and me enjoying my mocktails with gulaab jamuns or if I like the cake, or pretty much everything and anything interesting in the dessert section. A fellow artist from this industry, who has been and always will be a great inspiration. Simran Jagddev Photography for your review.
This first year has been laying a strong foundation of all the awesomeness I was destined to experience in the coming years. I learnt one of the most important lessons to proceed with your dreams. Again a cliche, but that's how simple it can get...just do it. Magic also happens if you move the wand. You need to just do it to experience the magic.
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