Interview with Anindo Basu
Written on May 21st , 2017 by {"login"=>"jcbitshyd", "email"=>"journal@hyderabad.bits-pilani.ac.in", "display_name"=>"Journal Club, BPHC", "first_name"=>"", "last_name"=>""}What is it that attracts you towards photography? The first thing that attracts me towards photography is the essence of what I can capture. Everything can be made beautiful with a camera.
How did you realize that photography was your passion? I once watched a Nat Geo documentary. It made me feel like this was something that I’ve always wanted to do. I was fascinated by the shots and the risks. From that day onwards I’ve been into photography. I did a few courses and devoted my time and effort towards it. And now, I’m here with Nikon.
What risks do you mean, in specific? The obvious risks from venturing into the wild. In India, however, the biggest is your parents(laughs). They will be the first ones to rain down a barrage of questions on you. Once you’re past that, the animals of the wild won’t really scare you anymore.
What was your parents’ reaction when they found out that you wanted to pursue Photography as a passion? They wanted to disown me, of course. They didn’t, even in the wildest of their dreams, think that I would do something as “ridiculous”. However, once they realized how passionate I was, they changed their mind and supported me. I don’t think I’d be where I am today, if it weren’t for them. I’m sure all of our parents react that way. But, if you show them how much you love your art, I’m pretty sure every parent will come to terms with it.
What exactly goes through your mind before you take a photograph? Things like composition and other aspects of photography? I think about the moment. The essence of the moment. It needs to be something extraordinary. It’s what runs through my mind first. The composition comes way later.
Sometimes the view looks magnificent to the human eye. When you try to shoot it with a camera, however, it doesn’t seem as special. How do you tackle a situation such as this? It may seem ordinary because the camera had not been configured properly or because the perspective isn’t the same. I believe that with the right equipment and skillset, any image that you can see can be captured and improved upon with a camera.
How did you come to like biking? It’s something that I began to show interest in, well after my exposure to photography. Photography helped me in opening up to people, to converse with new people with ease. It helped me discover another aspect to life. The interest in travel stemmed from there. I did not want to limit myself. I wanted to travel on my own terms. I did not want to wait for buses and public transport. Biking was the ideal solution. My love for it has only grown since.
You were in a college when you decided to switch careers. Any tips you can give to enthusiasts at BITS? I was doing the second year of my BBA. My thoughts used to migrate towards how I could take pictures, frame better images and so on. I don’t know about tips, but all I can say is that if you are sure that you have a passion towards something, concentrate on it but it doesn’t have to mean that you can neglect your studies. It is so much better to complete you degree and then you will have all the time in the world to pursue your true passion and turn into your profession.
It’s never too late. I know of people who switched professions at the age of 40 also, because they couldn’t do it earlier. Age is just a number. It may make things difficult, but it’s not impossible. Like Atul Kasbekar and Latika ramaswami.
Wouldn’t you say that takes a lot of guts? Well, yes. Coming to engineering also takes a lot of guts. We never hesitated in doing that. Why stop when it’s something that you actually love?
How is photography, as a career, in India? I think it’s much better than it used to be. Right now, it’s only wedding and fashion photography that has mainstream attention. But wildlife and other forms are on the rise. I’d say it is succeeding in giving people a satisfactory livelihood.
How often do you travel? I travel at least four times a week to different cities. I live in Kolkata.
Four times a week?! Isn’t that overwhelming? I carry my camera everywhere I go and ensure that I devote some time in every city to taking some photos. I think, taking time out in the middle of work or making use of the unexpected moments is what gives us the best of images.
Would you say that good cameras/equipment is a necessity to take good photographs? Good cameras? Yes. Some moments can only be captured with a good FPS, ISO or a higher shutter speed. I’d suggest that a DSLR is at least required to ensure that you aren’t limited in your photography.
Suppose someone wanted to pursue wildlife photography. What kind of tips would you like to give them? Understand your camera. Understand wildlife. How and why and at which times animals come out; take rest and not move. And of course, when to move away from the animal if it is aggravated. I’d say that it is absolutely essential for any budding wildlife photography enthusiast to cover all these in extensive research: the camera, the sanctuaries, and the wildlife.
What other advice would you like to give to us? Everyone’s doing different genres of photography, everyone has their own specific field of interest. People will have difference of opinions, like which lens will better suit the moment or which angle will be ideal. You will research upon which is better, and this is how knowledge grows. And also, keep on calling Nikon for workshops. We’d love to come here again and hold advanced workshops. People are very enthusiastic here
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Interviewed by Shubhi Jain, Soham Majumdar, Koushal Devabhaktuni. Originally published on SWD BITS Chronicles on 21 May, 2017. Picture credits DoPY, BITS Hyderabad