Poetry in a frame

As an eight-year-old boy, Prabhakar enjoyed capturing the beauty of life on his digital camera. Little did he know that he would become the founder and coordinator of one of the most popular photography clubs in the City, ‘Pixel Bangalore’.

He started the club three years ago when he realised that many people have a passion for the art but are unable to pursue it due to the sky-rocketing prices of cameras and photography courses. So he started organising sessions for those interested in photography during the weekends.

The members capture the vibrant hues of the City and thanks to their effort, streets like MG Road, Cubbon Park, Lalbagh and Commercial Street come alive in frames. Whether it is captured on a phone-camera or high-end DSLR, each picture is like poetry in a frame.

Prabhakar says, “I started the group with about seven people, most of whom were my friends. We used to meet at different places and give tips to each other.”

 Thenrajan, a systems engineer in an IT company, has been a member for the last six months. “Every session has a theme. So we all shoot pictures accordingly and then give our feedback to each other.” Their themes range from ‘black and white’, ‘candid’, ‘portrait’, ‘colours’ to ‘patterns’.

Jeevan, a student, says that it’s these themes that made him join the club. “It’s also a good way to make new friends and the club conducts different workshops which are helpful. A strong bond exists between the members and everyone shares their ideas,” he says. Kishore, a business analyst, says that attending these sessions has helped him keep in touch with photography and meet like-minded people.   

A senior member helps out the beginners at the workshops, which take place outside the City. The workshops vary from ‘basic’, ‘macro’ to ‘wildlife’ and consist of a professional photographer sharing his experience. “The main challenge is to contact professional photographers. Another problem is that many feel attending one workshop is enough. So we always have to come up with new themes and innovative events to keep the sessions interesting,” says Prabhakar.

 Suraj, an MBA student, is intrigued by these workshops. “The entire process depends on how one ‘sees’ the picture in his or her mind. The key lies in perception, passion and patience and passion.” Avinash, a full-time business analyst and part-time photographer, is concerned about the lighting and depth before clicking a picture. Thenrajan adds that though he is a landscape photographer, the sessions have given him an insight on the other genres.

A persuasive photographer since he was a child, Prabhakar says that the DSLR has killed the creativity of youngsters to an extent. He feels that a camera with a reel is always better to start with as one doesn’t get to see the picture until it’s printed and hence, experiments a lot more to get the right shot. 

Sumukhee, a freelance photographer, says that photography is no longer a male-dominated field. “Earlier, women were hesitant to enter the field because of the low pay and the amount of travel it involved. Now, there are a lot of women in the field and at ‘Pixel Bangalore’ as well.”

The group, which has more than 25 members, is like a close-knit family. As Thenrajan sums up, “We try to showcase the best aspect of every subject.”