One day I was quite low in the office as I could not solve a problem. It was late in the evening when I gave up. I called Harish Mittal (a senior colleague), who stays in UK, seeking help. During the conversation, I referred to myself as a “bad developer”. The able manager and motivator that he is, he was quick to point out the different hurdles I overcame in the same program earlier. He said, “You are not bad. You are good. You are young. With time, you will be better. Hain na dada?”
Although I could not crack the logic that night, these words rang in my ears. I went home with a positive spirit. By the next time we had another meeting, the problem was solved.
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It was the same point in time, when different individuals of my age group started Facebook pages which criticized and made fun of young amateur photographers. We anyway, have way too many critics than we have motivators and helpers. This is the scenario in almost all the Facebook photography groups which has sprouted like mushrooms in the recent past.
It was demoralizing many young school level photographers who were trying hard to learn.
The Frank Anthony Public School had invited me to conduct “Basic Photography and social media MeetUp” in their school during that time (Read more). I wanted to stress on the point that there is nothing called “Bad photograph”. If I can photograph, anyone else can. My elders in Kolkata Weekend Shoots guided me. If I am of any help to the younger lot, it shall be my pleasure.
… I made a slide: “Good photographs. Better Photographs.” As you can see in the slide, I have a photograph on the left and another photograph to its right.
[poll id=”4″]While the left one shot by a 16 year old on his first visit to Gangasagar Mela, the other is shot by a person over 30 years of age who has been to the place multiple times and has thus gathered experience.
When I said this, I could see the students surprised, a few smiled. A few sat up with sparkling eyes. They looked motivated and I was an happy elder brother !
This formula worked in The Frank Anthony Public School. I repeated it in Loreto College (Read more). I keep repeating it so that every new comer feels good. It also helps me to stress on the fact – that if s/he wants to better his photographs, s/he should visit the place more number of times and gather experience. And that only practise shall make her/him better.
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As a speaker, I try few more ways to encourage, involve & engage my audience whenever I speak. This is one of them.
I believe, if I was invited to an institute, they have already accepted me as some authority. When students come, they come to learn and get motivated. So they require two takeaways from my session : 2-3 new learning points and motivation. If they leave the room with a smiling round and a happy face, I am the happiest person.
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MeetUp Group & Social Media in Photography :
All these sessions I was invited to conduct, I connected to the children and their friends from other schools. We have a small group called the “MeetUp” group where we discuss primarily photography. We are organising an event “Social Media in Photography” this 30th and 31st August 2014.
The event will have – sessions where the young and the experienced can interact, Kolkata Bloggers Meet, Personal branding sessions and exhibition of photographs shot by the young members of the MeetUp Group.
Know more about the event and book your tickets here.
Leaving you with a collage of a few square frames shot by the group members.
Do let me know what you feel about this blog post. Leave a comment.