Creating Anywhere, Creativity Everywhere
Photography from a single location under constraints
I will give you two instances where I had to use my photography skills to the fullest to take images. In both the scenarios I had about 6–7 minutes to take the pictures I wanted. The first one was at a traffic signal where I noticed that a model of an aeroplane named after the state of Telangana (which is where I am located) was placed. The second one was on the runway of an airport just before my flight was to take off. While neither of the two scenarios were convenient, I went ahead and took photographs.
I love to work under constraints, it is fun and challenging. What is then required is a quick eye and a quick hand. My choice in such situations is mostly to shoot with a mobile camera since it allows speed of action. The exciting part is also that one is most alert in such circumstances, scanning the terrain for the best possibilities. I think we notice much more when working within a tight time frame.
Coming to the first instance, I was at a traffic signal and the model of the aeroplane was in front of me. It was a busy street and people were moving to and fro. So the best thing to do was to focus on the people who walked past the aeroplane model. To see different people at the same location and against the same backdrop was visually very interesting. What I enjoyed doing here was catching a glimpse of the busy city life and to see how different people complete a city. Maybe there was a story or two in these images.
The second set of images are about patterns. I think the runway is a lovely expanse with the many patterns visible on it. Most times the lines and shapes on the runway go unnoticed. I took these photos as the plane started moving at a slow pace to get to the spot from where it would eventually take off. In between there were patterns that caught my eye. The art of noticing is about looking at the subtle details of life and the world around us.
The first experience at the traffic signal felt like documentation where I had kept my mobile camera fixed. The second one seemed more creative since it involved noticing and making sense of the patterns on the runway. Sometimes constraints are good; they train the eye and exercise the brain. They make us realise the many dimensions of photography and of the possibilities that exist.
